New
New
Year 11

Interpreting project briefs

I can analyse a project brief to identify user requirements and the constraints of a project.

New
New
Year 11

Interpreting project briefs

I can analyse a project brief to identify user requirements and the constraints of a project.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The stages of the project life cycle are initiation, planning, execution and evaluation.
  2. A project brief is analysed to determine what the project is about and what needs to be completed.
  3. User requirements are the features or outcomes the client expects from the project.
  4. Project constraints are factors that could limit the success of the project, such as time and resources.

Keywords

  • User requirements - the features or outcomes the client expects from the project

  • Constraints - things that could prevent the success of a project

  • Mitigate - things that can be done to prevent negative things from happening in the future

  • Contingency - predefined actions intended to respond to potential disruptions in the future

Common misconception

A feasibility report outlines the key requirements of a system.

A feasibility report is a document used in project management that assesses whether a project can be completed successfully.


To help you plan your year 11 computing lesson on: Interpreting project briefs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The project brief that supports this lesson is provided as additional material which you can download for pupils.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Which project management method completes tasks in a set order, finishing each phase before starting the next?

hybrid
agile
Correct answer: waterfall
critical path

Q2.
Place these steps in the order they would happen in a waterfall project:

1 - gather requirements
2 - design solution
3 - build product
4 - test product

Q3.
If a project is divided into smaller sections that are completed based on what is most important, which method is being used?

waterfall
Correct answer: agile
hybrid
critical path

Q4.
Which approach combines a detailed initial analysis with flexible, short work cycles?

waterfall
agile
Correct answer: hybrid
critical path

Q5.
What does the critical path method help you decide in a project?

who should be in the team
Correct answer: which tasks must be done first to avoid delays
the project’s budget
the project’s location

Q6.
Match each project management method to its main advantage:

Correct Answer:waterfall,clear structure

clear structure

Correct Answer:agile,quick adaptation

quick adaptation

Correct Answer:hybrid,uses strengths of two methods

uses strengths of two methods

Correct Answer:critical path,prevents delays

prevents delays

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Put the stages of the project life cycle in the correct order:

1 - initiation
2 - planning
3 - execution
4 - evaluation

Q2.
Match each keyword to its definition:

Correct Answer:user requirements,features or outcomes the client expects

features or outcomes the client expects

Correct Answer:constraints,factors that could limit project success

factors that could limit project success

Correct Answer:mitigate,actions to reduce the impact of risks

actions to reduce the impact of risks

Correct Answer:contingency,plans for dealing with potential problems

plans for dealing with potential problems

Q3.
What is the term for the features or outcomes that a client expects from a project?

Correct Answer: user requirements

Q4.
Which stage of the project life cycle involves checking whether the project met its objectives?

initiation
planning
execution
Correct answer: evaluation

Q5.
Which of the following is an example of a project constraint?

unlimited time
extra resources
new team members
Correct answer: limited budget

Q6.
Which document is used to determine whether a project can be completed successfully, rather than to list what it must achieve?

Correct Answer: feasibility report

Additional material

Download additional material