EXPANDED SCOPE

 

FOR

 

            ASSISTANT MANAGER OF DATA PROCESSING PR                                                                        1,2,3,4,5

            DATA BASE MANAGER OC                                                                                                                    2,3,5,6

            INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY COORDINATOR OC                                                1,2,7,8

            NETWORK AND SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR OC & PR                                                                2,3,4,5,7

            PRINCIPAL PROGRAMMER ANALYST OC & PR                                                                             2,4,5,6,9

            SYSTEMS ANALYSIS SUPERVISOR OC                                                                                              2,3,4,5,7

 

1.     DATA CENTER OPERATIONS - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing and controlling the operating activities of a computer center. They cover such areas as: data center methods and procedures; identifying and resolving operational problems; coordinating and maintaining schedules for the utilization of equipment; and monitoring and controlling operating systems, equipment, and the physical environment in the computer center.

 

2.     PREPARING WRITTEN MATERIAL - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

 

3.     PROJECT MANAGEMENT - These questions are designed to test for techniques and concepts of project management. They may cover, but not necessarily be confined to, management of systems development, management by objectives, project scheduling and control techniques (e.g., PERT), characteristics of organizations and of the systems life cycle, and the development of data processing standards.

 

4.     SUPERVISION -   These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

 

5.     SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN -  These questions test for techniques and concepts of computer systems analysis and design. They cover such subjects as feasibility and applications studies, systems development tools and software, the systems life cycle, types of systems (e.g., client/server, Web-based), controls, and systems documentation, testing, and implementation.

 

6.     PROGRAMMING TECHNIQUES AND CONCEPTS - These questions test for basic structures of higher-level computer programming languages and their applications. They cover such subjects as programming techniques and terminology, program documentation, and flowchart interpretation.

 

7.     PRINCIPLES OF NETWORKED COMMUNICATIONS - These questions test for basic concepts and terminology of data communications. They cover such subjects as data communications, types of networks, modems, security, protocols, topologies, transmission media, wiring, installation and troubleshooting. The questions are general in scope and are not specific to any vendor or system.

 

8.     TRAINING USERS OF COMPUTERS - These questions test for knowledge of techniques for using computers and approaches to training others to use them. They cover such subjects as use of computer hardware, software and applications; preparing and evaluating instruction materials; determining the level of trainees' knowledge and the use of computers to provide instruction and feedback. The questions on training depend upon good judgment and practical experience rather than knowledge of abstract principles.

 

9.     DATA PROCESSING CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY -  These questions are designed to test for knowledge of computer characteristics and operations that is relevant for computer programming and analysis. They may cover, but not necessarily be confined to, basic terminology of data processing, data entry, data access, and data communications; basic characteristics of storage media and data bases; types of data processing (e.g., time-sharing), the functions of operating systems, and hierarchies of computer memory.

 

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However, candidates may find information in the publication "How to Take a Written Test" helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available online at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

 

USE OF CALCULATORS IS ALLOWED

 

12/01/18