← Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions

Different users, different needs

One digital system can suit one user well and fail another, because users differ in age, ability and experience. Features like read-aloud and large text help.

Part of: 5-6 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Creating Digital Solutions — Module 37, 7-8 Digital Technologies: Using digital tools and conventions — Module 13, 7-8 Digital Technologies: Designing user interfaces and experiences — Module 9, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Interactive content with emerging tools — Module 10, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Designing user interfaces and experiences — Module 9, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 1 — Understanding Digital Problems — Module 51, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 1 — User Experiences and Interfaces — Module 19, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Interactions Between Users, Data and Digital Systems — Module 126

Understanding Different users, different needs in Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions

What it does: Young children often cannot read much yet, so pictures and a voice meet their needs. Adults have different needs, so a system built for children can fail them. Users differ in age, ability and experience, so the same system can suit one person and not another. Large text makes words easier to see. It is an accessibility feature that meets Mia's need. People with less experience need simple, clear designs. Experienced users may like shortcuts, but a beginner can get lost. Accessibility features help people with different abilities use a system. Read-aloud helps people who find reading hard or cannot see the screen.

Common mistakes: An IF line must end with THEN so the computer knows where the steps for that branch begin. It should be: IF user is a young child THEN. A user who needs large text needs a big size. A size of 8 is tiny and would make the text harder to read. It should be a large number like 24.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 31–40) and word search (Modules 21–40).

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Learning
Duo
A reading app has small text and long words. Who might find it hardest to use?
A young child who is just learning to readAn adult who reads novels every day
Matches
All users have the same needs, so one design works for everyone.
↓
Users differ in age, ability and experience, so one design can suit one user well and fail another.
Applying
Meanings
Term
different users, different needs
Meaning
One digital system can suit one user well and fail another, because users differ in age, ability and experience. Features like read-aloud and large text help.
Practice
IF user is a young child THEN
Testing
Gaps
user is a young child THEN
Check Answer
Spots
1IF user is a young child
2 turn on read-aloud

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Quick Questions

1. A reading app has small text and long words. Who might find it hardest to use?
A. A young child who is just learning to read ✓
B. An adult who reads novels every day
Young children are still learning to read, so small text and long words can make the app hard to use for them. A different user may find the same app easy.
2. Which statement is TRUE about one digital system and many users?
A. It can work well for one user and fail another user ✓
B. It always works equally well for every user
Users differ in age, ability and experience, so the same system can suit one person and not another.
3. Mia has trouble seeing small words on a screen. Which feature would help her most?
A. A faster start-up screen
B. Large text ✓
Large text makes words easier to see. It is an accessibility feature that meets Mia's need.
4. Sam is blind and uses a website. Which feature would help Sam most?
A. Bright colourful pictures
B. Read-aloud, so the page is spoken out loud ✓
Read-aloud turns the words on the page into speech. Pictures do not help someone who cannot see the screen.
5. A game has tiny buttons close together. Why might a 5-year-old struggle with it?
A. Young children may find it hard to tap small buttons accurately ✓
B. Young children are never able to use games
Young children are still developing their hand control, so big buttons that are spaced out suit them better. It does not mean they can't use games.

Match the Pairs

Read-aloud → A feature that speaks the words on screen out loud, helping young children or people who find reading hard
Large text → A setting that makes words bigger so people with low vision or tired eyes can read them
A learning app for 6-year-olds uses big pictures and a voice to give instructions, so it suits young children → Known user: age 6, needs: pictures + read-aloud
The same app can fail an adult who finds the cartoon style too childish and wants quick, detailed information → Known user: age 35, needs: fast, detailed text
All users have the same needs, so one design works for everyone. → Users differ in age, ability and experience, so one design can suit one user well and fail another.
Large text is only needed by young children. → Large text also helps people with low vision and many other users. It is not just for one age group.

Key Term

different users, different needs
One digital system can suit one user well and fail another, because users differ in age, ability and experience. Features like read-aloud and large text help.

Fill in the Blanks

1. IF user is a young child THEN turn on read-aloud
Hint: Type the keyword that starts a decision about which type of user is using the system.
2. IF user has low vision THEN turn on large text
Hint: Type the accessibility feature that makes words easier to see for someone with low vision.
3. IF user is a young child THEN turn on read-aloud ELSE show normal text
Hint: Type the keyword for the other path, used when the condition is not true for this user.
4. IF user cannot read well THEN turn on read-aloud
Hint: Type the feature that speaks the words out loud so the user can listen instead of reading.
5. IF age < 8 THEN show big pictures
Hint: Type the comparison symbol that means 'less than', to pick out young children.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A IF user is a young child
B turn on read-aloud
C ELSE
D show normal text
E END IF
Line A — An IF line must end with THEN so the computer knows where the steps for that branch begin. It should be: IF user is a young child THEN
Question 2
A user ← low vision reader
B IF user needs large text THEN
C set text size to 8
D END IF
Line C — A user who needs large text needs a big size. A size of 8 is tiny and would make the text harder to read. It should be a large number like 24.
Question 3
A ask for the user's age
B IF age > 7 THEN
C show pictures and sounds
D END IF
Line B — Young children are younger than 7, so the test should use < (less than). With > the pictures and sounds would go to older users instead. It should be: IF age < 7 THEN
Question 4
A SET user1 child aged 5
B SET user2 TO adult aged 40
C COMPARE user1 AND user2
Line A — The SET line is missing the word TO. SET needs to say which value is being stored in the variable. It should be: SET user1 TO child aged 5
Question 5
A IF user is blind THEN
B turn off read-aloud
C ELSE
D show the text only
Line B — A user who is blind needs the words read out loud to them. Turning read-aloud off would make the system fail for them. It should be: turn on read-aloud

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