Your analysis of the 'problem' you are solving lays the foundation for all your future work. Your analysis has the potential for its own narrative structure: an initial exploration of an idea, guided by the need for your solution to be solvable by computational methods, followed by existing product and stakeholder research, which informs your essential features, limitations, requirements, and success criteria. There is no set order to how you should present your work in this section, though you should consider what evidence you will use to justify your decisions across the criteria and when this evidence is introduced. The needs of your stakeholders and your findings from product research can make compelling evidence. The one thing missing from this section's mark scheme (and therefore not necessarily worth any marks) is an introduction. An introductory paragraph or two can be a helpful way into writing and therefore thinking about your project. An introduction also orients your reader and starts to signal the things in your project that are important. Achieving full marks in this section is attainable for most students regardless of coding ability. ## Mark scheme Adapted from OCR[^1]. | Description | Band 1<br>1–2 marks | Band 2<br>3–5 marks | Band 3<br>6–8 marks | Band 4<br>9–10 marks | | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [[Computational methods]] | **Identified** some features that make the problem solvable by computational methods | **Described** the features that make the problem solvable by computational methods. | **Described** the features that make the problem solvable by computational methods and why it is amenable to a computational approach. | [[describe\|Described]] and [[justify\|justified]] the features that make the problem solvable by computational methods, [[explain\|explaining]] why it is amenable to a computational approach | | [[Stakeholders and how they relate to the solution]] | **Identified** suitable stakeholders for the project and **described** some of their requirements | **Identified** suitable stakeholders for the project and **described** how they will make use of the proposed solution | **Identified** suitable stakeholders for the project and **described** them and how<br>they will make use of the proposed solution and why it is appropriate to their needs | [[identify\|Identified]] suitable stakeholders for the project and [[describe\|described]] them [[explain\|explaining]] how they will make use of the proposed solution and why it is appropriate to their needs | | [[Existing solution research]] | **Identified** some appropriate features to incorporate into their solution | **Researched** the problem looking at existing solutions to similar problems **identifying** some appropriate features to incorporate into their solution | **Researched** the problem in depth looking at existing solutions to similar problems **identifying** and **describing** suitable approaches based on this research | [[research\|Researched]] the problem in depth looking at existing solutions to similar problems, [[identify\|identifying]] and [[justify\|justifying]] suitable approaches based on this research | | [[Essential features]] | **Identified** some appropriate features of the proposed computational solution | **Identified** the essential features of the proposed computational solution | **Identified** and **described** the essential features of the proposed computational solution | [[identify\|Identified]] the essential features of the proposed computational solution [[explain\|explaining]] these choices | | [[Limitations]] | **Identified** some limitations of the proposed solution | **Identified** and **described** some limitations of the proposed solution | **Identified** and **explained** any limitations of the proposed solution | [[identify\|Identified]] and [[explain\|explained]] with [[justify\|justification]] any limitations of the proposed solution | | [[Requirements for development and operation]] | **Identified** some requirements for the solution | **Identified** most requirements for the solution | **Specified** the requirements for the solution including (as appropriate) any hardware and software requirements | [[specify\|Specified]] and [[justify\|justified]] the requirements for the solution including (as appropriate) any hardware and software requirements | | [[Success criteria]] | **Identified** some success criteria for the proposed solution | **Identified** some measurable success criteria for the proposed solution | **Identified** measurable success criteria for the proposed solution | [[identify\|Identified]] and [[justify\|justified]] measurable success criteria for the proposed solution | ## Components - Research - [[Computational methods]] - [[Stakeholders and how they relate to the solution]] - [[Existing solution research]] - Impact - [[Essential features]] - [[Limitations]] - [[Requirements for development and operation]] - [[Success criteria]] ## Notes [^1]: Adapted from OCR, “Computer Science H446 A Level Specification,” OCR, March 2024, 22, https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/170844-specification-accredited-a-level-gce-computer-science-h446.pdf.