Basic 9 · Computing · Technology in the Community

Technology in the Community: Designing the Solution

In this topic you will refine your proposed technology solution and design it using algorithms, flowcharts, wireframes and simple testing.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

Refine a proposed solution with stakeholders
Design a solution with flowcharts and wireframes
Plan how to test a solution

What you already know

Proposing technology solutions

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Lesson 1

Strand: Introduction To Computing
Sub-strand: Technology in the Community
Indicator: B9.1.2.1.2 – Propose solutions to the problems identified

Introduction

A first idea is rarely the best one. Careful review turns a good idea into a workable plan.

1. Getting Feedback

Show your proposal to the people who will use it. Ask what they like, what confuses them and what is missing. Listen carefully, and do not defend every detail. A market trader may tell you that typing on a phone with wet hands is hard. A teacher may say that the internet does not work in the afternoon. Such comments can save you from building something that nobody will use.

2. Must-Have and Nice-to-Have Features

Prioritising features for a market price service

Feature	Priority
send today's prices by SMS	must have
prices in local languages	must have
weather information	should have
photos of produce	nice to have
video adverts	not now

Start with the smallest version that solves the main problem. This is often called a minimum viable product. It lets you test your idea quickly and cheaply. You can add other features later, once people are using it and telling you what they need.

3. Considering Risks

Risks and responses

Risk	Response
poor network	allow offline use or SMS
users forget passwords	allow a simple reset
data loss	keep backups
privacy breach	limit the data collected
no one maintains it	train a local person

Young developers working on a laptop

Figure 1: Developers at work Rank the features of your solution.

4. Privacy and Data Protection

If your solution collects personal data, collect only what you need. Tell people why you are collecting it, and ask for their permission. Keep it safe, with passwords and limited access. Ghana's Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) sets rules for this, and the Data Protection Commission oversees them. Think carefully about learners' or patients' records, since their exposure could cause real harm. Good designers treat people's information as a responsibility.

5. Sustaining a Solution

Ask who will run the solution after your project ends. Who will pay for data or hosting? Who will fix problems? Who will train new users? A school club might take responsibility, or a teacher might. Many well-meant technology projects have failed because nobody thought about these questions. Include a simple plan for maintenance and support, and your solution will stand a much better chance of lasting.

New words

feature: Something a product can do.
minimum viable product: The simplest useful version of a product.
privacy: Keeping personal information protected.
consent: Permission given freely.

Summary

Feedback refines a proposal.
Start with the most important features.
Plan for risks, privacy and maintenance.

Class activity: Feature Ranking

List all possible features of your solution.
Mark them as must have or nice to have.
Explain your choices.

You need: Desktop computer, Mobile phone, Printed photographs of a Ghanaian clinic, Market

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. The simplest useful version of a product is…
- A. a minimum viable product
- B. a backup
- C. a theme
- D. a driver
Show answer
Answer: a minimum viable productMVP.
2. Ghana's law on personal data is the…
- A. Data Protection Act
- B. Labour Act
- C. Mining Act
- D. Road Act
Show answer
Answer: Data Protection ActAct 843.
3. You should collect only the data you need.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TruePrivacy.
4. Permission given freely is ______.
Show answer
Answer: consentPrivacy.
5. State three risks to a technology solution.
Show answer
Answer: Poor network, data loss and lack of maintenance.Any three.
6. Why start with a small version of a product?
Show answer
Answer: It is quick and cheap to test, and real users can guide what to add.MVP.

Lesson 2

Strand: Introduction To Computing
Sub-strand: Technology in the Community
Indicator: B9.1.2.1.3 – Design the solution selected

Introduction

Builders use plans before they lay a block. Computer solutions need plans too.

1. Algorithms

Algorithm: A step-by-step set of instructions for solving a problem.

Algorithm for a price alert

Write an algorithm for an SMS price service.

Start.
Receive a message from the user.
Read the name of the crop.
Look up the crop's price in a table.
If found, send the price; if not, send a help message.
Stop.

Answer: A six-step algorithm with one decision

2. Flowcharts

Flowchart symbols

Symbol	Meaning
oval	start or end
rectangle	process
diamond	decision
parallelogram	input or output
arrow	direction of flow

A flowchart is a diagram of an algorithm. It shows each step and each decision. Flowcharts help you spot missing steps, such as what should happen if the user sends the wrong crop name. They also help you to explain your idea to people who cannot read code.

A flowchart drawn on a whiteboard

Figure 2: Flowchart on a board Draw a flowchart for your solution.

3. Wireframes

Wireframe: A simple sketch showing the layout of a screen.

A wireframe shows where buttons, text and pictures will appear. It does not need colour or detail. Draw several screens on paper, and link them with arrows to show how a user moves from one to the next. Show your sketches to users and ask them what they would press. Changes are cheap on paper, but costly later.

4. Data Design

Data for a school records system

Field	Type	Example
learner ID	text	B9-014
name	text	Akosua Mensah
class	text	B9A
fee paid	number	250
date	date	12/10

Decide what information you will store, and how it will be organised. This is called data design. A clear structure avoids errors and duplicates. Use unique ID numbers, since two learners may have the same name.

5. Interface Design Principles

Keep it simple.
Use clear words and icons.
Be consistent across all screens.
Give feedback, such as "Message sent".
Make it accessible, with large text and good contrast.
Prevent errors, and help users to correct them.

Think also about how you will test the design. Prepare tasks for users, such as "Find today's maize price". Watch where they get stuck. Each test improves your design, ready for the next stage of development.

New words

algorithm: A step-by-step set of instructions.
flowchart: A diagram of an algorithm.
wireframe: A simple sketch of a screen layout.
interface: The part of a system that users see.

Summary

Algorithms and flowcharts plan the logic.
Wireframes plan the screen layouts.
Good design is simple, consistent and accessible.

Class activity: Paper Prototype

Draw wireframes for three screens.
Ask another group to test them.
Note what confused them.

You need: Desktop computer, Mobile phone, Printed photographs of a Ghanaian clinic, Market

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. Which flowchart symbol shows a decision?
- A. diamond
- B. oval
- C. rectangle
- D. arrow
Show answer
Answer: diamondYes or no.
2. A wireframe shows…
- A. a screen layout
- B. a virus
- C. a backup
- D. a driver
Show answer
Answer: a screen layoutDesign.
3. Changes on paper are cheaper than in code.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TruePrototype.
4. A step-by-step set of instructions is an ______.
Show answer
Answer: algorithmComputing.
5. Name four flowchart symbols.
Show answer
Answer: Oval, rectangle, diamond and parallelogram.Symbols.
6. Why should each learner have a unique ID in a database?
Show answer
Answer: Names can be repeated, so IDs prevent mix-ups.Data design.

Homework

Draw a flowchart and two wireframes for your solution.