WDD1 - Analysis: End-User and Functional Requirements

James Gillespie's High School · Higher Computing Science 2026-27

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Web Design & Development · Lesson 1 of 17
Web Design & Development · Analysis

WDD1 - Analysis: end-user and functional requirements

Tue 10 Nov 2026 · P3 (single)
~50-60 minutes
Learning intentions
Success criteria
Warm up - from SDD and DDD analysis

Answer these before the lesson begins. The aim is to wake up the requirements vocabulary.

WU1
Which phrase best describes a functional requirement?
  • A deadline is a project constraint, not something the website does.
  • Visual style matters later, but this is not a functional requirement.
  • Correct. Functional requirements describe required behaviour.
  • That person may be a stakeholder, but their name is not a requirement.
WU2
Fill the gap: an end-user is the person who will ___ the finished website.
 
WU3
A cafe owner says: "Customers need to find our opening times quickly on their phones." What is this mainly describing?
  • No implementation technology is mentioned.
  • Correct. It describes what customers need to be able to do.
  • Testing comes later, after there is something to test.
  • Phone use matters later, but this comment is first of all about a user need.

Key vocabulary

Analysis
The stage where the problem is understood before any design or implementation begins.
Client
The person or organisation asking for the website to be made.
End-user
A person who will use the finished website, such as a customer, pupil, visitor or member of staff.
End-user requirement
A statement of what a user needs to be able to do with the website.
Functional requirement
A statement of what the website must do, process, display, collect or provide.
Stakeholder
Anyone with an interest in the website, including the client, users, staff and maintainers.

Analysing a website problem

Why analysis comes first

In Web Design & Development, analysis is where the developer works out what the website is for and what people need from it. A website can be technically correct but still fail if it does not help the right people do the right tasks. Before any page structure, wireframe, HTML, CSS or JavaScript is created, the requirements need to be clear.

End-user requirements - what people need to do

An end-user requirement describes a task from the point of view of the person using the website. It should name the user and the task, not the implementation. A useful frame is:

"The user must be able to [find / view / choose / enter / submit] specific information or content."

Functional requirements - what the website must do

A functional requirement describes the behaviour the website must provide. It still does not say exactly how the site will be built, but it points toward the pages, forms, navigation and interactivity that will be designed later. A useful frame is:

"The website must [display / collect / validate / submit / show / hide] specific information or content."

End-user focus

Ask: what does the person need to achieve?

  • Visitors need to find opening times.
  • Parents need to submit an enquiry.
  • Staff need to update event information.
Functional focus

Ask: what behaviour must the website provide?

  • The website must display opening times.
  • The website must collect enquiry details using a form.
  • The website must provide a page for upcoming events.

Lesson scenario - Meadows Wildlife Centre

For this lesson, imagine a small local wildlife centre needs a new website. The centre runs public visits, school workshops, volunteer days and animal care fundraising. The client conversation below contains the raw material for both kinds of requirement.

Visitor coordinatorFamilies need to see our opening times, prices and location before they visit.
Education officerTeachers should be able to send us a workshop enquiry with their school name, class size and preferred date.
Volunteer leadPeople often ask what volunteer roles are available and how to apply.
Centre managerWe want to promote three current fundraising campaigns on the home page.
Animal care teamVisitors love short profiles of the animals, especially photos and conservation facts.
Reception staffWe get lots of repeated phone calls because people cannot find accessibility information.

Worked examples

Example 1 - Writing an end-user requirement

Client comment: "Families need to see our opening times, prices and location before they visit."

1
Who is the user? Families planning a visit.
2
What is the task? They need to find opening times, prices and location information.
3
Keep it user-facing. Do not mention HTML pages, CSS, files or navigation code.
OK
End-user requirement: "Visitors must be able to find the centre's opening times, prices and location before planning a visit."
Example 2 - Writing a functional requirement

Client comment: "Teachers should be able to send us a workshop enquiry with their school name, class size and preferred date."

1
This comment points toward behaviour the website must provide: collecting and submitting enquiry details.
2
The exact data matters: school name, class size and preferred date.
3
The functional requirement should not say "use a form tag" yet. HTML forms are taught in WDD5.
OK
Functional requirement: "The website must collect and submit workshop enquiry details, including the school name, class size and preferred date."
Example 3 - One comment, two requirements

Client comment: "People often ask what volunteer roles are available and how to apply."

Same comment - different requirement type
End-user requirement "Visitors must be able to find current volunteer roles and application information."
Functional requirement "The website must display current volunteer roles and provide application information for each role."

The end-user requirement focuses on the visitor's goal. The functional requirement focuses on the behaviour the site must provide.

Now you try

The centre manager says: "We want to promote three current fundraising campaigns on the home page."

Write both: an end-user requirement and a functional requirement.

End-user requirement: "Visitors must be able to see the centre's current fundraising campaigns from the home page."

Functional requirement: "The website must display three current fundraising campaigns on the home page."

Common mistakes
Exam tip

For an "identify" question, write a clear requirement in one sentence. Use words from the scenario. A specific answer such as "The website must display accessibility information for visitors" is much stronger than "The website must have useful information."

Task Set A - Core questions

Task Set A - Core questions
Complete all questions. Written answers reveal a model answer for self-assessment.
A1
Fill the gap: an end-user requirement describes what a ___ needs to be able to do.
 
A2
Which statement is an end-user requirement?
  • This is an implementation detail, and CSS is not part of WDD1.
  • Correct. This is written from the user's point of view.
  • This is a functional requirement, not an end-user requirement.
  • This is a deadline, not a user requirement.
A3
Fill the gap: a functional requirement describes what the ___ must do.
 
A4
Which statement is a functional requirement for the wildlife centre website?
  • Too vague, and not a specific behaviour.
  • This is an implementation choice, not a requirement from the client problem.
  • This is an end-user requirement.
  • Correct. This describes website behaviour.
A5
Which requirement is too vague?
  • This is specific and testable.
  • This names a specific kind of content.
  • Correct. This does not say what information is needed.
  • This is specific and testable.
A6
Reception staff say: "We get lots of repeated phone calls because people cannot find accessibility information." Write an end-user requirement for this comment.
Model answer
A7
Using the same comment as A6, write a functional requirement instead.
Model answer
A8
Write three functional requirements for the Meadows Wildlife Centre website.
Model answer - examples

Task Set B - Extension

Task Set B - Extension
Optional challenge questions for deeper thinking.
B1
Explain why a requirement needs to be specific enough to test later.
One possible answer
B2
Invent one new client comment for the wildlife centre, then write both an end-user requirement and a functional requirement for it.
One possible answer
B3
The centre manager also says: "Our volunteer day sign-up form gets emails from people using out-of-date addresses, so we're not confident it always reaches the right team." This comment mixes a testable requirement with a complaint that is not directly a requirement. Explain which part is a functional requirement, and which part is not, giving a reason.
One possible answer

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Higher Computing Science > Web Design & Development > WDD1

Teacher notes - Shift+T to toggle

Suggested timing: 7 min warm up, 12 min notes and scenario, 15 min worked examples plus now-you-try, 20 min Task Set A, 5 min review or Task Set B.

Scope control: do not drift into site structures, wireframes, forms or HTML tags. Those start in WDD2-WDD5. Keep this as a requirements extraction lesson.

Key misconception: pupils often write implementation details as requirements. Keep asking: is this what the user needs, what the website does, or how the developer might build it?

Assessment link: supports the WDD analysis bullet: identifying end-user and functional requirements.

File in OneNote: Higher Computing Science > Web Design & Development > WDD1 · James Gillespie's High School · Higher Computing Science 2026-27