THE PROJECT AND

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THE PROJECT AND THE DESIGN CYCLE
SIMPLE DESIGN LOOP
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CRITERION G AND THE DESIGN LOOP

• DESIGN LOOP BEGINS WITH IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM
  WITHIN A SOCIAL CONTEXT
• CRITERION G IS IDENTIFYING THE NEED (THE PROBLEM)
  AND IDENTIFYING YOUR CLIENT
• THE NEED MUST BE SET IN A SOCIAL CONTEXT
• YOU MUST NAME YOUR CLIENT NOT JUST FOOTBALL
  COACH, MY NEIGHBOR THAT RUNS A BUSINESS, ETC.
• THIS IS YOUR STARTING POINT
• YOUR NEED MUST BE WELL THOUGHT OUT AND VERY
  PRECISE
• ALL OF YOUR PRODUCT AND THE PAPER YOU WRITE WILL
  STEM FROM THIS CRITERION
• SOCIAL CONTEXTS CAN BE ECONOMICAL, EDUCATIONAL,
  BUSINESS ORIENTED, FAMILY ORIENTED, ETC.
• SOCIAL CONTEXTS DO NOT NEED TO AFFECT ALL OF
  SOCIETY, BUT CAN AFFECT ONLY A SEGMENT (IE. YOUR
  FAMILY, TAFT STUDENTS, YOUR FAMILY BUSINESS, ETC.)

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CRITERION H AND THE DESIGN LOOP

• YOUR 2ND STEP IN THE DESIGN LOOP IS GENERATING
  IDEAS
• CRITERION H IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO GENERATE
  IDEAS TO ADDRESS THE NEED THAT YOU SEE FOR YOUR
  PROJECT
• YOU MUST IDENTIFY AT LEAST TWO FEASIBLE AND
  DISTINCT IT APPROACHES FOR ADDRESSING THIS NEED
• THINK OF MANY WAYS TO DO THIS PROJECT AND THEN
  NARROW TO 2
• ONE OF THOSE 2 MUST BE YOUR CHOSEN METHOD
• YOU MUST COMPARE THE FEASABILITY OF THE TWO
  APPROACHES YOU PICK
• REMEMBER--REASONS FOR DISCARDING ONE OF YOUR
  IDEAS COULD BE MONETARY, LACK OF EQUIPMENT, ETC.
  
• BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT BOTH SOLUTIONS ARE IT
  SOLUTIONS

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CRITERION I AND THE DESIGN LOOP

• THE NEXT TWO STEPS IN THE DESIGN LOOP ARE
  DEVELOPING CHOSEN SOLUTIONS AND PLANNING AND
  REALIZING THE SOLUTIONS
• CRITERION I DEALS WITH YOUR PLANNING AND
  DEVELOPING OF YOUR IT SOLUTION
• YOU WILL ALSO CREATE A VISUAL PLAN OF THE PRODUCT
  DESIGN AND A PRECISE TIMELINE FOR CREATING THE
  PRODUCT
• YOU MUST DESCRIBE ALL OF YOUR HARDWARE AND
  SOFTWARE AND HOW IT WAS USED TO CREATE THE
  PRODUCT
• YOU MUST DESCRIBE THE SOURCE OF YOUR INFORMATION
  AND HOW YOU COLLECTED THE DATA TO COMPLETE YOUR
  PROJECT
• DONT BE AFRAID TO ALTER YOUR PLAN IF ITS NOT
  WORKING FOR YOU AFTER YOUVE STARTED. SOMETIMES
  THINGS THAT LOOK GOOD ON PAPER JUST DONT WORK
  THE WAY YOU THOUGHT THEY WOULD.

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CRITERION J AND THE DESIGN LOOP

• TESTING AND EVALUATING IS THE FINAL STEP IN THE
  DESIGN LOOP
• CRITERION J HAS YOU TESTING AND REFINING THE
  SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM.
• YOU MUST USE BETA TEST, REFINE, BETA TEST,
  REFINE, END-USER TEST, REFINE
• MAKE SURE TO LEAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR TESTING AND
  REFINING
• MAKE SURE YOU ASK SOMEONE FROM YOUR TARGET
  AUDIENCE TO BE ONE OF THE TESTERS
• TRY TO USE MORE THAN ONE TESTER, ONE OF THEM
  COULD BE ONE OF YOUR CLASSMATES, THE FINAL TESTER
  MUST BE YOUR CLIENT
• DONT LEAVE OFF THE EXPLANATION OF HOW THE
  TESTING WAS DONE AND WHAT YOU DID TO FIX ANY
  PROBLEMS
• YOUR TESTING QUESTIONAIRES MUST BE INCLUDED IN
  THE APPENDIX OF YOUR REPORT

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CRITERION K

• NOT PART OF THE DESIGN LOOP, BUT A VITAL PART OF
  YOUR PAPER
• IN CRITERION G YOU BEGAN BY IDENTIFYING A NEED
  THAT HAD SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE
• THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO EXPLAIN THE SOCIAL
  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
• PLEASE TRY FOR AT LEAST TWO ASPECTS THAT HAVE
  SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE (IE. MONETARY AND
  EDUCATIONAL)
• ONE OF THESE ASPECTS SHOULD BE OBSERVED AND ONE
  SHOULD BE PROJECTED

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SAMPLE PROJECTS
THESE ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS STUDENTS HAVE
COMPLETED THAT WERE SUCCESSFUL

