9-10 Digital Technologies: Defining and decomposing problems Hangman

The 20 key terms

1stakeholder

Any person or group who uses, is affected by, or has an interest in a digital solution, such as users, the client, developers and people affected indirectly.

2Need or opportunity

A problem worth solving or a gap worth exploring, forming the starting point for developing a digital solution

3user need

Something a user must be able to do or have to finish a task or fix their problem. A need is not just a want. We write it as: The user needs to...

4[User] needs a way to [do something] because [reason]

A problem statement is one sentence that names the user, says the task they need to do, and gives the reason why it matters. It turns a vague idea into a clear problem.

5decomposition

Breaking a big problem into smaller parts, so each part is simple enough to solve in a few steps. You can then choose one part to solve first.

6hierarchy chart

A diagram that splits one main problem into smaller sub-problems in boxes, level by level, until each box is a small task that can be solved on its own.

7Data collection method

A structured technique, such as an interview, survey, or observation, used to gather information about user needs before designing a solution

8interview

A conversation where you ask one user questions and listen to their answers to learn about their problem.

9good interview question

A question that is open, neutral and about the user's real task, so it draws out detail instead of a yes or no. Ask 'How do you...?' then follow up with 'Why?' Don't lead them to an answer.

10survey

A survey collects data by asking everyone the same clear questions, such as closed or open questions on an online form, so the answers can be counted and compared.

11unbiased survey question

A survey question that is neutral, asks about one thing only, and gives answer choices that cover every honest response, so it does not push people toward a particular answer.

12observing

Watching a user do a task to see where they get stuck, without helping or interrupting. You write down what you see instead of just asking them what they think.

13consent

Asking permission before collecting someone's personal data and explaining how it will be used. The person can say no. For young people, a parent or guardian may also need to agree.

14thematic analysis

Sorting similar interview and survey responses into themes, then counting how often each appears, so the most common problems and wishes become the user needs.

15Functional requirement

A specific action, task, or feature that a solution must be able to perform

16Non-functional requirement

A quality describing how well a system performs, such as speed, security, or reliability, rather than what it does

17measurable non-functional requirement

A quality of a solution, such as speed, security or usability, written with a testable target, like a page loads in under 2 seconds, so you can check whether it is met.

18Constraints and scope

The limits on a project (constraints, like time or budget) and the boundaries of what the solution will and won't include (scope)

19prioritising requirements

Ranking requirements as must-have, should-have or nice-to-have so the most important needs are built first, and trade-offs are made when time or budget is limited.

20success criterion

A checkable statement about what a solution must do for the user, like 'The user can log in.' You check it with yes or no to see if the solution works.