Essential Terms — C04
The Hamilton and Alexandra College · Year 12 · 2026
A glossary of every term you need to recognise and use correctly across C04. Click a term to expand its definition. If you cannot define a term in your own words, you cannot use it with confidence when it counts.
flowchart TD
R["C04 vocabulary<br/>16 terms"]
R --> G0["Ideation techniques<br/>5 terms"]
R --> G1["Design ideas<br/>2 terms"]
R --> G2["Convergent and divergent thinking<br/>2 terms"]
R --> G3["Evaluation criteria<br/>7 terms"]
Where the C04 vocabulary sits, and how much of it is in each group — the 4 sections below follow the same order. Revise the heavy groups first.
Ideation techniques
brainstorming
A technique that allows for non-judgemental, spontaneous design ideation; ideas should not be rejected too soon.
graphic organisers
Visual methods of organising ideas; can extend upon mind-mapping techniques.
mind mapping
A technique that involves quickly generating and linking ideas together; complements brainstorming.
mood boards
Allow designers to communicate the general feeling of a solution; help to establish the creative direction and potential look and feel of a software solution.
sketches and annotations
Fast tools to brainstorm and communicate ideas visually.
Design ideas
design ideas
Conceptual solutions or creative approaches intended to address a specific problem or requirement in a design process.
pseudocode
Code that designs algorithms in a clear, human-readable, language-independent format.
Convergent and divergent thinking
convergent thinking
Involves coming up with a single, well-established answer to a problem; results in design ideas that are based on other, proven ideas.
divergent thinking
Involves exploring many possible solutions using spontaneous, free-flowing techniques; more creative than convergent thinking.
Evaluation criteria
evaluation
An assessment of whether a solution achieves the goals for which it was originally designed; not the same as testing.
evaluation criteria
Rules set out during design that include effectiveness and efficiency criteria; based on the solution's requirements, which were defined during analysis.
effectiveness
Produces the expected result.
effectiveness of a solution
How well the software works to produce the desired result.
efficiency
Economic use of resources with minimum waste.
efficiency of a solution
Whether the result is produced quickly and simply.
usability
Ease of use to achieve specified goals in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction.
See also
- C04 home page — everything else for this criterion
- Efficiency vs Effectiveness — the full VCAA lists: exactly 3 efficiency factors and 11 effectiveness factors; only the ones this glossary defines appear above