Exam-style question
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A student is designing a system that stores information in a relational database and presents results through a user interface. Describe four types of design information the student could include so that a third party can understand the proposed solution. Explain how each type helps communicate the design.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The student could include a diagram showing the main components and how they are connected, supported by prose explaining the purpose of each component.
- They could describe relevant database relations to show how information is structured and connected.
- They could provide algorithms or pseudo-code to explain important processing steps.
- They could also identify the particular database, web design framework, or other package library on which the solution will rely.
Explanation
Why this works
A strong answer selects appropriate forms of communication rather than relying on one format. Diagrams and prose clarify structure, database relations show data organisation, algorithms or pseudo-code communicate processing, named libraries or frameworks communicate dependencies, and actual-screen screenshots communicate the user-interface design.
Common mistake
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