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Grade 9 · lesson 1 of 4

Design Around the Reader’s Task

A functional design brief begins with what the reader needs to do.

About 25 minutes, plus any extended practice

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Supplied materials

  • Paper and a pencil, typed notes or a browser scratch area. Color names can replace colored supplies; drawn figures and timelines can replace performance.
  • Complete teaching inputs: Original brief: help a reader find the exit. Required information must remain visible, with decorative detail secondary. Which proposed hierarchy follows that purpose? Supplied candidates: (A) Choose visual appeal only and ignore the stated reader task (B) Give the information needed to find the exit primary space; keep decoration separate (C) Make decoration cover the required instruction (D) Remove all text labels and the key.
  • Independent check: Original brief: help a reader locate the water point. Required information must remain visible, with decorative detail secondary. Which proposed hierarchy follows that purpose? Supplied candidates: (A) Choose visual appeal only and ignore the stated reader task (B) Give the information needed to locate the water point primary space; keep decoration separate (C) Make decoration cover the required instruction (D) Remove all text labels and the key.

Learn the idea

Link a design’s purpose, representation and evidence. Prioritize required information, apply a stipulated projection model, construct an argument from visible features and organize a portfolio so a reviewer can trace revision decisions. A functional design brief begins with what the reader needs to do. Give the necessary information primary space and preserve its labels before adding optional decoration.

Reason through the supplied case: The required reader action depends on visible task information. Giving that information priority and preserving labels serves the specified function. Decoration can support the composition, but cannot replace or hide the information needed for find the exit.

A stated hierarchy supports the defined information task but does not prove successful real use. Rendered-format and learner testing remain separate from a paper-plan check.

  1. Read the complete teaching inputs and mark the feature, rule or constraint being tested.
  2. Compare the model decision with one rejected candidate; state the visible evidence or calculation that distinguishes them.
  3. Solve the independent check and the three changed-input practice cases before reading feedback.
  4. Design a paper wayfinding panel that tells readers how to find a workshop room; separate required instructions from decoration.
  5. Check your artifact against these explicit criteria: The room identifier and route instruction remain visible and neither is replaced or obscured by decorative elements.
Worked example

See the method in action

Original brief: help a reader find the exit. Required information must remain visible, with decorative detail secondary. Which proposed hierarchy follows that purpose? Supplied candidates: (A) Choose visual appeal only and ignore the stated reader task (B) Give the information needed to find the exit primary space; keep decoration separate (C) Make decoration cover the required instruction (D) Remove all text labels and the key. Model decision: Give the information needed to find the exit primary space; keep decoration separate. The required reader action depends on visible task information. Giving that information priority and preserving labels serves the specified function. Decoration can support the composition, but cannot replace or hide the information needed for find the exit.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

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Helpful tips
  • A functional design brief begins with what the reader needs to do.
  • A stated hierarchy supports the defined information task but does not prove successful real use.
Original brief: help a reader locate the water point. Required information must remain visible, with decorative detail secondary. Which proposed hierarchy follows that purpose?

Feedback appears here after you check. This is practice, not a graded school assessment.

See the answer and explanation

Give the information needed to locate the water point primary space; keep decoration separate

The required reader action depends on visible task information. Giving that information priority and preserving labels serves the specified function. Decoration can support the composition, but cannot replace or hide the information needed for locate the water point.

Take it further

New-input analysis: Original brief: help a reader locate quiet study space. Required information must remain visible, with decorative detail secondary. Which proposed hierarchy follows that purpose? Supplied candidates: (A) Choose visual appeal only and ignore the stated reader task (B) Give the information needed to locate quiet study space primary space; keep decoration separate (C) Make decoration cover the required instruction (D) Remove all text labels and the key. Expected relationship: Give the information needed to locate quiet study space primary space; keep decoration separate. The required reader action depends on visible task information. Giving that information priority and preserving labels serves the specified function. Decoration can support the composition, but cannot replace or hide the information needed for locate quiet study space. Create your own artifact: Design a paper wayfinding panel that tells readers how to find a workshop room; separate required instructions from decoration. Completion criteria: The room identifier and route instruction remain visible and neither is replaced or obscured by decorative elements.

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More practice: try new cases

Choose an answer for each problem. Explain your method on paper, then use the feedback to decide what to revisit.

More practice: try new cases
1. Original brief: help a reader follow three recipe steps. Required information must remain visible, with decorative detail secondary. Which proposed hierarchy follows that purpose?
Need a hint?
  • A functional design brief begins with what the reader needs to do.
  • A stated hierarchy supports the defined information task but does not prove successful real use.
2. Original brief: help a reader identify a workshop room. Required information must remain visible, with decorative detail secondary. Which proposed hierarchy follows that purpose?
Need a hint?
  • A functional design brief begins with what the reader needs to do.
  • A stated hierarchy supports the defined information task but does not prove successful real use.
3. Original brief: help a reader understand a recycling choice. Required information must remain visible, with decorative detail secondary. Which proposed hierarchy follows that purpose?
Need a hint?
  • A functional design brief begins with what the reader needs to do.
  • A stated hierarchy supports the defined information task but does not prove successful real use.

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Check the subject sources

These LifeStarter passages, scenarios and exercises are authored for this Academy with AI assistance and review. External resources keep their publishers’ terms. A grade label suggests a starting level; it does not establish alignment with your school’s complete requirements.