Learning Objectives / Whāinga Ako

• Define what a "design process" is in digital technologies.

• Explain what "iterative development" means and why it's used.

• Describe the key stages of a typical iterative design process.

• Understand how decomposition, testing, and debugging fit into this process.

• Recognize the importance of feedback and continuous improvement in creating digital outcomes.

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Getting Started / Whakataki (Prior Knowledge Required)

To get the most out of learning about the Design Process, it's essential to have a clear understanding of:

• Decomposition: Can you break down a big problem into smaller, manageable parts?

• End-User: Do you understand that digital outcomes are created for specific people and their needs?

• Testing: Do you know that testing helps find problems and check if a solution works?

• Debugging: Do you understand that debugging fixes errors identified during testing?

Quick Check: Have you ever worked on a project where you planned it, started building, realized something wasn't quite right, fixed it, and then improved it even further? That's an iterative process in action!

What is a Design Process? 

A design process (tukanga hoahoa) in digital technologies is a structured approach used to create, build, and refine a digital outcome (like an app, website, or game). It's a series of steps that guides designers and developers from an initial idea or problem to a finished, effective solution.

The most common approach to design in digital technologies is iterative development (whakawhanaketanga tukurua). "Iterative" means repeating a cycle. Instead of trying to get everything perfect in one go, iterative development involves:

1. Creating a version.

2. Getting feedback and testing it.

3. Making improvements.

4. Repeating the cycle to create a better version.

This approach is powerful because it allows for:

• Flexibility: Adapting to new information or changing needs.

• Early Problem Detection: Finding and fixing issues early saves time and effort.

• Continuous Improvement: Each iteration makes the product better.

• User-Centeredness: Incorporating end-user feedback often and early.

How It Works / Me Pēhea te Mahi

While specific models might have different names for steps, most iterative design processes follow a similar cycle:

1. Inquiry & Research:

   • Goal: Understand the problem to be solved or the opportunity to be seized.

   • Activities: Research, talk to potential end-users (empathy), analyze existing solutions, consider Digital Ethics & Society impacts. This often involves Decomposition to break down the problem.

   • Example: For a school app, this stage involves finding out what students struggle with (e.g., remembering homework).

2. Plan & Design:

   • Goal: Brainstorm and plan potential solutions.

   • Activities: Brainstorm ideas, create sketches, wireframes, or prototypes (simple versions of the solution). Define requirements and specifications. Consider the User Interface (UI) and early User Experience (UX) Design ideas.

   • Example: Sketching how the homework reminder app might look and work, creating a flow for saving homework.

3. Develop & Implement (Create):

   • Goal: Build a working version of the digital outcome.

   • Activities: Write the Computer Program (code), assemble hardware (if relevant for Embedded Systems), integrate different Software & Applications components. This involves working through algorithms using sequence, selection, and iteration.

   • Example: Writing the code for the app, creating the database for homework entries.

4. Test & Evaluate:

   • Goal: Check if the solution works as intended and meets the needs of the end-user.

   • Activities: Perform various types of Testing (functional, usability, performance, security). Identify bugs and problems. Get feedback from end-users.

   • Example: Getting classmates to try the app, identifying bugs (e.g., reminders not showing), checking if it's easy to use.

5. Refine & Improve (Iterate):

   • Goal: Use feedback and testing results to make the solution better.

   • Activities: Fix bugs (Debugging), add new features, improve usability, address security vulnerabilities. This step often involves going back to earlier stages (planning, design, development) and repeating the cycle.

   • Example: Fixing the reminder bug, adding a new "priority" feature based on user feedback.

This cycle continues until the digital outcome is considered complete and fit-for-purpose, or until new needs or opportunities arise, starting the process again. Collaboration & Teamwork are essential throughout, as different people bring different skills to each stage.

Assessment / Te Aromatawai

Check your understanding of the Design Process (Iterative Development).

1. Multiple Choice: What does "iterative" mean in the context of a design process?

   • a) Doing everything perfectly the first time.

   • b) Repeating a cycle of design, build, test, and refine.

   • c) Only testing the final product.

   • d) Working alone on a project.

2. Short Answer: Explain why incorporating end-user feedback is so important throughout an iterative design process.

3. Scenario: A team is building a new educational game. They initially plan out all features, build the entire game, and then release it to players without any testing during development. After release, many players complain about bugs and difficulty using some features.

   • What stage of the Design Process (Iterative Development) did the team likely miss or not emphasize enough during development?

   • How could an iterative approach (using testing and debugging) have helped them avoid these problems before release?

Key Takeaways / Mātauranga

• A design process (tukanga hoahoa) is a structured way to create digital solutions.

• Iterative development involves repeating cycles of design, build, test, and refine.

• Key stages include Inquiry & Research, Plan & Design, Develop & Implement, Test & Evaluate, and Refine & Improve.

• Decomposition helps break problems down, and Testing and Debugging are essential for continuous improvement.

• Feedback from end-users is vital throughout the process to ensure fitness-for-purpose.

What's Next?

Now that you understand the overall process of creating digital outcomes, you're ready to explore how teams work together and how the user's experience is crafted:

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Discover how people with different skills work together effectively throughout the design process.

• User Interface (UI): Learn about the visual elements and interactive controls that are part of the design.

• User Experience (UX) Design: Dive deeper into ensuring the overall positive experience for the end-user, a key outcome of a good design process.

• Computer Program: Understand that the design process provides the blueprint for building the actual program.

• Algorithms: See how the logic developed in the design process is translated into the steps a program follows.

Continue your journey by clicking on the links to these exciting topics!