A cafe that throws food away
A cafe bins 48 kilograms of food a week. The owner wants to cut it. A cook says, "We just cook too much." A supplier says, "Buy our smart fridge." A sheet of daily figures sits unread.
Your job is to think it through, reach a fair conclusion and write it down so that anybody can follow it.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Requirement | what the business needs, written as one clear sentence |
| Critical thinking | weighing information step by step before deciding what is true |
| Evidence | facts, tests or counts that back up a claim |
| Conclusion | the answer you reach after weighing the evidence |
| Digital technology | a tool that uses computers or smart equipment to do a job |
| Bias | an unfair lean towards one side |
| Dashboard | one screen that shows the main numbers of a business |
| Log | a record of what was done or found, kept in order |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can apply critical thinking to a requirement, name the best use of digital technology and record my conclusions in a clear order.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Worked example: the cafe, step by step
| Step | What you do | In the cafe case |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | State the need | Cut weekly food waste of 48 kg |
| 1 Identify | Collect information, data and views | Daily waste figures, the cook's view, the supplier's offer |
| 2 Analyse | Look for bias, objectivity and links | The supplier wants a sale. Waste is highest on Friday and Saturday. |
| 3 Select and apply | Choose and use techniques and tools | Group the waste by day, then compare each day with the average |
| 4 Evaluate | Judge findings, draw conclusions, name the best technology | Two days make over half the waste, so forecast those days |
| 5 Record | Write it in order | One page: requirement, evidence, bias, method, conclusion, technology |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Run it: waste by day
select day, sum(kg) as kg,
repeat('#', sum(kg)::integer) as bar
from waste
group by day
order by kg desc;Best use of digital technologies
A conclusion about evidence is not yet a plan. Ask: which digital technology fits this finding best?
The waste is high on two days. A sales forecast for those days fits better than a smart fridge for every day. Match the tool to the finding, not to the sales pitch.
From finding to technology
| Finding | Best use of digital technology | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Waste peaks on two days | A forecast from past sales, made in code or a spreadsheet | It targets the two days |
| Owner cannot see waste each day | A simple dashboard of the daily log | It makes the figures visible |
| Staff forget to log waste | A quick form on a tablet at the bin | It makes logging easy |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.