L3 Inquiry - Summary

HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR SUMMARY

~ INTRO ~

Part 1: Restate your inquiry focus and question(s) in a simple and clear way. 

1. • • What topic/area are you looking into?

     • What was your big / key question?

     • Is there an issue or problem are you trying to solve? 

     • Why are the above important?

     • What were the main questions that informed your research direction?

~ BODY ~

Where relevant use specific evidence from your research to back up your points, and in brackets state your source by naming the website, article, person etc

 Part 2: Summarise the findings - key insights from your research. 

1. • What did you learn about the topic, area, issue, or problem you are addressing? Why is it significant?

   • What were the three main areas of importance you identified in your analysis? How do you know they are important (e.g. research data, expert opinions, user feedback)?

   • Who are the end users? What are their specific needs? Consider both majority users (the typical audience) and extreme users (those with unique needs who may still influence design decisions)

   • Are there similar digital solutions already available? What their strengths and weaknesses?

Part 3: Discuss the future opportunities (Merit)

1. • Identifying advancements in technology that could enhance the proposed DT outcome (e.g., emerging AI models, new programming languages, or hardware improvements).

   • Exploring potential industry applications or how businesses/organisations could adopt and scale the solution.

   • Discussing ethical, societal, or economic impacts - both positive and negative.

   • Considering future iterations or add-ons that could make the outcome more robust.

Part 4: Evaluating strengths & weaknesses - (Merit)

1. • Highlighting strengths, such as efficiency, user-friendliness, innovation, or how well the proposed DT outcome meets the original problem.

   • Identifying weaknesses, such as technical limitations, scalability issues, cost, or user accessibility.

   • Comparing the solution to existing alternatives, explaining where it excels or falls short.

   • Talking to an expert about the proposed DT outcome and using feedback to support the evaluation.

Part 5: Possible issues & areas for improvement - (Excellence)

1. • Discuss security, ethical, or privacy concerns.

   • Consider legal or compliance requirements.

   • Identify usability concerns.

   • Suggest enhancements such as new features, improved UI/UX, or optimization for different platforms

   • Propose follow-up actions, such as further research, prototype testing, or user feedback cycles.

Part 6: Critiquing the Findings - (Excellence)

1. • Evaluate sources—Are they credible? Is the data up-to-date?

   • Identify any biases in the research overall and discuss how that may affect conclusions.

   • Did you have multiple perspectives to ensure a balanced approach?

   • Assess whether the research findings are generalisable or only relevant to a specific case study.

   • Reflect on whether the findings align with real-world applications.

~ CONCLUSION ~

A strong conclusion should summarise key points, reinforce your argument, and leave a final impression on the reader. 

Here are some key pointers to help you structure an effective conclusion:

1. Restate the Main Purpose

• Briefly restate your inquiry focus, your big/key question and the issue/problem you addressed.

• Remind the reader why your proposed digital technologies outcome is important and should be created.

2. Summarise Key Justifications

• Highlight the most important research findings that influenced your decisions.

• Reinforce how your proposed DT outcome directly responds to these findings.

• Avoid introducing new information - stick to the core takeaways from your justification.

3. Reflect on the Effectiveness of Your Proposed DT Outcome

• Briefly evaluate how well your proposed DT outcome meets the needs identified in your research.

• Mention any limitations or areas for improvement if relevant.

4. End with a Strong Final Statement

• Finish with a confident closing statement that reinforces the value of your proposed outcome.

• This could be a future impact statement, a call to action, or a reflection on its potential success.