Table of Contents
CODE.org Unit Overview
This unit introduces the broader social impacts of computing. Through a series of design challenges, you will learn how to better understand the needs of others while developing a solution to a problem. The second half of the unit consists of an iterative team project, during which teams have the opportunity to identify a need that they care about, prototype solutions both on paper and in App Lab, and test solutions with real users to get feedback and drive further iteration.
Major Projects
Additional Resources
- CODE.org – This unit uses the Design Process curriculum at CODE.org
- Adobe Express – A collection of design tools that can be useful for presentations and app prototypes
1. Designing With Empathy
Essential Question
How can we choose products based on the needs of a user?
Lesson Overview
We start the unit with a low-tech look at the designs of various shoes, matching them to potential users, and reviewing the design process.
Directions
Complete the Designing with Empathy Activity Guide.
Vocabulary
- Empathy – In design, paying attention to a user’s feelings and needs when designing a product.
- User – Someone who uses an object, including software and hardware.
Resources & Handouts
This unit really helps students understand their users’ needs, and this first lesson compares users to different types of footwear. Look over the Designing with Empathy Activity Guide with your student and see if there are any instances where you have different opinions.
2. Understanding Your User
Essential Question
How can we make sure a product is meeting the needs of a user?
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, we focus on getting into the minds of product users. You will be given a user profile and react to a series of products from their perspective before offering some suggestions on design improvements.
Directions
- Read over your User Profile handout carefully
- Complete the Reacting as Your User Activity Guide using your assigned user profile
Vocabulary
- Usability – How easy, efficient, and satisfying it is to use a human-made object or device (including software).
Resources & Handouts
This is a fun activity that helps students see the world (or in our case products and programs) from a user’s perspective. Look over the Reacting as Your User Activity Guide and User Profile with your student and have them explain what products they reacted to as their assigned user.
3. User-Centered Design – Define and Prepare
Essential Question
How can we design for people other than ourselves?
Lesson Overview
Today is the start of a two-day lesson where we will get a refresher on the design process. We start by brainstorming potential users for smart clothing as well as their potential wants and needs.
Directions
In your groups, complete the User Centered Design – Define and Prepare handout
Resources & Handouts
This lesson has students brainstorming in groups on how users can utilize “smart” clothing. Look over the User Centered Design – Define and Prepare handout with them and have them explain how they determined the wants and needs of their user. If they were able to get this far during the lesson, have them describe the solution their group came up with on the back side of the handout.
4. User Centered Design – Try and Reflect
Essential Question
How can we design a product to meet a user’s needs?
Lesson Overview
We continue our review of the design process in today’s lesson as you design a piece of smart clothing meeting the specific needs you brainstormed during the lesson before. At the end of the lesson, we will share the ideas we were able to come up with.
Directions
As a group, complete the User Centered Design – Try and Reflect Activity Guide. Be prepared to share your product with the class.
Resources & Handouts
Students will be designing a product based on the answers they brainstormed during the previous lesson. Have your student present the smart clothing product their group designed and give any feedback you have for their design decisions.
5. User Interfaces
Essential Question
How can we test an app to make sure it meets a user’s needs?
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, we focus on the idea of prototyping a product as we explore a paper prototype for a new chat app. From there, we discuss how we can use feedback effectively.
Directions
Use the User Interface Screens Activity Guide to complete the User Testing Activity Guides
Vocabulary
- Prototype – A first or early model of a product that allows you to test assumptions before developing a final version.
- User Interface – The visual elements of a program through which a user controls or communicates with the application. Often abbreviated UI.
Resources & Handouts
- User Interface Screens Activity Guide
- User Testing – Computer Activity Guide
- User Testing – User Activity Guide
This lesson introduces the idea of paper prototyping, where students use pieces of paper to simulate the different screens of an app. Look over the User Testing (User) Activity Guide with your student and have them explain some of their answers as the user of an app in development.
6. Feedback and Testing
Essential Question
How can we use feedback to improve an app?
Lesson Overview
In today’s lesson, we receive feedback on the paper prototype app from the previous lesson and need to categorize the feedback before determining what changes need to be made.
Directions
In groups complete the Improve a Screen Activity Guide using the feedback displayed in class.
