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NSW · NESA2026

HSC Information Processes and Technology: complete 2026 guide to the core, options and the exam

A complete 2026 guide to HSC Information Processes and Technology (IPT). The three core topics (Project Management, Information Systems and Databases, Communication Systems), the option topics, the seven information processes, exam structure, study strategy, and links to every dot point answer we have.

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HSC Information Processes and Technology (IPT) is a NESA technology course about how information systems work: how they collect, organise, analyse, store, process, transmit and display information, and how teams build them responsibly.

This page is the index. Below: the core and option topics, the seven information processes, exam structure, study strategy, and links to every dot point answer we have for HSC IPT in 2026.

Note on syllabus currency: the structure below grounds in the established NESA IPT syllabus. NESA has signalled possible changes in the technologies area, so confirm the current syllabus and exam specification for your HSC year on the official NESA website before relying on exam details.

The seven information processes

Every system in IPT is analysed through seven information processes:

  • Collecting gathers data and enters it into the system.
  • Organising arranges data into a usable structure.
  • Analysing interprets data to find meaning and patterns.
  • Storing and retrieving saves data and brings it back when needed.
  • Processing manipulates data to create new or updated data.
  • Transmitting and receiving moves data between locations and systems.
  • Displaying presents information to people clearly.

These processes are carried out by five system components: participants, data and information, information processes, and information technology (hardware and software).

The three core topics

Project Management
How a team plans, schedules and controls the building of an information system. The system development life cycle, Gantt charts and scheduling, the project journal, team roles, communication and prototyping, and the social and ethical responsibilities (privacy, security, accuracy, the changing nature of work, the digital divide).
Information Systems and Databases
What an information system is and the seven information processes. Relational databases (tables, records, fields, keys, relationships) and SQL. Non-database organisation such as flat files, hypermedia and free text retrieval. Storage and retrieval methods, indexing, backup and the social impact of databases.
Communication Systems
How data moves between devices. The communication model and functions, protocols and handshaking, the TCP/IP idea, error detection. Network types (LAN, WAN), topologies (star, bus, ring, mesh), transmission media and bandwidth, and the issues raised by networked communication.

The option topics

Schools choose options to study in depth. Common options are:

  • Transaction Processing Systems. High-volume business transactions, batch versus real time processing, data integrity, concurrency, backup and recovery.
  • Decision Support Systems. Modelling and what-if analysis, spreadsheets, data warehouses, OLAP and data mining, and the contrast with expert systems.
  • Automated Manufacturing. Computer-aided design and manufacture, robotics and control systems in production.
  • Multimedia Systems. Combining text, image, audio, video and animation, authoring, compression and delivery.

Exam structure

The HSC IPT exam is a written paper of about 3 hours. Expect:

  • A multiple choice section.
  • A short answer section covering the three core topics.
  • An extended response section with a separate question for each option; you answer the option your school studied.

Confirm timing, mark allocations and the exact specification against the current NESA exam specifications, as course details can be revised between years.

Study strategy

  1. Master the seven processes. Be able to describe any familiar system (a library loans system, an online shop) process by process. This skill underpins the whole paper.
  2. Drill databases and SQL. Practise designing small relational schemas and writing SELECT queries with WHERE, ORDER BY and joins until they are automatic.
  3. Learn the networking vocabulary. LAN versus WAN, topologies with their trade-offs, media, protocols and handshaking are reliably tested.
  4. Know your option deeply. Each option carries an extended response, so practise structured answers for the one your school teaches.
  5. Weave in social and ethical issues. Privacy, security, accuracy and the impact on work earn marks across the whole paper, especially in extended responses.
  6. Practise past papers from Term 3. Time your extended responses and mark them against the criteria.

Our 2026 HSC IPT guides, dot point by dot point

For NESA dot-point-level coverage, every dot point we have shipped has its own focused answer page with worked examples and the traps markers look for.

Core: Project Management

Core: Information Systems and Databases

Core: Communication Systems

Option: Transaction Processing Systems

Option: Decision Support Systems

Option: Automated Manufacturing Systems

Option: Multimedia Systems

Browse the full set at /hsc/information-processes-and-technology/syllabus.

System context

HSC IPT sits inside the wider HSC system. Related explainers:

For the official syllabus

NESA publishes the full syllabus and exam materials at educationstandards.nsw.edu.au. Always confirm the syllabus and exam specification that applies to your HSC year, as the technologies learning area is subject to curriculum review.

The HSC system, explained

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Common questions about Information Processes and Technology

What is HSC Information Processes and Technology?
HSC Information Processes and Technology (IPT) is a 2-unit NESA technology course. It studies how information systems collect, organise, analyse, store and retrieve, process, transmit and receive, and display information. The HSC course has three core topics that every student studies (Project Management, Information Systems and Databases, and Communication Systems) and option topics from which schools choose, typically Transaction Processing Systems, Decision Support Systems, Automated Manufacturing and Multimedia Systems. The course frames every system using the seven information processes and five system components.
What are the seven information processes in IPT?
The seven information processes are collecting, organising, analysing, storing and retrieving, processing, transmitting and receiving, and displaying. Collecting gathers data; organising arranges it into a usable form; analysing interprets it; storing and retrieving saves and recalls it; processing manipulates and updates it; transmitting and receiving moves it between locations; and displaying presents it to people. Every system in the course is analysed by describing how it carries out some combination of these seven processes, supported by participants, data, and information technology.
How is HSC Information Processes and Technology examined?
The HSC IPT exam is a written paper of about 3 hours. It has a multiple choice section, a short answer section covering the three core topics, and an extended response section drawn from the option topics. The core sections test the seven information processes, project management, databases and SQL, and communication systems and networks. Each option has its own extended response question, and you answer the one for the option your school studied. Confirm the current exam specifications and timing against the official NESA syllabus, as course details can be revised.
What is the difference between the core and the options in IPT?
Every IPT student studies the three core topics: Project Management, Information Systems and Databases, and Communication Systems. The core builds the shared foundation of system components, the seven information processes, databases and networks. The options go deeper into one kind of system. Common options are Transaction Processing Systems, Decision Support Systems, Automated Manufacturing and Multimedia Systems. Your school chooses which options to teach, and you answer exam questions only on the options you studied.
Do I need to know SQL for HSC IPT?
Yes. The Information Systems and Databases core requires you to understand relational databases (tables, records, fields, primary and foreign keys, relationships) and to read and write basic SQL, especially SELECT queries with WHERE conditions, ORDER BY sorting, and joins across tables. You should be able to construct a query to retrieve data and to recognise INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE. You will not write large programs, but database design and querying are reliably examined.
Is the IPT syllabus being replaced?
NESA has flagged curriculum changes in the technologies learning area that may revise or replace Information Processes and Technology in future. Until any replacement is formally implemented and examined, the existing IPT syllabus continues to apply. Always confirm which syllabus and exam specification applies to your HSC year on the official NESA website, as transitional arrangements can affect what is taught and tested.