Technologies · Year 8

Active learning ideas

Defining User Needs and Requirements

Active learning works because defining user needs requires students to practice real-world thinking, not just memorize definitions. Students engage with the messy, human side of requirements through role-play and discussion, which builds empathy and skill in gathering accurate information from users.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9TDI8P07

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs Role-Play: User Interviews

Students pair up: one acts as a target user for a study app, the other as designer asking 10 prepared questions on needs and frustrations. Switch roles after 10 minutes, then each drafts a shared list of key insights. Discuss as a class how questions shaped responses.

Analyze how understanding user needs leads to more effective software solutions.

Facilitation Tip

During the User Interviews role-play, circulate and coach pairs to use open-ended questions like 'Can you tell me more about that?' to uncover deeper needs.

What to look for

Present students with a brief scenario for a new app (e.g., a homework helper). Ask them to list two functional requirements and two non-functional requirements on a sticky note. Review responses for accuracy and understanding of the distinction.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Persona Creation Workshop

Groups survey five classmates on app preferences, then create visual personas with demographics, goals, and pain points. Combine into a class gallery for peer feedback. Translate top personas into initial functional requirements.

Differentiate between functional and non-functional requirements.

Facilitation Tip

In the Persona Creation Workshop, remind groups to include both demographic details and specific pain points to make their personas feel real.

What to look for

Provide students with a short piece of user feedback (e.g., 'I wish I could save my progress'). Ask them to write one functional requirement and one non-functional requirement that this feedback might lead to. Collect and assess their ability to translate feedback into specific requirements.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 25 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Requirements Sorting Game

Project mixed requirements statements on the board. Class votes and sorts them into functional or non-functional categories, justifying choices. Reveal correct sorts and refine as a group.

Construct a set of requirements for a simple software application based on user feedback.

Facilitation Tip

For the Requirements Sorting Game, prepare a mix of clear and borderline examples so students debate edge cases like 'data encryption' under non-functional categories.

What to look for

Students pair up and present their draft requirements for a simple software idea to their partner. The partner acts as a 'client' and asks clarifying questions about both functional and non-functional aspects. Partners provide feedback on the clarity and completeness of the requirements.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Inquiry Circle
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Feedback to Specs Challenge

Provide sample user feedback quotes. Students individually list three functional and two non-functional requirements. Share and vote on clearest examples.

Analyze how understanding user needs leads to more effective software solutions.

Facilitation Tip

During the Feedback to Specs Challenge, require students to justify each requirement with a specific piece of user feedback to strengthen their rationale.

What to look for

Present students with a brief scenario for a new app (e.g., a homework helper). Ask them to list two functional requirements and two non-functional requirements on a sticky note. Review responses for accuracy and understanding of the distinction.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching this topic effectively means focusing on the process of uncovering needs, not just the product. Students often struggle to see that requirements emerge from questions, not assumptions. Use low-stakes practice activities to build confidence in interviewing and feedback skills before expecting polished specifications. Research in design thinking shows that iteration and perspective-taking are critical, so emphasize these through repeated cycles of questioning and revision.

Students will demonstrate understanding by clearly distinguishing between functional and non-functional requirements in their own work. They will show growth in asking targeted questions to uncover true user needs, not just stated wishes.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Requirements Sorting Game, watch for students who mislabel all requirements as functional, assuming everything relates to features.

  Use the game’s borderline examples to prompt discussion: ask students to explain why 'data encryption' or '5-second load time' belong in non-functional categories, and have peers challenge mislabeled slips.

• During the User Interviews role-play, watch for students who accept vague user statements like 'I want it to be easy' without probing for specific pain points.

  Coach students to follow up with questions like 'What makes it difficult now?' or 'What would make it feel effortless?' during the role-play, modeling how to push past surface responses.

• During the Persona Creation Workshop, watch for students who create generic profiles without tying needs to specific scenarios or frustrations.

  Require groups to include at least one 'day in the life' anecdote in their persona and a 'problem statement' that captures the user’s core struggle, using the workshop template as a guide.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle