Present a summary of developing a digital outcome

Digital Technologies | Level 2 | AS 91899 (2.10) | 3 Credits 

*** In 2026 this external will be an Online Examination held on FRIDAY 27th NOVEMBER - PM ***

This exam requires students to present a summary of developing a digital outcome, including the outcome its requirements and implications along with decisions made in the development process.

Giving an overview of the whole process whilst giving some specific examples is key to being sucessful. 

From the NZQA 91899 Assessment Specifications 2026:

Candidates will be required to respond in short and / or extended answers (800–1500 words in total) to questions relating to a digital outcome they have developed within the past  12 months. Candidates must have developed the outcome themselves. It must not be selected or sourced from AI, the internet, or anyone else’s digital product or work. 

The digital outcome must be based on Level 7 of The New Zealand Curriculum (see the Teaching and Learning Guide for Digital Technologies). Outcomes at this level demonstrate purposeful design and advanced technical implementation, applying a range of tools and techniques appropriately. Examples include but are not limited to: 

• a functional website with applied HTML / CSS and some interactive features 

• an interactive game with original assets and coded mechanics

• a design for manufacture product with a 3D CAD model and exported production files

• a multi-page print or digital media outcome, such as a magazine or comic, with original digital assets 

• a short film / video / animation with some original content, editing, and effects 

• an electronic device with programmed code and purpose-built housing. 

Each outcome should include at least one developed digital component that has been created, tested, and refined by the student using appropriate tools and techniques. Questions will require the candidate to discuss: 

• the digital outcome that was developed

• the process of developing the digital outcome 

• decisions made during the development of the digital outcome, which may relate to: 

- sequencing of key tasks in the project 

- methods used to address end-user considerations 

- which resources to use, and why. 

The discussion will require candidates to focus on how the aesthetics, functionality, usability, accessibility, social, ethical, legal, intellectual property and end-user considerations were considered during development of the digital outcome. 

Special notes 

As this is an online digital examination, candidates are not required to prepare or submit images, unlike in previous years. 

The school may be required to provide a link to evidence of the candidate’s digital outcome (e.g. working files), to show the development process undertaken to create the digital outcome in the software used. 

Teachers are encouraged to help their students to develop answering techniques to ensure they are able to respond clearly and concisely within the total recommended word limit. 

Why you should look at the Assessment Report

Every year an assessment report is released to support teachers and students understand how the exam was marked. For the DCATs there is some quite specific detail which is worth reading through to help support students with not only this exam but their level 2 project. 

We recommend reading through the whole report yourself. These are found under the different years below but here are some of the key points:

• Candidates should be working at Level 7 of the curriculum, and in their projects they need to do more than simply use existing online generation tools and platforms to put together an outcome. They should, for example, be writing their own code, creating their own logos, taking their own photographs, and creating their own media content. They are not expected to create the whole digital outcome from scratch but some component of the project should be authentic.

• Candidates who completed a digital outcome at this level were able to find success in this standard and those who attained a higher grade had a project that had depth that allowed them to show their knowledge, understanding and process to meet the requirements. Repetition was often seen where projects were not at this level.

• Candidates who worked as part of a team / group should ensure their report focuses clearly on the digital component they individually contributed to the project.

• When the candidate has produced a physical outcome, they need to make sure they discuss the digital component of it.

• The development process can include research, design and the development, or just the ‘sprints’ of the development. 

• Some candidates wrote about a project that mainly covered the requirements of the standard. The project should have a range of aspects and the achievement standard criteria should fall out of the project if done the right way

• Candidates need to write specifically about the digital outcome, especially the requirements, rather than simply generalising in regards to conventions, testing, feedback etc. without giving specific information about what eventuated and the decisions that were made.

• Teachers and candidates need to understand what is meant by “explain”, “address”, “discuss” and “evaluate”.

Assessment Reports, Assessment Schedules, Exemplars (and the blank exam)

In the drop downs below you will find the Assessment Report, the Assessment Schedule and any exemplars NZQA provided

Note: previous to this year 91899 was a DCAT run at the end of term 3, start of term 4 and three images were prepared as part of this.