Modifying Designs with Annotations
C8-2's first rungs: identify the design that needed changing (1–2) and annotate the before/after (3–4). The why is what lifts you higher — capture it as you go.
Ideation vs representation
Brainstorming, mind maps, mood boards and sketches generate ideas. Mock-ups, data dictionaries, object descriptions, IPO charts and pseudocode document designs. C8-2 modifications happen to the representation methods — the five below.
The five design representations you can modify
| Method | Purpose | A modification looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Mock-up / annotated diagram | how the interface looks and works | layout, controls or navigation changed, with notes |
| Data dictionary | every data element: name, type, size, scope, purpose | a variable's type, range or purpose revised |
| Object description | classes/objects: properties, methods, relationships | a property added, a method split, a relationship changed |
| IPO chart | input → process → output for one function | a step added or an output redefined |
| Pseudocode | the planned logic | a branch or loop restructured before recoding |
What a good annotation shows
- The before and the after, side by side — a screenshot of only the final version is not an annotation; the change has to be visible.
- What changed, marked directly on the design (arrow, highlight, callout).
- Why — pinned to the specific test result or feedback that triggered it.
The change log
Track modifications as they happen:
| Date | Design element changed | Reason for change | Impact on project | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15/03 | Added right panel for grades | Better UX — see individual results | Improved usability, clearer data display | Screenshot in OneNote |
Evidence examples: git commit, OneNote page, photo of a sketch, annotated screenshot, design file save.
The causal chain (where 7–8 lives)
test result → design problem → modification → improvement
In the viva you will be asked for the specific test result that drove each change, and it has to line up with your git history, dev log and C8-1 testing table. "I changed the layout" is 3–4; "TC004 showed the update silently failing, which meant the form design hid the save state, so I added the confirmation panel — now the failure is impossible to miss" is 7–8.