The Technology Process (Updated)

Demonstrate understanding of technological knowledge

Brief Development

Outcome Development

and Evaluation

Technological practice happens when all three components work together

Technological Practice

Components of Practice

Planning

Journal (ongoing evaluation)

• You will be continually evaluating your ideas as you work through the process, and may need to make changes to:– Plan of action / Timeline– Design

You must keep a record of any changes made – we’ll keep a daily log of our progess.

Getting Started:

•understanding the problem•getting organised •creating an Initial Brief

Getting Started (1)

• Read through the Web Challenge Resource Kit information and create an

Inspiration document to record all the points that will be relevant to your assignment. This will help you to list the website specifications when you create your brief, so be thorough.

• Look at last year’s winners and record what you liked about them.

Getting Started (2)

• Create a Technology Diary to record your “technological journey” and assist your future planning. You must add to this on a regular basis. Make sure you record:– What you did today– Problems encountered & how you fixed them– What else is affected (eg you may need to

make changes to your initial timeline)– What should happen next, and what is

needed to do it.

(This is important, as it helps

keep you on track and may be

used by examiners to clarify the

process you have undertaken)

Getting Started (3): The IssueShow your understanding of the problem so far. Compose a broad statement outlining what the issue is:

•NetGuide Web Challenge•Subject – “What we’ve learned …” referring to the NetGuide handout where necessary.•Unit Standard 18735 Create a simple website to meet the specifications of a given brief

(This will be used later in your brief)

Getting Started (4): Key Factors• Go back to your Inspiration document,

and group information under relevant headings eg – Website Rules– Legal Issues – Time

• Make sure you have included:– Stakeholders

• Decide which groups are the Key Factors of this Web Challenge project.

Identify Key Factors

ISSUE

NetGuide Rules/ Regulations

Legal Issues:Copyright

Resources available

Skills and Knowledge:What do I know?What do I need to learn?

Website Related Issues: Aesthetics, colour, readability, function.

Existing ideasTeaching tools already being used; previous winners

Time RestraintsStakeholder Factors:Beliefs, ethics, values, technological skills

• Explain the Implications of each key factor (why is this important?) You can talk about some of the things that came under each heading.

• Prioritise the key factors

• Justify the prioritisation (What is most important and why?)

Explain and Prioritise Key Factors

• Consider each key factor – what other key factors are affected by this one?

EG It is important to plan stakeholder consultation, to avoid holdups in production resulting in the website not being completed in time.

Explain Interactions Between Key Factors

Getting Started (5)

Subjects• Brainstorm the subjects you are studying, and possible

topics within each subject. • Decide on at least four opportunities for further

development• Evaluate each option against the Key Factors. • Decide on your subject/topic based on your evaluation

AND justify your decision ie WHY did you choose that topic?

Brief Development

Outcome Development

and Evaluation

Planning Technological Practice

Components of Practice (1)

Brief DevelopmentComprises of 2 components:

Conceptual statement: a written description of

– what the product is used for

– who will be using the product

– where it will be used.

Specifications: A list of key requirements (including constraints) that

– can be used as a checklist of your progress

– will be used as a measure during the final evaluation.

The Brief •Given brief / Issue / Situation A broad outline of the problem to be solved.

•Initial brief Developed from the given brief or situation. The technologist (you) will

– undertake in-depth research into the problem– identify and consult stakeholder/s– Identify key factors– formulate information and research into a list of specifications

•Final brief As the technological process is undertaken; modifications may be required to the initial brief. These could be due to a change in the stakeholders needs, material availability, skill levels etc.

Given/Initial Brief

Conceptual StatementThe Early Childhood Education Centre requires a

range of ED toys for the 3-4 year old children to use during activities time at the Centre.

Specifications:• Safe for the children to use.• Simple to manage, not too complex in design.• Challenges children’s motor skills.• Colourful, interesting and contemporary.

Final Brief

Conceptual Statement

The 3-4 year old children at the EC Education Centre require a puzzle to play with during activities time at the Centre.

Specifications:• Safe for the children to use, pieces to have no sharp corners.• Simple to manage, have no more than 14 pieces.• Challenges children motor skills. No pieces are to be the same. • Colourful; interesting, theme = Sponge Bob Square Pants and Patrick.• Constructed from MDF timber.• Non toxic paints to be used as surface finish. • Have 5 weeks to design and present the final product to the teacher of EC.

BriefConceptual Statement

Specifications

Create your Initial Brief

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Brief Development

Outcome Development

and Evaluation

Planning Technological Practice

Components of Practice (2)

Plan your Solution

• establish key milestones

• establish how consultation with stakeholders will be carried out

Establish your key dates by answering the following questions:

What is the deadline?

What is today’s date?

How many weeks/periods is the deadline from today?

How long will it take to get the initial research done?

By what date should I have completed my preparation?

How much time will I have left to produce my product?

How long will my final evaluation take?

How long will I need to compile my portfolio?

Planning the Process

Planning tools may include:

– Plan of action

– Gantt charts

– Sequential Chart

– Flow Chart

Planning

Gantt ChartInitial Timeline

Weeks

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10

Days (4 x periods per week)

Milestones 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Brief

Key Factors

Planning

Timeline

Conceptual Design                                                                                

Hyperlinks                                                                                

Contents                                                                                

Research

Layout and Design                                                                                

Images                                                                                

Fonts                                                                                

Colours                                                                                

Curriculum research

Production                                                                                

Testing                                                                                

Exam Week                                                                                

Evaluation

Catch Up & Assemble Portfolio

Sequential Chart/Plan of Action

TasksDate/ Time

What should I do?

What will I need?

Evaluation Modifications

Stakeholders Homework Think about who I would like to design for.

Interview people and record findings, or use a questionnaire.

Website Design Research

Topic Research

Concept Drawings

Website Development

Website Testing

Final Evaluation

Submit Website 5 September

Portfolio Submission

26 September

Planning the Website

Planning tools must include:• Hierarchical chart of web design• Layout sketches (concept designs) of each page

Research Website Design

Investigate the current trends in good web design. A good place to start is:

http://webdesignfromscratch.com/current-style.cfm

Create your Website!!

Don’t Forget:• Keep a record of stakeholder consultation• Keep your journal up to date

• What you have done• What you need to do

• Change your Gantt Chart if necessary and reprint

• Change your Brief if necessary and reprint:• Copy/paste original• Emphasise the changes

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Brief Development

Outcome Development and

Evaluation

Planning Technological Practice

Components of Practice (3)

Outcome Development

Evaluation has been ongoing throughout the process.

PLUS:

• The brief should now be in it’s final form: (copy/paste original – make changes and embolden what is different)

• Final (amended) timeline/plan of action:– State where key milestones were met

– Show where changes were made and explain why the changes were made

Outcome Evaluation

• The final product is evaluated against the final brief.

• Does your solution meet each of the specifications?

• Record how you have met the conceptual statement and specifications with the use of ‘I have / have not because……. You need to elaborate and not respond with ‘yes and no’

• Include comments on:– Readability

– Legibility

– Presentation

– Functionality of links and enhancements

Portfolio

Compile your portfolio. Make sure you:

• Structure it in a logical sequence

• Include a contents page

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