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Huge thanks to Toni Maddaford @ Burnside High School for this model
The Development Process
The Development Process
Building a professional digital project is about more than just writing code or making a graphic; it’s about solving problems through a repeatable, high-quality cycle. In Years 12 and 13, you follow the Digital Technologies Development Process to move from a vague idea to a polished, "awesome" product.
This process isn't just for school—it mirrors how modern tech and media giants like Atlassian, Canva, and Xero build the apps and media you use every day. By mastering this workflow, you aren't just a student; you're a developer.
Unpacking the stages
Unpacking the stages
Here's an explanation for the stages that make up the process
Phase One: Understand
Phase One: Understand
Before you build, you must understand the "why" and the "who."
Empathise & Define: You start by stepping into the shoes of your users to understand their needs and frustrations. This allows you to define a clear problem statement.
Research: You investigate existing solutions, technical possibilities, conventions, and potential constraints. You don't just collect information; you analyse your research to see what is possible and what is needed.
The Proposal: Using your analysis, you produce a formal Proposal. This is where you propose a digital outcome that is relevant to the problem and backed by your research. It acts as your "business case" for why this project should exist.
Industry Link: In the tech world, this is the "Discovery Phase." No company invests thousands of dollars into a project without a proposal that proves the idea is relevant and achievable.
Phase Two: Design
Phase Two: Design
Design is an iterative loop where ideas are "stress-tested" against evidence.
Design Ideas: Create concepts like wireframes or flowcharts. You then seek Feedback from stakeholders and look back at your Research.
Inform & Refine: Use that research and feedback to improve your designs. If research shows a security flaw or a user finds a layout confusing, you refine.
Final Design: You produce a high-fidelity blueprint that acts as your final "map" for developing your outcome.
Industry Link: Designers use this loop to create "Lo-Fi" prototypes when starting projects. It is much cheaper to change a simple drawing than it is to rewrite thousands of lines of code!
Phase Three: Develop
Phase Three: Develop
We use an Agile approach, breaking the work into three distinct "Sprints." Each sprint follows a cycle of Plan → Develop & Test → Trial & Feedback → Review.
Sprint 1: Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Build the "bare bones" core logic. Does the main feature work?
Sprint 2: Minimum Marketable Product (MMP): Add features that make it usable and reliable for a wider audience.
Sprint 3: Minimum Awesome Product (MAP): The "polish" phase. Add high-end aesthetics and advanced features that make the product stand out.
Industry Link: Companies like Spotify and Airbnb never "finish" their products. They work in Sprints to constantly release updates, ensuring they can fix bugs and add features without crashing the whole system.
Phase Four: Launch
Phase Four: Launch
The final delivery of your digital outcome, fully tested and ready for the real world.
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