This section has a total of 12 marks allocated to it, which are spread out amongst its different aspects. This and the consequent sections are based on the development of the new system. It is expected that the designing tasks take place away from the computer and that ideas are presented in the form of “pen/pencil drawings” which are annotated or describe in the supporting text.

It is not expected that printouts from the software package to be used in the developed system are included at this stage. Within a database solution, it should be expected that a candidate, when designing their data structure will at the very least consider each field carefully enough to know the data size from the start. Changes to data size therefore are not sufficient to produce appropriate alternatives. Similarly, if the system demands a spreadsheet, then aesthetic qualities such as background colour or font size are equally irrelevant differences.

DESIGN - Produce Designs for the Data Structure

This sub-section has a total of 3 marks allocated to it. Each marking point is in addition to the one above, so it is necessary for candidates to get each marking point before they move onto the next one.

1 mark

• Produce an appropriate design for the data structure.
  • Candidates must cover most aspects of their proposed solution. They will produce a file structure for their database, a design of the spreadsheet including formulae, a template of a standard letter etc.

2 marks

• Describe alternative appropriate designs for the data structure.
  • Candidates must describe each design they have produced. The key word is appropriate.
  • They must not be differences created just for the sake of it. There will be fields added or omitted for good reason. Field lengths and types will be changed. This must be done for alternative spreadsheets and word processing templates etc.

3 marks

• Justify their choice of design for the data structure.
  • Candidates will produce a list of the advantages and disadvantages of each structure and give reasons why their choice is best.

DESIGN - Produce Designs for the User Interface

Again, this sub-section comprises 3 marks and requires candidates to add something to the work they have produced for the previous mark.

1 mark

• Produce an appropriate design for the user interface.
  • Candidates have to produce a design of a data entry screen for the database or spreadsheet or a query screen for the database. This will usually be hand drawn and can be on just one aspect of the problem. The design must be relevant to the problem they are solving.

2 marks

• Describe alternative appropriate designs for the user interface.
  • Candidates must produce at least one alternative design for each input screen they have specified. They should describe the format of each of their designs.

3 marks

• Justify their choice of design for the user interface.
  • Candidates will give the advantages and disadvantages of each screen design.
  • They must then give reasons why their choice of design is best.

DESIGN - Produce a Design for the Output Formats

This sub-section has 3 marks and again requires candidates to add something to the work they have produced for the previous mark.

1 mark

• Produce an appropriate design for the output formats.
  • This will be output screens or printouts. They will consist of different output formats for one aspect of the problem i.e. the data handling, spreadsheet, word processing etc.
  • The intention is not to produce alternatives. For example, if the data-handling aspect is being designed, alternative report formats for one particular query are not required.
  • More than one format has to be designed i.e. the results of more than one search need to be considered. Also, for a complex problem, there should be evidence of designing the output from each package e.g.. a report for a query in a database and the mail merge letter from the word processing package.

2 marks

• Describe alternative appropriate designs for the output formats.
  • Now, alternatives have to be produced. Each design above must now have at least one appropriate alternative.

3 marks

• Describe alternative appropriate designs for the output formats and justify their choice of designs for the output formats.
  • Candidates compare their alternative designs giving the advantages and disadvantages for each one. They will do this for different queries and say which is the best design for each. For example, the candidate might discuss the pros and cons of using a tabular format as opposed to an individual record printout for searches of specific types of car.

DESIGN - Produce Software and Hardware Requirements

This sub-section has 3 marks and requires candidates to add something to the work they have produced for the previous mark. Therefore, again, in order to match a particular marking point they will need to have matched the previous marking point.

1 mark

• List the software and hardware requirements of the solution.
  • Candidates must now be precise about their requirements. They will list the hardware and software by name.

2 marks

• Describe appropriate alternative software and hardware requirements of the solution.
  • Candidates must now go into more detail about the requirements. These may be alternative types of computer and software available to the potential user and again these must be sensible alternatives.

3 marks

• Describe appropriate alternative software and hardware requirements of the solution and justify their choice.
  • This requires both the advantages and disadvantages of the respective systems to be given. Reasons for choice of both hardware and software must be given by commenting on the features relevant to the system being produced.