Practise before it counts
Pilots practise in a simulator before they fly. Footballers play practice matches before the big game.
You will do the same. You get a small project from an invented client. You do every step of a real project, but nothing is marked and mistakes cost nothing.
The real project brief is set by the awarding body. This one is ours.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Brief | The client's description of what they want. | the Hillside email |
| Stage | One step of the practice project. | Stage 2: fix defects |
| Practice project | A made-up project used to learn the process. | the Hillside booking tool |
| Evidence | Proof of what you did. | a test table |
| Client | The person or company you work for. | Mrs Okafor |
| Reflect | Look back at what you did and learn from it. | what took longer |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
The practice brief
| Part | What the client says |
|---|---|
| The club | Hillside Sports Club. 2 badminton courts. Open 9 in the morning to 9 at night |
| The problem | Bookings are in a paper book. Two people sometimes get the same court at the same time |
| Who uses it | Two desk staff. About 120 members and some visitors |
| The prices | Members pay 4 pounds an hour. Visitors pay 6 pounds an hour |
| What they want | A simple tool to book, cancel and see a day. It must stop double bookings |
| The limit | No online payment. The staff are not technical |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Quick check: the practice project
Have a go
Quick check: the practice project
4 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
How to get the most from it
Work alone on the main tasks. Keep evidence as you go. Time yourself: a real project has a clock.
Do not look at the solution first. Read the task, try it, run the tests, and only then ask for help.
Your teacher decides which stages to do and when.
A simple way to check your own work
| Question | Yes means |
|---|---|
| Did I read the brief and write assumptions? | I know what the client wants |
| Is there a plan with times? | I can tell if I am late |
| Does each test have expected and actual results? | I can prove it works |
| Can a manager understand my report? | I used plain words |
| Did I say what is weak? | I was honest |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.