Human needs, wants and opportunities

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. A student must submit an assignment online by Friday. Which is a NEED for their digital solution?

A A dark mode colour theme

B A reliable way to upload the file

2. Which statement defines a want?

A A preference that would be nice to have but is not essential to finish the task

B A feature the user must have to complete the task

3. A canteen app lets students order lunch. Which is a WANT?

A Choosing a custom background image for the app

B Selecting the food items to order

4. Which best describes an opportunity?

A A chance to improve things, such as a gap in what current systems offer

B A feature that every user must have to finish a task

5. Students at your school lose track of homework deadlines, and no existing app suits Queensland school timetables. What is this?

A A want, because it is just a preference

B An opportunity, because there is a gap an app could fill

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1need = "must have to finish the task"		ADark mode is a preference, so it is a want. Students can still read their timetable without it.
2want = "nice to have, a preference"		BThis is a need, not a want. A blind user cannot complete the login task without screen reader support, so it is essential.
3An opportunity is a chance to improve things, such as filling a gap where no current solution exists.		Cneed = "step-free entry"
4A student in a wheelchair cannot use stairs, so a ramp is a need because they cannot enter the building without it.		Dopportunity = "gap in what exists today"
5want = "login that works with a screen reader" # for a blind user		EA need is essential: without it the user cannot complete their task.
6need = "a dark mode theme" # for a school timetable app		FA want is a preference that makes things nicer, but the task can still be done without it.

Definitions

need vs want

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

IF task cannot be done without it THEN ____

IF user only prefers it THEN ____

IF it could improve things THEN ___________

IF need is not met by any app THEN ___

WHO decides what counts as a need? ANSWER: the ____ doing the task

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A feature <- "upload button"

B task <- "submit homework"

C IF task works without feature

D type <- "need"

E ELSE type <- "want"

Question 2

A feature <- "dark mode"

B required <- true

C IF required = false

D type <- "want"

Question 3

A gap <- "no app shows bus times"

B competitors <- 0

C IF gap = true

D type <- "need"

Question 4

A need <- "animated wallpaper"

B want <- "custom theme colours"

C OUTPUT need

D OUTPUT want

Question 5

A user <- "low vision student"

B task <- "read the timetable"

C judge <- "developer taste"

D need <- "text-to-speech"

Answer Key

Human needs, wants and opportunities

Section A: Quick Questions

B — A reliable way to upload the file

A — A preference that would be nice to have but is not essential to finish the task

A — Choosing a custom background image for the app

A — A chance to improve things, such as a gap in what current systems offer

B — An opportunity, because there is a gap an app could fill

Section B: Match the Pairs

need = "must have to finish the task" → A need is essential: without it the user cannot complete their task.

want = "nice to have, a preference" → A want is a preference that makes things nicer, but the task can still be done without it.

An opportunity is a chance to improve things, such as filling a gap where no current solution exists. → opportunity = "gap in what exists today"

A student in a wheelchair cannot use stairs, so a ramp is a need because they cannot enter the building without it. → need = "step-free entry"

want = "login that works with a screen reader" # for a blind user → This is a need, not a want. A blind user cannot complete the login task without screen reader support, so it is essential.

need = "a dark mode theme" # for a school timetable app → Dark mode is a preference, so it is a want. Students can still read their timetable without it.

Section C: Definitions

need vs want — A need is something a user must have to complete a task, a want is only a preference, and an opportunity is a chance to improve things.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

IF task cannot be done without it THEN need

IF user only prefers it THEN want

IF it could improve things THEN opportunity

IF need is not met by any app THEN gap

WHO decides what counts as a need?
ANSWER: the user doing the task

Section E: Spot the Error

C — A need is something the user must have to complete the task. The test is whether the task FAILS without the feature. If the task still works without it, the feature is only a want.

B — Dark mode is a preference. Users can complete their tasks without it, so required should be false, which makes it a want.

D — A gap that nothing currently fills is a chance to improve things. That makes it an opportunity, not a need.

A — An animated wallpaper is a preference, so it is a want. A need is something the user must have to complete the task, such as a password to log in.

C — What counts as a need is decided by what the user must have to complete their task, not by the developer's taste. It should be judge <- "the user's task".