Lesson 4.13.1.2

4.13.1.2 Design Quiz: AQA Computer Science, Unit 13

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.13.1.2, Design: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Computer Science (7517), Unit 13: Systematic approach to problem solving, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What should be designed before a solution is constructed?

    • Only the database backup schedule, which is decided after the program has been written.
    • Only the printer settings, which decide the layout of the program output on paper.
    • The data structures, algorithms, modular structure and the human user interface.
    • Only the test plan, which is written once the program has already been coded.

  2. What does designing the data structures involve?

    • Selecting the colours that the printer uses for each report the system produces.
    • Deciding the time of day when the system will run its scheduled backups.
    • Planning the data structures needed for the data model.
    • Choosing the names of the programmers who will write the code for each module.

  3. Why is a modular structure designed for a solution?

    • To place all the code in one file so that no interfaces between parts are needed.
    • To make sure that each module shares every variable with every other module.
    • To split the solution into parts with clear, documented interfaces that can be developed and tested separately.
    • To avoid writing any documentation so that the code stays as short as possible.

  4. Is design always a single, linear step?

    • Yes, design must be completed in one step before any coding is allowed to start, and no change to the design is permitted after that point.
    • Yes, because design is always completed by a single person in a single day.
    • No, design can be an iterative process that uses prototyping or an agile approach.
    • No, because design is never needed once the requirements have been established.

  5. Which activity is part of designing the human user interface?

    • Measuring the response time of the finished system under heavy load in testing.
    • Planning the screens, inputs and outputs that users interact with.
    • Compiling the program for each operating system that the team supports.
    • Writing the SQL statements that create the database tables in full detail.

  6. What does designing an algorithm involve?

    • Recording the names of the users who will test the finished program for the company.
    • Typing the code into a compiler repeatedly until the program runs without errors.
    • Measuring how long a finished program takes to run on a test machine in the lab.
    • Specifying the steps that will solve the problem, before the code is written.

  7. What is the purpose of documenting module interfaces?

    • So that each module can access all of the variables held by the other modules.
    • So that the interface can be printed and displayed on the office wall for staff.
    • So that other parts of the program know how to use each module without reading its internal code.
    • So that the compiler can remove unused modules from the program before it runs.

  8. A design for a stock system is written in pseudo-code. Which design activity is this?

    • Evaluation, judging the finished system against a set of criteria after release.
    • Algorithm design, specifying steps before coding.
    • Testing, checking the program with test data after it has been written.
    • Requirements analysis, establishing what the users want from the stock system.

  9. A developer designs a Student table before any code is written. Which aspect of design is this?

    • Planning the data structures for the data model.
    • Writing a report on the success of the project after it has been completed.
    • Choosing the version number of the programming language that will be used.
    • Deciding how the program will be tested by the end users once it is built.

  10. A team sketches a screen layout for a quiz app. What are they designing?

    • The human user interface.
    • The relationship lines between the entities in the data model diagram.
    • The version control history of the source code kept by the project.
    • The compiler's optimisation settings for the project being developed.

  11. A designer splits a program into a login module, a quiz module and a scoring module. Which benefit is most direct?

    • The program will run without any testing once the separate modules have been combined.
    • The program no longer needs any data structures, because each module keeps its own data.
    • Each module can be developed and tested separately, with its interface documented.
    • The modules will never need to communicate with each other at any point in the program.

  12. Which is an example of a prototype used during design?

    • A fully finished program that has already been released to all customers.
    • A set of test results from a system that has been in use for a whole year.
    • A signed contract that lists every feature the system must include in the end.
    • A paper or on-screen mock-up of the interface that users can comment on before coding.

  13. Which statement about design choices is correct?

    • A design choice, such as a data structure, should be justified against the requirements.
    • Any data structure is acceptable, so no justification is needed for the design at all.
    • Design choices depend only on the personal preference of the individual programmer.
    • Design choices must be made after the program has been fully tested by the users.

  14. A list of customers must be searched often. Which design consideration matters most?

    • Choosing the colour of the search button that appears on the main screen of the system.
    • Choosing a data structure and algorithm that allow efficient searching.
    • Choosing the date on which the system will be retired from service by the company.
    • Choosing the name of the programmer who will write the search code for the system.

  15. What is produced by designing the modular structure of a solution?

    • A compiled executable file that is ready to be distributed to customers.
    • A billing record showing the total cost of the project to date for the client.
    • A plan showing the modules, their responsibilities and how they interact.
    • A list of defects found by the end user during acceptance testing of the system.

  16. Which best describes a design with clear interfaces?

    • Each part states what it accepts and returns, so that the parts can be built independently.
    • Each part is written in a different language so that no one else can read it.
    • Each part is combined into a single function that performs every task in the program.
    • Each part shares all of its internal variables with every other part of the program.

  17. Evaluate: why might design be done iteratively with prototypes?

    • Prototypes remove the need for any design documents to be written at all in the project.
    • Users can react to a concrete model, which reveals mistakes early when they are cheaper to correct.
    • Prototypes make the program run faster because they use much less memory than the final system.
    • Prototypes prove that the final system will be free of bugs when it is released.

  18. A design stores each student's marks in a separate variable. Which concern should the designer raise?

    • The approach does not scale, so an array or table structure holding all the marks is more appropriate.
    • The approach is invalid, because variables are not able to store numbers at all in a program.
    • The approach is fine, because only one student's marks are ever needed by the program.
    • The approach is best, because a separate variable is always the fastest structure in any program.

  19. Which two design activities are most closely linked?

    • Designing the data structures and designing the algorithms that operate on them.
    • Designing the backup plan and choosing the size of the monitor for each user.
    • Designing the user manual and writing the licence agreement for the software product.
    • Designing the colour scheme and writing the printer driver for the system software.

  20. Why is documenting a design important for later stages?

    • It gives implementers, testers and maintainers a clear reference for what the system must do and how it is structured.
    • It guarantees that the program will need no testing at all after it has been released.
    • It is only useful to the marketing team who sells the finished product to customers.
    • It replaces the need for any implementation, because the design document is already a program.

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