Additional guidance for developing the product

Criterion D: Product design

Design tools

The student should use the following top-level design tools.

Product	Recommended top-level design tool
Multimedia: Website	Hierarchical navigation model/Site map
Multimedia: Presentation	Outline layout
Multimedia: Video	Storyboard
Multimedia: Sound	Storyboard
Desktop publishing	Page layout
Database	Entity relationship diagram (ERD)
Spreadsheet	Workbook layout

Criterion D: Product design

In order to ensure that equal levels of complexity are found between different product types, teachers should make students aware of this information when designing and developing their product. Examples of inappropriate products include:

• the development of a product solely using a web-based template

• a product consisting of a data mashup consisting only of secondary data

• the use of unmodified exemplar products provided with software; for example, the Northwind database in Microsoft Access®.

Although there is no lower limit on the number of pages in a website or the duration of a video, sound clip or other digital product, it is important that there is sufficient scope within it for the student to use at least three advanced techniques. For example, if a student can use three advanced techniques in a four-page website without compromising its quality or functionality, this is acceptable. However, if a student submits a product of a limited extent, they will need to justify why this appropriate.

The key determinant of whether the product—for example, a website—is simple or complex is the number of advanced techniques used within it, not the number of web pages. Duplication of techniques used will not increase the complexity of the product.

The list of appropriate techniques and their complexity is located on the OCC and is updated annually.

Criterion E: Product development

The following are guidelines for the justification of the choice of techniques used in the development of the product.

• The sizing, positioning and legibility of a screenshot are the key determinants of its effectiveness.

• Relevant screenshots should be kept in an appropriate folder during the development of the product.

• Diagrams, screenshots and other visual evidence must be referred to in the accompanying text.

• Explanations can be enhanced by the use of arrows, circles clearly identifying the key feature of the screenshot and/or highlighting.

• Screenshots should be cropped to ensure that only the relevant parts remain.

• All explanations or justifications should use the correct ITGS terminology.