Unit 12 Software Development

– Design a Program

Joseph Baker
 2B.P2) Describe the purpose and user
requirements for the software program
Purpose of the program
• Describe the purpose of the currency converter program
The Purpose of the currency converter
program is to show the user how mush of
one currency is worth in another currency
for example 44 pounds are in 50 euros.
User requirements of the program
• Describe the user requirements of the currency converter program

A number of how much currency ,

the user has to input a number into
the chosen currency.
 2B.P3) Produce a design for a program,
including:
- A problem definition statement
- A proposed solution
- A test plan
Problem Statement
• What is the problem scenario?
You are a junior programmer working for a software development company who specialise in developing software programs for a range of clients. A job has come in from a local
travel company, Steve’s Travels. Your manager has asked you to design a program using Visual Basic that converts different currencies based on a given exchange rate. The
currencies that you will need to convert are from Pound Sterling (£) to the following
1. Australian Dollars (A$)
2. Euros (€)
3. Swiss Francs (SFr)
4. Rand (R)
5. US Dollars (US$)

• Who has the problem?

The Client

• Who is the client and customer for this scenario?

A job has come in from a local travel company, Steve’s Travels.

• Who will require the solution?

Your manager so it can be passed on to the Client
Proposed solution
• How will you solve the problem?
• Consider design and planning

• Programming language
Visual basic
• Programming characteristics to be used
+, -, *, /
Yes variables are going to be used
Ifs
subs
• What will it be released as? Executable?
yes it is executable
Screen layout
• Create a mock-up of how you want your program to look
Data Inputs and Outputs
• Document the data inputs needed for your mock up program to
function
Data you in put is going be in-between 1 and 1,000,000,000,000

• Document the expected outputs needed for your mock up program

to function
Data Dictionary
Written Algorithm
• Look at your mock up design and produce a written algorithm
showing the sequence of steps your program code will follow. 

1. you type the number in the textbox

2. Then the number comes back with another
number based on the currency you have
chosen.
Test Plan
2B.M2) Produce a detailed design for a program,
including:
- Alternative solutions
- A detailed proposed solution using a range of design tools
- Test data
Alternative Solutions
• In this section you should explain two alternative solutions to create
the program. Explain why you would create each solution.

Two alternative solutions to create the program are a drop down

menu with a list of different currency’s or having a textbox to type in
the currency of your choice.
Flow Chart
• In this section you should produce a flow chart using correct shapes
to demonstrate the inputs, processes and outputs of the program
design and flow. Screenshot your evidence here.
 Start

The user inputs a

number between
1 and 100

Input £60

Output $73.62
$1.22

Print dollars

Stop
 2B.D2) Justify the design decisions,
including:

- how they will fulfil the stated purpose and user

requirements
- any design constraints
Justification - Purpose
• Remember to refer back to 2B.P2 where you described two purposes.
Justify how your design decisions will fulfil the purpose.
My design decisions will meet the user requirements because I
have followed the brief and have followed what the user wants
via drop down menus etc and have made an alternative which
is Radio buttons are easy to use because you can only click one
of them so this makes it user friendly to use that is why I use
radio button.
Justification – User Requirements
• Remember to refer back to 2B.P2 where you described user
requirements. Justify how your design decisions will fulfil them.
My design will meet the user
requirements because I have followed
the brief and made it easy for the user
to understand it and have followed
what the user wants .
 Design Constraints
• Look at your proposed solution and examine any design constraints. What is limiting
you or stopping you from designing the application the way you really want to?

When designing radio buttons there

are restrictions such as you can only
click on one button otherwise a false
recording number will occur.

Another issue I had during the design was the lost

of the toolbox and forgetting to save the work
these things caused issues during the design.
Rejection of alternative solutions
• Explain why the alternative solutions mentioned in 2B.M2 have been
rejected.

The two alternative solutions have been rejected are a drop

down menu with a list of different currency’s or having a
textbox to type in the currency of your choice because radio
buttons are more user friendly and quicker to use.