Using advanced processes to develop an outcome (internal)
Internal 6 credits Project management Decomposition Milestones Integration TestingAS 91897, 6 credits. This standard assesses the process, not the artefact: use appropriate project management tools and techniques to plan, decompose the outcome into components, TRIAL them, then develop, integrate and test — with a required step often missed: trialling MULTIPLE options and selecting the best.
1 Reading the notation
Trialling multiple options and selecting the best is a distinct, named Merit-level requirement — not the same as testing.📖 Terms the schedule grades you on
4 terms- Develop (Achieved)
- PM tools to plan; decompose; TRIAL components; test the outcome functions; explain implications.
- Informed (Merit)
- Effective PM + version control; TRIAL MULTIPLE options and select the best; use info to improve; address implications.
- Refined (Excellence)
- DISCUSS how planning/testing/trialling information assisted the development of a high-quality outcome.
- Relevant implications (closed list)
- Social, cultural, legal, ethical, intellectual property, privacy, accessibility, usability, functionality, aesthetics, sustainability & future-proofing, end-user considerations, health and safety.
2 What each grade requires
The develop → informed → refined ladder shared across the "advanced techniques/processes" family.| Grade | What it takes | The half people drop |
|---|---|---|
| Achieved | Advanced techniques for the purpose/end users; data integrity and testing; EXPLAIN implications | Explaining an implication in the abstract, unconnected to this outcome |
| Merit ("informed") | Use information FROM TESTING to improve quality; ADDRESS implications with a visible decision | Testing that never feeds back into an actual change |
| Excellence ("refined") | ITERATIVE improvement across design/development/testing; JUSTIFY the choices made | One single round of testing, not a genuine iteration loop |
The verb escalates every time: explain → address → justify. Each is a distinct, checkable action, not just "more effort".
3 Planning and decomposition
Every stage should leave an artefact made at the time, not reconstructed at the end.| Stage | Tool | Evidence it leaves |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Gantt chart or sprint plan with milestones | The dated plan and its revisions |
| Decompose | Task breakdown with dependencies | A component list, each one sentence |
| Build | Version control, issue tracking | Commit history with real messages |
| Integrate | Incremental integration | What was joined when, and what broke |
Every row leaves an artefact created AT THE TIME. That is what separates an evidenced process from a written-up one.
4 Trialling alternatives, and integration testing
Genuine comparison of two or more approaches — the specific Merit-level requirement. ✕One approach, called a "trial"
Building a single version of a component and calling it "trialled" does not meet the Merit-level requirement. The standard specifically names trialling MULTIPLE components and/or techniques and selecting the most suitable — a genuine comparison, not one attempt.5 Milestones and dependencies
A testable state with a date — and re-planning it, with a reason, is a strength.What makes milestones and sequencing work
- A testable state, not an activity, with a date attached.
- Blocking components (usually the data model) sequenced first.
- Re-planned milestones kept, with the reason for the change stated.
Practice
Recall it first, then use it — testing yourself builds the memory, where rereading the notes above only feels easier.
Recall and application shuffled together — you have to work out what each item wants before you can answer it, which is the part the exam actually tests. Both kinds feed the same spacing schedule, so anything you miss comes back sooner.
Say the answer out loud before flipping — that attempt is where the learning happens, even when you get it wrong.
Exam-style only. Instant feedback, shuffled each attempt, best score saved on this device.