§-Digital Solutions syllabus

Digital Solutions syllabus, dot point by dot point

Every dot point in the QLD Digital Solutions syllabus, in syllabus order, with a focused answer for each. Open any dot point for the answer, exam-style questions and links to related points.

Unit 3: Digital innovation

Unit overview →

What are the components of a digital solution and how do users, data and systems interact within it?

Recognise and describe the components of a digital solution and the interactions between users, data and digital systems, including the role of innovation in creating new opportunities

6 min read →

How are the requirements of a real-world problem identified and specified before a solution is built?

Identify and specify the functional and non-functional requirements, constraints and data requirements of a real-world problem to define the scope of a digital solution

6 min read →

How are algorithms designed, represented and traced to solve real-world problems?

Represent algorithms using pseudocode and structured English, applying sequence, selection and iteration, and trace them with a desk check to verify correctness before coding

6 min read →

How do programming constructs turn an algorithm into a working coded solution?

Code programming constructs including variables, data types, operators, control structures, functions and arrays to implement an algorithm as a working, testable digital solution

6 min read →

How do usability principles shape a user interface that meets real user needs?

Apply user-centred design and usability principles to design and evaluate a user interface, considering accessibility, user experience and the needs of the target audience

6 min read →

What process do digital solution developers follow to move from a problem to a working solution?

Apply a structured design process of exploring, generating, producing and evaluating to develop a digital solution from a real-world problem

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How are data structures chosen and used to organise data inside a digital solution?

Select and use appropriate data structures, including variables, one-dimensional arrays and lists, and records, to organise and manipulate data within a programmed solution

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How is a digital solution designed so that it is usable, accessible and a positive experience for diverse users?

Apply usability principles and accessibility standards, including WCAG, to evaluate and improve the user experience of a digital solution for a diverse range of users

6 min read →

How does a digital solution check that the data entered into it is correct and trustworthy?

Design and implement data validation that checks input for type, range, presence and format so that only valid data enters the solution, protecting data integrity

6 min read →

How are relational databases structured and queried to drive a digital solution?

Design a normalised relational database with primary and foreign keys and appropriate data types, and query it with SQL using SELECT, WHERE, JOIN, ORDER BY and aggregate functions

6 min read →

Unit 4: Digital impacts

Unit overview →

How are the requirements of a complex, secure data exchange identified and specified?

Identify and specify the functional, security and data requirements of a complex data exchange problem, including the systems involved, the data exchanged and the conditions for reliable exchange

6 min read →

How is data exchanged between digital systems across networks?

Explain how data is exchanged between digital systems using structured formats such as JSON and XML, application programming interfaces (APIs) and network protocols, and the conditions required for reliable exchange

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How do hashing and checksums verify that exchanged data has not been altered?

Explain how hashing, checksums and authentication are used to verify the integrity and authenticity of data during storage and transmission

6 min read →

How do network protocols move data reliably between digital systems?

Explain how network protocols, including TCP/IP and HTTP/HTTPS, package, address, route and reassemble data so that it is transmitted reliably between digital systems

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How is data kept secure as it is stored and exchanged between digital systems?

Explain and apply data security techniques including encryption (symmetric and asymmetric), hashing, authentication and secure transmission to protect data confidentiality, integrity and availability

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How are the design of a data exchange and its algorithms represented before they are built?

Represent the design of a data exchange using data exchange diagrams, IPO tables and pseudocode to communicate how data moves and is processed between systems

6 min read →

How and why is data compressed for storage and transmission between digital systems?

Explain how lossless and lossy data compression reduce the size of data for efficient storage and transmission, and the trade-offs each makes

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What are the privacy, legal and ethical impacts of storing and exchanging personal data?

Evaluate the privacy, legal and ethical impacts of collecting, storing and exchanging personal data, applying privacy principles and considering the social consequences of digital solutions

6 min read →

How is a data exchange prototype tested and evaluated against its requirements?

Design and apply testing strategies, including test data and test cases, to verify a prototype against its requirements, and evaluate the solution using justified criteria

6 min read →

How is a prototype digital data exchange developed, tested and evaluated?

Develop, test and evaluate a prototype that exchanges data between digital systems, applying iterative development, validation and a structured test plan against the solution requirements

6 min read →