Resources & Handouts
Students learn how to properly categorize and respond to feedback in this continuation from the previous lesson. Not every student will have the handout, but students should be able to describe what changes their group proposed making to the original app design.
7. Identifying User Needs
Essential Question
How can user interviews help us create apps to meet the needs of a user?
Lesson Overview
In previous lessons, the wants and needs of the users have been presented to you. In today’s lesson, you will have to determine that information by reading a collection of user interviews.
Directions
Complete the User Interviews Activity Guide
Resources & Handouts
This lesson expands on students’ ability to determine the wants and needs of their users by having them read user interviews and create a user profile. Look over the User Interviews Activity Guide and have your student explain what in the user interviews supported their answers
8. Project: Paper Prototype
Essential Question
How can I develop an app prototype for a user?
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, we combine what we learned about the design process with the information we gathered from the user interviews to develop an idea for a new app addressing a problem your user is facing. Using paper prototypes, we will model, test, and gain feedback on our designs.
Directions
Complete the Paper Prototype Project Guide along with the notecards and poster that go along with it. Refer to the rubric and checklist to ensure your project meets all requirements.
Resources & Handouts
This project will span 2-3 class days and provides students an opportunity to get creative with their app ideas. Look over the Paper Prototype Project Guide and notecards with your student and have them explain their app idea to you. If their app only has a few pages, encourage them to add a few more or often suggestions on how they can expand on their ideas.
9. Designing Apps for Good
Essential Question
What is an App for Good we want to create?
Lesson Overview
Today we will be starting a group project that we will be building toward for the rest of the unit. You will start by forming teams and creating a contract that lays out every team member’s roles and responsibilities, then decide on a team name and what type of app your group wants to create.
Directions
As a group, complete the App Design Kickoff Activity Guide
Resources & Handouts
This lesson is the start of a larger group project where students will be making an “App For Good.” Not every student will have the activity guide, but students should be able to describe what ideas their team has come up with so far. If you know of any apps that you think have a positive effect on students or the community, perhaps share them with your student for inspiration!
10. Market Research
Essential Question
How can we use existing apps as inspiration for our own apps?
Lesson Overview
Before moving further in the design process for your own apps, we will use this lesson as an opportunity to research existing apps that serve a similar function. once you have a better idea of what is currently available, you can refine your idea to more successfully reach your target audience.
Directions
As a group, complete the Market Research Activity Guide.
Resources & Handouts
Today’s lesson allows students to see what competing apps are currently out there and figure out how their app idea can stand out. Not every student with have the activity guide, but students should be able to discuss what competing apps they looked at and any updates they have made to their app idea so far.
11. Exploring UI Elements
Essential Question
What user interface elements will be useful for our app?
Lesson Overview
In today’s lesson, we look at some of the UI elements that will be available to use in App Lab and how we might incorporate them into our app idea.
Directions
As a group, complete the Explore UI Elements Activity Guide
Resources & Handouts
This lesson helps students understand how different UI elements can be used to create an optimal user experience. Only one group member will have the activity guide, but every student should be able to describe some of the UI elements they looked at today as well as how they plan on using them in their own app idea.
12. Build A Paper Prototype
Essential Question
How can we build a paper prototype for our app?
Lesson Overview
This lesson starts the design phase of your group projects as you plan out the screens of your app and determine member responsibilities. Next, your group starts creating paper prototypes for your screens and planning out how navigation will work.
Directions
As a group, complete the Paper Prototype Planning Activity Guide and all accompanying notecards.
Resources & Handouts
In this lesson, students create paper prototypes of their app and determine how navigation will work between the screens of their app. Only one group member will bring home the activity guide, but all students should be able to describe the screen(s) they are responsible for in their group.
13. Prototype Testing
Essential Question
How does our prototype work when tested by real users?
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, users will test out the paper prototype of your app and give you feedback. From there, your group organizes the feedback and determines what changes need to be made to the app design.
Directions
As a group, complete the Paper Prototype User Testing Activity Guide.
Resources & Handouts
Students will be getting feedback in this lesson, and processing that feedback is sometimes hard for students. Discuss with your student what feedback they received and how they can positively use that feedback to improve their app.
