In order to carry out this task, students must take into account the characteristics and rules of the selected type of analysis. They must also consider the functionalities of the selected tool.

Here are some of the operations that students may have to carry out depending on the type of analysis and tool used:

• acquire the elements of information to analyze;
• use software support to automate a series of operations;
• extract results (generate reports, graphics or lists);
• apply functions to objects or data;
• create formulas;
• create and manipulate forms, symbols and objects of many different types;
• organize or structure elements of information to facilitate their observation or transformation;
• apply styles (lines, colours, etc.) appropriately to highlight characteristics;
• etc.

Assignments linked with this objective are closely related to the other steps or operations that may be associated with the analysis to carry out (objective 2.1 and 2.3 for example).

Students can develop this objective by presenting to their teacher the following intermediate assignments:

• a list of concrete operations carried out or to be carried out (comparison, sorting, calculations, etc.);
• the order into which such operations are carried out;
• the tools and functions used.

Simulation is a most rewarding activity with regards to learning and to the global experience for developing students’ analytical capacities.