Analysis Task Tips

Although there is little you can do beforehand to prepare for an analysis task, the following tips can show you the best way to approach and handle the exercise on the day itself:

Before you Begin

Before you start working on an analysis test, make sure that you know the following key points:

• How long do you have to complete the task?
• What are you expected to do?
• What skills are being tested in the exercise?
• What will you be assessed on - just your final report or presentation or will your initial notes and general workings be taken into account as well?
• Can you mark and annotate the information papers that have been given to you?

If in doubt - ask.

Planning the Work

Once the exercise begins, allocate a time for each of the tasks that have been set, including an amount to familiarise yourself with the documentation. Make sure that you assign your timings in the right proportions; there's little point allowing yourself more time to read the documents than preparing your findings. Once you have set your timings - stick to them!

Reading the Documentation

Before familiarising yourself with the briefing materials, skim read them first so that you can prioritise the important information. Not all the documents will be relevant and part of the exercise will test your ability to sift through written material to extract the most important items. Do not spend too long reading the lower-priority items and concentrate instead on the more significant areas. As you read through the material, make notes of any links that you notice in the data, so that you can convey your awareness of the relevant ones in your report.

Preparing Your Findings

When undertaking an analysis report, it is essential not only to have the right skills, but also to ensure that that assessor can see that you have the right skills. This means that you will need present your findings and data in a slightly more exaggerated way than you would in a normal office setting, so that the assessor is aware of your thought processes, reasoning and assumptions.

For example, if you are required to produce a list of particular action points, make sure that you are as specific as you can. Instead of writing:

"Discuss in meeting",

tell the assessor exactly who you would involve, to what purpose, and why, for example:

"Discuss the proposed introduction of flexitime working with Head of Security to determine any security issues that might result from staff working outside core hours".

It is essential to demonstrate to the assessor that you are aware of the implications of your proposed actions.

If you have made any assumptions about the material, point this out to the assessors in your submitted work.

Make sure that your report or presentation includes a proper introduction and a clear conclusion, with appropriate justifications to explain or support your findings or conclusions. Try to have an identifiable 'trai...

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