14. Design Mode in App Lab
Essential Question
How can we use App Lab and Design Mode to create apps?
Lesson Overview
In today’s lesson, we finally progress from our paper prototypes to digital ones! To start, you will learn the basics of App Lab and then convert a screen from your paper prototype into App Lab.
Directions
- Individually, complete the Screen Design Activity Guide
- As a group, complete the Screen Ownership Activity Guide
Resources & Handouts
This lesson marks our transition from paper prototypes to digital ones. Look over the Screen Design Activity Guide with your student and have them show you their design on level 7.
15. Build a Digital Prototype
Essential Question
How can I design a digital prototype from a paper prototype?
Lesson Overview
Today your group will divide and conquer as you convert your paper prototypes into digital ones with the help of App Lab.
Directions
As a group, convert all of your paper prototype screens into digital ones here. If a group member finishes their screens early, help the other members in your group.
This lesson is where their idea really starts to look like an app! Have your student show you what screens they designed and how they used the tools in App Lab to design them.
16. Events in App Lab
Essential Question
How can I use events to create an app?
Lesson Overview
In today’s lesson, we’ll go straight into App Lab where we will learn how to share screens made between group members and how to use events to navigate between the screens of your app.
Directions
Complete levels 1-7 of Events in App Lab.
Today’s lesson starts covering how to have the numerous screens of their prototype connect to one another. Have your student show you the progress their group has made on the app so far.
17. Linking Prototype Screens
Essential Question
How can I combine screens to create a complete digital prototype?
Lesson Overview
In today’s lesson, you will put the final touches on linking the different screens of your group’s app together.
Directions
Working with your group, import all screens to create one unified app here.
Note – every student should have their own app made on their account, not one for the group.
By the end of today’s lesson, the projects should start to look complete (although potentially missing some polish). Have your student show off their app and give any feedback on how they could expand on their current idea.
18. Testing the App
Essential Question
How does our digital prototype work when tested by real users?
Lesson Overview
With your digital prototypes, it’s time for user testing! Preferably with your apps target audience, you will spend the period collecting feedback and data to see if any changes to the app are appropriate.
Directions
Complete both handouts individually while sharing your app with test users.
Resources & Handouts
With the functionality of their app complete, it is time for user feedback! Have your student lead you through the feedback process they used in class today and discuss any ideas they have for modifying the app’s design.
19. Bugs and Features
Essential Question
How can we create a plan to address bugs and features in our prototype?
Lesson Overview
In today’s lesson, we start by go over the topic of app features and bugs and finish the lesson with time for your group to implement any changes to your app based on the user feedback you received during last lesson.
Directions
As a group, complete the Bugs and Features Activity Guide and make any needed modifications to your app.
Vocabulary
- Bug – Part of a program that does not work correctly
- Feature – Part of a program that adds functionality for the user
Resources & Handouts
Today’s lesson reinforced the concepts of bugs and features and gave students time to update their apps. Have your student show you the current version of their app as they explain what features it has and what bugs they have fixed (or still need to fix).
20. Updating Your Prototype
Essential Question
How can I track my work while we make updates to our app?
Lesson Overview
In today’s lesson, groups organize all of work left incomplete from yesterday’s lesson using a “To Do / Doing / Done” organization chart and continue to work on their apps.
Directions
As a group, complete the Updating Your Prototype Activity Guide.
Resources & Handouts
Today’s lesson focuses on breaking up larger tasks and keeping organized with some time at the end of the period for students to continue to work on their apps. Have your student show you the current version of their app as they explain what improvements were made in class today.
21. Project – App Presentation
Essential Question
How can I present the steps in our design process to people outside of our team?
Lesson Overview
With your apps finally done, it’s time for you to share what you have made and what you have learned along the way!
Directions
- Use the handouts, exemplar, and template below to develop a presentation for your app.
- Use the checklist and rubric to make sure your presentation is meeting all of the requirements.
Resources & Handouts
- App Presentation – Student Checklist
- App Presentation – Rubric
- App Presentation Template
- App Presentation Exemplar
Students will be working on the presentation for their app for a few days. Check-in with your student to see what progress they have made and ask what section they will be presenting.