← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

Purpose and user of an existing digital system

Every digital system is made to do a job (its purpose) for certain people (its users). Example: a school library system helps students and teachers borrow books.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Digital Footprints and Data Minimisation — Module 19, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 1 — Understanding Digital Problems — Module 17, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Interactions Between Users, Data and Digital Systems — Module 12

Understanding Purpose and user of an existing digital system in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: The purpose of a booking system is the job it does, which is helping people reserve a spot online. Stating the user means naming the group of people the ordering app was made for, such as families ordering dinner. Users are the people the system was made for. A school library system is made for people at the school. A good statement says what job the system does (book tickets) and who it helps (families). Colour tells us neither. The ordering app does a job: it lets customers choose and order food quickly and easily. Someone designed each system to do a job for certain people. You can always ask: what is it for, and who is it for?

Common mistakes: The purpose is the job the system does, not the people who use it. Line 2 should say what the system does, such as 'PURPOSE: Borrow books'. A paper form is not a digital system. Line 1 should name a digital system, such as 'SYSTEM: Online food ordering'.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 728–751) and word search (Modules 696–770).

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Learning
Duo
A school library system lets students borrow books and see when they are due back. What is its purpose?
To let students play games in classTo help people borrow and return books
Matches
The school library system was made for no one in particular.
↓
Every digital system is made for particular users. The library system was made for students and teachers.
Applying
Meanings
Term
purpose and user
Meaning
Every digital system is made to do a job (its purpose) for certain people (its users). Example: a school library system helps students and teachers borrow books.
Practice
System: School library system
Testing
Gaps
: Borrow and return books
Check Answer
Spots
1SYSTEM: School library system
2PURPOSE: Students and teachers

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Quick Questions

1. A school library system lets students borrow books and see when they are due back. What is its purpose?
A. To let students play games in class
B. To help people borrow and return books ✓
The purpose is the job the system does. A library system helps people borrow and keep track of books.
2. Who is the main user group of a school library system?
A. People who only work at a supermarket
B. Students, teachers and the librarian ✓
Users are the people the system was made for. A school library system is made for people at the school.
3. Which sentence states BOTH a purpose and a user?
A. An online booking site helps families book movie tickets. ✓
B. An online booking site is very colourful.
A good statement says what job the system does (book tickets) and who it helps (families). Colour tells us neither.
4. A pizza shop has an online ordering app. What is its purpose?
A. To let customers order food without phoning ✓
B. To teach people how to bake pizza
The ordering app does a job: it lets customers choose and order food quickly and easily.
5. True or false: Every digital system was made for a purpose and for particular users.
A. True ✓
B. False
Someone designed each system to do a job for certain people. You can always ask: what is it for, and who is it for?

Match the Pairs

Purpose: help students borrow books → Says what job the school library system does
Users: students and teachers → Names the people the school library system was made for
An online booking system has a purpose: letting people reserve a time or a seat without phoning → Purpose: reserve a spot online
A food ordering app was made for particular users, such as hungry families who want a meal delivered → User: families ordering dinner
The school library system was made for no one in particular. → Every digital system is made for particular users. The library system was made for students and teachers.
Purpose of an online booking system: its colour and logo → A purpose is the job the system does, not how it looks. The purpose is to let people book or reserve things online.

Key Term

purpose and user
Every digital system is made to do a job (its purpose) for certain people (its users). Example: a school library system helps students and teachers borrow books.

Fill in the Blanks

1. SYSTEM: School library system PURPOSE: Borrow and return books USER: Students and teachers
Hint: Type the label that names the job the system does.
2. SYSTEM: Online booking system PURPOSE: Book a ticket online USER: People who want tickets
Hint: Type the label that names the people the system was made for.
3. SYSTEM: Canteen online ordering PURPOSE: Order lunch without queuing USER: Students
Hint: Type the label that names the digital system being described.
4. system ← "School library system" purpose ← "Borrow books" user ← "Students and teachers"
Hint: Type the variable name that holds who the system was made for.
5. system ← "Online ordering app" purpose ← "Order food online" user ← "Customers"
Hint: Type the variable name that holds the job the system does.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A SYSTEM: School library system
B PURPOSE: Students and teachers
C USER: Students and teachers
Line B — The purpose is the job the system does, not the people who use it. Line 2 should say what the system does, such as 'PURPOSE: Borrow books'.
Question 2
A SYSTEM: Paper lunch order form
B PURPOSE: Order lunch online
C USER: Students at the canteen
Line A — A paper form is not a digital system. Line 1 should name a digital system, such as 'SYSTEM: Online food ordering'.
Question 3
A SYSTEM: Cinema booking website
B PURPOSE: Book movie tickets
C USER: Families and friends
D RESULT: Users get free pizza
Line D — A cinema booking website is made so users can book seats. The result must match the purpose, so it should say users get seats online.
Question 4
A SYSTEM: Wooden library shelf
B PURPOSE: Borrow books
C USER: Students and teachers
Line A — A wooden shelf is not a digital system. Line 1 should name the digital system, 'SYSTEM: School library system'.
Question 5
A system = "School library"
B purpose = "Borrow books"
C user = "Students and teachers"
D say(user + " for " + purpose)
Line D — The words are in the wrong order. The sentence should say the purpose is for the users, so it should be say(purpose + " for " + user).

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