"We need something online"
A small museum says: "We need something online." That is all. The manager means tickets. The curator means pictures of the collection. The shop means selling postcards.
A good technician asks what each person needs, and only then chooses a solution.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Requirement | something a person or organisation needs |
| Transaction | an exchange such as a payment, a booking or a sign-up |
| Digital solution | a system, program or technology that meets a need |
| Content management system | a system that stores and shows pages, files and records |
| Audience | the people you are explaining something to |
| Benefit | a good result that you gain |
| Technical term | the proper word for a part or action in IT |
| Concise | short and clear, with no extra words |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can analyse a need, choose a digital solution that fits and explain its benefits clearly to an audience.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Step one: analyse the requirements
Ask who needs what. Two kinds of need come up again and again.
Access to information, services or products. People want to find opening times, book a visit, or see what is for sale. Conducting transactions. People want to pay, book, order or sign up, and have a record.
Step two: pick the best application
Match each need to a kind of solution. Three kinds are in the spec.
Digital systems, such as a content management system for pages and records. Productivity software, such as a spreadsheet or a shared document. Digital technologies in general, such as a mobile app, cloud storage or online payment.
Choose the simplest one that meets the need. A big system for a small job wastes money.
Worked scenarios
| Need | Type of need | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Show opening times and news | Information | A content management system | Staff can update pages without code |
| Take bookings for tours | Transaction | An online booking and payment service | Takes money and keeps records |
| Keep a list of volunteers and shifts | Information | A shared spreadsheet | Simple, cheap, easy to change |
| Tell visitors about the displays as they walk | Information | A mobile app or web page with codes | Runs on their own phone |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check: matching needs to solutions
Have a go
Check: matching needs to solutions
4 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.