lesson 5.2 - the project proposal: user & system requirements
Requirements are the 'must-haves' of the tech world. Don't build a submarine when they asked for a bike - learn user and system requirements today!
Ever asked for a pepperoni pizza and ended up with a pineapple salad? That happens when requirements aren't clear! Today, we are moving from the "big idea" to the "nitty-gritty." We’ll learn how to define exactly what a user needs to do and what gadgets the system needs—like touchscreens, voice control, or haptic buzzes - to make it happen. Let's make sure our projects actually work for the people using them!
Learning Outcomes
The Building Blocks (Factual Knowledge)
The Connections and Theories (Conceptual Knowledge)
The Skills and Methods (Procedural Knowledge)
Recall the definitions of user requirements, system requirements, inputs, and outputs.
Describe various input methods including keyboard, mouse, touch, and voice activation.
Describe various output methods including visual displays, audio alerts, and haptic feedback.
The Connections and Theories (Conceptual Knowledge)
Analyse the relationship between a user's goal and the specific system requirement needed to achieve it.
Evaluate why choosing the wrong input or output method can lead to project failure or poor usability.
The Skills and Methods (Procedural Knowledge)
Apply requirement-gathering techniques to a provided client brief.
Create a professional Requirements Table for a project proposal that categorises user and system needs.
Digital Skill Focus: You will apply digital project management skills by using structured documentation to define the scope and technical boundaries of a digital solution.
The Blueprint of Success: User & System Requirements
Every digital product starts as a Functional Specification. This is a fancy way of saying a list of things the product MUST do. If you don't define these, you might build a brilliant app that nobody can actually use! We split these into two main categories:
1
User Requirements
These are the needs and wants of the people using your product. To get these right, you have to think about:
Task Requirements: What exactly does the user need to achieve? (e.g., "I need to book a cinema seat").
Accessibility: Does the user have visual or hearing impairments? We might need to include screen readers or high-contrast modes.
Skill Level: Is the user a tech expert or a beginner? This changes how complex the interface should be.
2
System Requirements
This is the hardware side of the story. It’s about how the system handles Inputs and Outputs based on the device type.
Input Requirements
How does the user talk to the computer?
Keyboard & Mouse: Standard for Desktop systems where precision is key.
Touch: Essential for Handheld devices like tablets or smartphones.
Voice: Great for hands-free use or accessibility.
Output Requirements
How does the computer talk back to the user?
Visual: Screens showing text, images, and video.
Audio: Beeps, alerts, or spoken instructions.
Haptic: Vibrations or physical feedback (think of your phone buzzing when you get a notification).
Why the Device Matters
A Desktop computer has a big screen and a physical keyboard, so we can show lots of data. A Handheld device has a small screen, so we need big buttons for Touch input and often use Haptic feedback because the device is in the user's hand.
Learn more about professional interface standards at the W3C Accessibility Guide.
Task The Majestic Requirements Blueprint
The manager of Majestic Cinema has sent over a list of 12 ideas for their new digital systems. It's your job to act as a Systems Analyst and turn this "wishlist" into a professional technical plan. If the requirements are vague, the project will fail!
1
Get Organised!
Open a new blank word-processed document.
Give it the heading: Majestic Cinema Project Proposal: Functional Specification.
2
Phase 1: Tech Detective
Before you can build the plan, you need to know the lingo. Use the links below to find definitions.
First, some simple Google searches:
On your document, write a short paragraph explaining the difference between a 'User Requirement' and a 'System Requirement'.
Secondly, let's leverage AI to help us:
Role: Expert Interface Designer. Task: Explain the key differences between designing input requirements for a desktop computer versus a handheld smartphone. Length: Max 100 words. Audience: KS4 Computing Student. Tone: Friendly and informative. Constraints: No intro, NO outro, NO deviation from the topic, NO follow-up questions.
On your document, write a short paragraph explaining why we use different strategies for desktop and handheld devices.
Which method did you find easier?
3
Phase 2: Set up your Analysis Table
Create a table with 4 columns. Here is what you should put in each:
Request: Copy the quote from the manager.
