User needs and success criteria — Begin a digital project by identifying known users, their purpose and constraints. A school-club information pack may need readable mobile pages, accurate dates and an accessible printable summary. Write testable success criteria before choosing tools. 'Looks good' is too vague on its own; explain what users must be able to find, understand or do.
Trustworthy information — Trace factual claims to suitable sources, check date, expertise, evidence and independence, and distinguish reporting from advertising or opinion. A high search ranking or large number of likes does not guarantee reliability. Record sources so another person can verify a claim. If evidence is incomplete, state the uncertainty rather than filling the gap with a plausible invention.
Generated and manipulated content — Edited or generated images, audio and text can imitate real events or expert work. Check provenance, where the material came from, and corroboration, whether independent evidence supports it. Realistic appearance is not enough. AI answers can include confident errors and invented references, so check claims and sources. Follow the task’s rules for permitted tools and for acknowledging help.
Copyright and permission — Being able to view a work does not automatically permit copying or republishing it. Use original work or material whose licence allows the intended use, follow its conditions and credit the creator and source appropriately. A credit alone does not grant permission. Personal information and consent requirements remain relevant even when copyright permission exists.
Combining applications and data
Choosing a workflow — Different applications support different tasks: a spreadsheet can analyse data, an image editor prepare visuals and a presentation or web editor communicate findings. Plan how information moves between them and choose compatible file formats. Combining tools should serve a challenging user goal, rather than copying the same unedited content through several apps just to increase the tool count.
Collecting useful data — Define fields, units and permitted values before collecting fictional or appropriately approved data. A travel survey should distinguish minutes from kilometres and missing values from zero. Collect only what the question needs, following school consent and safeguarding arrangements. A tidy table of biased or inaccurate data still leads to weak conclusions.
Cleaning and validating data — Keep the original data and record corrections to duplicates, inconsistent categories, impossible values or missing entries. For a fictional score from 0 to 10, validation can flag 12 as outside the permitted range. Verification can check that a score was copied accurately from the original record. Neither proves the original score was true. Do not remove inconvenient results silently; explain how missing data affects calculations.
Spreadsheet formulas — A formula calculates from cell values and normally begins with =. If B2 contains 4 and C2 contains 3, =B2*C2 returns 12. Use references so calculations update when inputs change. Distinguish a calculated result from typed text that merely looks like one, and inspect formulas rather than judging only the displayed value.
Relative and absolute references — Relative references move when a formula is copied; absolute references stay fixed. If B2 contains an item cost and F1 a conversion factor, =B2*$F$1 multiplies them. Copied one row down, it becomes =B3*$F$1: the item changes, the factor does not. Compare =B2*F1, which would become =B3*F2. Predict and test a small example before filling a table.
Analysing and charting — Choose calculations and charts for the question. Bar charts compare categories; line graphs can show change on an ordered scale such as time. Label axes and units, and state who or what percentages describe. A truncated axis starts partway up the value scale, which can make differences look larger. Examine its labels and whether the design represents the data fairly, rather than judging by visual impact alone.
Creating, revising and testing
Audience and accessibility — Use readable type, clear headings, enough contrast and links that describe their destination. Alternative text explains an informative image for people who cannot see it. Captions show spoken words and relevant sounds; a transcript supplies a written record. Do not make colour the only way to tell things apart. Test with intended users and access tools such as screen readers; automatic checks cannot decide whether every explanation is useful.
Design and navigation — Organise information so users can predict where to find it. Keep labels consistent, group related material and use a clear hierarchy. A button should communicate its action and be usable by keyboard as well as pointer. Avoid layouts that require sideways scrolling to read ordinary text on a small screen; inspect the actual exported or published result.
Reusing and repurposing — Reusing an artefact means using it again; repurposing adapts it for a different audience or goal. A detailed research chart may need simpler labels and contextual explanation for younger readers. Preserve accuracy and permission while changing format. Merely resizing a poster does not guarantee that its message or accessibility suits a new medium.
Versions and collaboration — Use meaningful filenames, agreed roles and version records so contributors can locate current work and recover earlier decisions. Check sharing permissions and avoid including private information in public exports. When merging contributions, verify facts and formatting rather than assuming every section follows the same conventions. Credit contributions honestly and keep a recoverable original where appropriate.
Testing and evaluation — Test against the original success criteria using realistic tasks and devices. Ask a user to find a date, interpret a chart or follow navigation without coaching, then record difficulties and make justified revisions. Explain what improved, what remains limited and how feedback was gathered. A functioning link is a technical result, not proof that the information is trustworthy or understandable.
Safety, identity and conduct
Online identity and digital footprints — Accounts, posts, images and interactions contribute to how a person is represented online. Information can be copied or combined in ways the original audience did not expect. Review privacy settings, avoid unnecessary identifying details and consider effects on other people before posting. A private setting reduces exposure but does not guarantee that a recipient cannot share a copy.
Secure access — Use strong, unique passwords and school-approved extra sign-in checks. Keep recovery details safe and never share one-time codes. If a message asks for information, check through a contact route you already trust rather than its link. A compromised account is one someone else has gained access to; even a friend’s display name may therefore hide a deceptive sender.
Content, contact and conduct — Inappropriate content concerns material seen or received; inappropriate contact concerns approaches or interactions; inappropriate conduct concerns behaviour such as harassment or harmful sharing. These can overlap. A pupil who encounters a problem has not necessarily done something wrong. Identify what happened and seek help without circulating harmful material to demonstrate it to classmates.
Respectful participation — Respect consent, privacy and other people's boundaries in messages, games and shared spaces. Disagreement does not justify abuse, threats, exclusion or sharing private images. Avoid forwarding harmful posts even when intending to criticise them. Consider how design choices, recommendation systems and group pressure can amplify harm, and use reporting tools and trusted support instead of retaliation.
Reporting and support — Use a platform's reporting and blocking tools where appropriate and tell a trusted adult through school safeguarding arrangements. Do not respond to threats by investigating or meeting the sender, and do not copy or store illegal or intimate material as evidence. Record a safe factual account, such as when and where a concern occurred, and let responsible adults handle the response. Immediate danger requires urgent appropriate help.
Test yourself
50 questions · Random sets of 10. These quick checks support revision; practise longer explanations and justified judgements too.
Mind map
Use the branches to recall the ideas and explain their connections. Check the revision notes for the full detail.
KS3COMP5 · 1
View KS3COMP5 · 1 mind mapOpen the full-size map to zoom. Use the printable view for A4 landscape or enlarge to A3.
Mr Kidman's Classroom