• HISTORY OF MEXICO (TOURISM AND
  EDUCATIONAL)--POWERPOINT
• WEEKEND PLANNING FOR TEENS (RECREATIONAL AND
  EDUCATIONAL)--NEWSLETTER
• PJS TRICK SHOP (MONETARY AND NEIGHBORHOOD
  IMPROVEMENT) -- WEB SITE
• SENIOR MEMORY BOOK (FUTURE NETWORKING AND
  SENTIMENTAL) - PRINT PUBLICATION
• SUPERMERCADO LA CHIQUITA (MONETARY AND CUSTOMER
  CONVENIENCE) - WEB SITE
• A TASTE OF THAILAND (TOURISM AND EDUCATION) -
  POWERPOINT
• HEPHZIBAH CHILDRENS ASSOCIATION (FUND RAISING
  AND VOLUNTEERISM) - WEB SITE

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SAMPLES, CONTD.

• EASY RESEARCH FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
  (EDUCATIONAL AND TIME MANAGEMENT) - POWERPOINT
• THE BIG BANG THEORY (EDUCATIONAL AND IMPROVEMENT
  OF SKILLS) - POWERPOINT
• HEALTH AND NUTRITION (HEALTH EDUCATION AND
  FITNESS) - HYPERSTUDIO
• CLASS OF 2000 (PRESENTATION TO CLASS AND ALUMNI
  NEEDS) - POWERPOINT
• CLASS OF 1999 SENIOR CALENDAR (TIME MANAGEMENT
  AND COLLEGE SEARCH) - PRINT PUBLICATION
• IB WEBSITE (INFORMATION AND RECRUITMENT) - WEB
  SITE
• TEEN VEGETARIANISM (HEALTH AND EDUCATION) -
  NEWSLETTER

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SAMPLES, CONTD.

• TIDWELL ROOFING AND SHEET METAL COMPANY (MONETARY
  AND MARKETING) - WEB SITE
• DYSLEXIA (EDUCATION AND TREATMENT OPTIONS) - WEB
  SITE
• ENDMETRIOSIS (EDUCATION AND SELF HELP) - WEB SITE
• Problem There is no organized system of seating
  in the school auditorium for plays and concerts.
  There is no system for reserving seats in
  advance, printing tickets, or keeping records of
  ticket sales.
• Possible IT approach spreadsheet
• Problem A community orchestra has existed for
  many years without a formal record of pieces
  performed. There is no record of performances,
  sponsors or music performed and transposed parts
  added or removed.
• Possible IT approach database
• Problem The volleyball team and coach have no
  system in place to record game statistics on both
  team and individual efforts. These statistics
  would be useful to assist the coach in
  determining the weaknesses and strengths of the
  team as well as those of individual players.
  These statistics would help the coach to plan
  appropriate practice drills and strategies that
  address specific individual and team needs.
• Possible IT approach spreadsheet

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Problem The schools sports department relies
currently on weekly assemblies, monthly
newsletters and occasional letters home to
parents to communicate game and training
schedules as well as results from previous games.
There is no means to inform the community more
regularly about past, current and future sports
news at school. Possible IT approach
website Problem Students do not have a
convenient means to record their arrival and
departure from school during the school day.
Currently students must sign a sheet of paper
which takes time and does not allow for accurate
data about the students identity, date, time and
reason the student has left. Possible IT
approach database Problem Students who
arrive late at school often miss the morning
announcements that are read at the start of the
school day during their first class. These
students have no way of finding out what
important announcement they have missed. Possible
IT approach presentation on mounted
monitors Problem The art teacher currently has
no means of recording previous art assignments.
Although examples of previous candidate work are
available, the best pieces are very often kept by
the candidates when they leave the
school. Possible IT approach database
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Problem The creativity, action, service (CAS)
coordinator currently maintains only written
records of students CAS activities and hours.
The coordinator must write new lists each time
she updates the record of students CAS
activities and the number of hours
remaining. Possible IT approach
database Problem Currently kindergarten
teachers purchase and maintain their own supplies
for the classroom. Inventory records are kept by
hand on paper in a variety of formats. This has
resulted in the problem of running short of
supplies without enough time to re-order in time
for scheduled activities. A large variety of
materials is consumed throughout the year and the
present system does not account efficiently for
their consumption and replacement. Possible IT
approach database Problem It is currently
difficult for students of IB Diploma Programme
mathematical methods to keep track of
assignments, deadlines and explanations.
Students would benefit from a resource that would
provide current information regarding deadlines
as well as previous explanations of methods and
theories. Possible IT approach
website Problem Candidates embarking on their
extended essay do not have examples readily
available which they can browse and use to obtain
ideas as well as an appreciation of the scope of
the task. Without examples on a variety of
topics, candidates are in the dark with respect
to the expectations of the assignment. Possible
IT approach website
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Problem The kindergarten places childrens
lunch orders and takes morning attendance using
slips of paper that are collected by the school
nurse and taken to the office to be recorded,
tabulated and used for ordering lunches. The
current system is labor intensive, slow and
unreliable. Possible IT approach
database Problem A school typically has many
sports trophies scattered around the school and
in students homes. Who, what, when and where
are often forgotten. Possible IT approach
database Problem Restaurant guides often focus
on the tastes of adults and people with more
financial resources than students. Students need
a list of recommended restaurants which cater for
their needs. Possible IT approach desktop
published booklet Problem Encouraging
spectators to attend basketball games is
difficult. Posters and signs are often ignored
because there are so many events advertised in
this manner. Possible IT approach digital video
broadcast on mounted monitors or website