Type: Is this a User Requirement (a goal the person has) or a System Requirement (something the tech must do)?
Direction: Is this an input or an output?
Method: What hardware is required? (e.g., Touch Input, Haptic Output, Audio Output, Visual Output).
Justification: Why is this the best choice for a cinema app or office computer?
4
Phase 3: Deconstruct the Brief
Analyse these 12 requests and fill in your table:
1
"Customers need to pick their own seats by tapping the screen."
2
"The app should read out the movie times for people who have trouble seeing the screen."
3
"When the ticket is successfully booked, the phone should vibrate so the user knows it worked."
4
"We need a search bar so people can type in the movie they want."
5
"I want users to be able to say 'Hey Majestic, show me horror movies' to find films quickly."
6
"We need a high-contrast mode for users with low vision to see the text clearly."
7
"Staff checking tickets should see a bright green flash on their tablet screen when a QR code is valid."
8
"If a user tries to book a seat that is already taken, a short warning beep should play."
9
"The app should allow users to save their favorite cinema location so they don't have to search every time."
10
"Customers want to watch movie trailers in full screen before they decide to buy a ticket."
11
"Users should receive a physical 'buzz' notification on their phone 15 minutes before their movie starts."
12
"The system must allow managers to log in with a secure password using a physical keyboard when they are at their office desk."
Outcome: A professional project proposal document containing research notes and a completed table deconstructing all 12 Majestic Cinema requirements.
Application to the Component Sample PSA
In Task 1a of your Component 1 Pearson-Set Assignment, you are required to produce a project proposal for the Majestic Cinema booking system. This lesson is the engine room for that task.
When you write your proposal, you cannot simply say "the app will be good." You must specifically identify User Requirements based on the diverse audience of the cinema—from teenagers booking the latest blockbuster to elderly patrons who may require accessibility features like screen magnification (Output) or simplified navigation.
Furthermore, the PSA asks you to consider System Requirements for different devices. For a handheld tablet used by staff at the ticket booth, you would justify Touch Input and Haptic Output for quick confirmation. For a desktop kiosk in the lobby, you might focus on Visual Output on a large screen to show trailers. Mastering the ability to link a user's need to a specific hardware feature is exactly what moves your mark from a Level 1 to a Level 2 Distinction.
Out of Lesson Learning
⭐ The Requirement Spotter
Find a digital device in your home (like a microwave, a smart TV, or a games console). Write down two User Requirements (what you want to do with it) and two System Requirements (one input method and one output method it uses). For example, on a microwave: User Requirement = "Set cooking time"; Input = "Physical buttons or dial".
Find a digital device in your home (like a microwave, a smart TV, or a games console). Write down two User Requirements (what you want to do with it) and two System Requirements (one input method and one output method it uses). For example, on a microwave: User Requirement = "Set cooking time"; Input = "Physical buttons or dial".
⭐⭐ The Majestic Accessibility Audit
Imagine a user of the Majestic Cinema app is visually impaired. Write a short paragraph explaining one specific System Requirement you would add to the app to help them. You must explain both the Input (how they tell the app what to do) and the Output (how the app gives them information back).
Imagine a user of the Majestic Cinema app is visually impaired. Write a short paragraph explaining one specific System Requirement you would add to the app to help them. You must explain both the Input (how they tell the app what to do) and the Output (how the app gives them information back).
⭐⭐⭐ The Hardware Swap Challenge
Majestic Cinema currently uses a Desktop PC for their manager to view ticket sales. The manager wants to switch to a Handheld smartphone app instead. Write a brief justification explaining why the Input Requirements must change from a mouse/keyboard to touch/voice, and how Haptic Feedback could be used on the smartphone to improve the manager's experience while they are walking around the cinema.
Majestic Cinema currently uses a Desktop PC for their manager to view ticket sales. The manager wants to switch to a Handheld smartphone app instead. Write a brief justification explaining why the Input Requirements must change from a mouse/keyboard to touch/voice, and how Haptic Feedback could be used on the smartphone to improve the manager's experience while they are walking around the cinema.
Last modified: April 19th, 2026
