Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - JHS 3

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Explain what user requirements are and why they are important.
• Identify different methods to gather user requirements.
• Create a simple questionnaire to clarify user needs.
• Analyze user feedback to summarize key requirements.

Lesson summary

This lesson is the most important first step in designing and making anything useful. Before a carpenter builds a chair, a tailor sews a dress, or an engineer designs a new phone, they must first understand the person who will use it. This process is called "clarifying user requirements." It involves finding out exactly what the user needs, wants, and the limitations they face. In Ghana, from the woman selling roasted plantain who needs a better stand, to a student needing a stronger school bag, understanding the user is the key to creating successful products that solve real problems in our communities.

Lesson notes

This section breaks down the core ideas you need to understand to master this topic. A. Who is a 'User'?

In design, the user is the specific person or group of people who will interact with or use the final product or service. The user is the most important person in the design process. Example 1: If you are designing a new school uniform, the users are the JHS students who will wear it. Example 2: If you are building a new stool for your grandmother to use in the kitchen, your grandmother is the user. Example 3: If you are designing a mobile app to help farmers check weather forecasts, the farmers in your community are the users.

We design *for* the user, so we must understand them completely. B. What are 'User Requirements'?

User Requirements are the specific needs, wants, expectations, and limitations that a user has for a product. They are the criteria that will determine if the design is successful or not. We can group them into different types: Functional Requirements: These describe what the product must do. They are about the core purpose and performance of the product. Question to ask: "What is the main job of this product?" Example (for a school bag): It must be able to hold 5 textbooks, 3 notebooks, and a lunch box. It must protect the books from rain (be waterproof). It must have a small pocket for pens and a mathematical set. Aesthetic Requirements: These describe how the product should look and feel. They relate to the senses - sight, touch, etc. Question to ask: "What should it look like? What style is preferred?" Example (for a school bag): It should be available in colours like dark blue, black, or green. The material should have a smooth texture. It should look modern and not "childish". Ergonomic Requirements: These relate to how comfortable, safe, and easy the product is for a human to use. Question to ask: "How can we make it comfortable and easy to use?" Example (for a school bag): The shoulder straps must be wide and padded to prevent pain. The zip must be easy for a student to open and close. It should not be too heavy even before books are added. Constraints (Limitations): These are the real-world limitations or restrictions that the design must work within. Question to ask: "What are the limits on cost, time, materials, or safety?" Example (for a school bag): Cost: The total cost to make one bag must not exceed GH₵ 80. Materials: It must be made from locally available canvas or nylon fabric. Safety: There should be no sharp edges on the zips or buckles. Time: The prototype must be ready in two weeks. C. How to Clarify User Requirements: Methods of Gathering Information