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Creating digital artefacts
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A digital artefact is anything you make with technology: a website, a video, a poster, an app or a presentation. Good ones are designed for their audience.
Audience and purpose
Before you start, ask: who is it for, and what should it do?
A revision video for Year 7 needs short sections and simple words; a report for a head teacher needs clear headings and evidence.
Big projects often combine applications: for example, collect data in a form, analyse it in a spreadsheet, then present it in a video.
A revision video for Year 7 needs short sections and simple words; a report for a head teacher needs clear headings and evidence.
Big projects often combine applications: for example, collect data in a form, analyse it in a spreadsheet, then present it in a video.
Design, usability and trustworthiness
Design: consistent colours and fonts, clear layout, text that contrasts with the background.
Usability: easy to navigate, works on different devices, and is accessible, for example captions on videos and alt text that describes images.
Trustworthiness: check facts in more than one reliable source, look at who wrote a source and when, and say where your information came from.
Usability: easy to navigate, works on different devices, and is accessible, for example captions on videos and alt text that describes images.
Trustworthiness: check facts in more than one reliable source, look at who wrote a source and when, and say where your information came from.
Reusing other people's work
Most creative work is protected by copyright. In the UK this is the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Do not use other people's images, music or text without permission.
Some creators use Creative Commons licences, which allow reuse if you follow conditions, such as giving credit.
When you repurpose your own work, such as turning a poster into a short video, adapt it to the new audience. Then get feedback and revise it.
Do not use other people's images, music or text without permission.
Some creators use Creative Commons licences, which allow reuse if you follow conditions, such as giving credit.
When you repurpose your own work, such as turning a poster into a short video, adapt it to the new audience. Then get feedback and revise it.
You are making a website to help Year 6 pupils prepare for secondary school. Give three design decisions.
- Audience: 10 and 11 year olds, so short, simple text.
- Usability: large buttons, clear menus, alt text on images.
- Trust: facts checked with the school, and credit for any images used.
Answer: Simple language, easy navigation with alt text, and checked facts with credited images.
Design for a clear audience and purpose. Make artefacts consistent, usable and accessible. Check facts in reliable sources, respect copyright, credit Creative Commons work, and revise using feedback.
Check you have got it
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