| Date | November 2020 | Marks available | 4 | Reference code | 20N.1.SL.TZ0.3 |
| Level | SL | Paper | 1 | Time zone | no time zone |
| Command term | Compare | Question number | 3 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Compare direct changeover with parallel running as a method of implementation.
Markscheme
Award [4 max].
there is no extra cost;
for running two systems/for extra salaries (no need to increase the number of employees);
benefits can be gained immediately;
because new system is better than the old;
if there is a bug in the new system;
there is not a second system to fall back on/could be disastrous for the company;
employees will need to be capable of using the new system immediately;
without training/with training in advance but not on the system;
Mark as 2 and 2
Examiners report
A large number of candidates scored full or nearly full marks for this question because they were able to describe the different benefits and drawbacks of the direct changeover and parallel running methods of implementation. If marks were lost, it was most often because candidates gave a description to show why one method may be better than the other, but then gave the reverse argument, as to why the other system may not be as good as the first, rather than offering two distinct arguments. However, many good and comprehensive answers were seen.
