C59 · Topic 5.1 · 40 minutes · IOC-1.A, IOC-1.B
Stakeholders and consequences
By the end you can:
- Name who benefits or is harmed.
- Explain a mechanism connecting technology to an effect.
- Distinguish intended and unintended consequences.
Before this lesson: topics 1.2.
- Stakeholder
- A person or group affected by an innovation.
- Unintended effect
- A consequence beyond what the designers meant to produce.
Understand
A computing innovation can benefit one group and harm another, and the same group can experience both. Name the affected stakeholder, the changed activity and the consequence. “It is modern” or “it uses the Internet” describes a characteristic without explaining who benefits or how.
Designers’ intentions do not determine every effect. Consider direct and indirect consequences, including people who cannot use the system or who are affected by others using it. Use evidence and a clear mechanism rather than assuming that popularity, speed or more data guarantees an overall social benefit.
Worked example
Limited club places are allocated online first come, first served and fill 7–8 pm. Lists are sorted automatically for leaders.
- Leaders benefit from less manual sorting and faster information.
- Students working or unable to connect in that window can lose opportunities.
- The loss may be unintended even if the designers intended easier access.
Explore each concept
Choose a concept, change its inputs and follow the explanation. Each example models the stated rule or scenario; completing it is practice rather than evidence of mastery.
- Physical, software and conceptual innovations
- Benefits, harms and scale
- Creative expression and cross-field effects
Change it · step through · explain
Change an input, predict what will happen, then advance one step. Read why the state changes, reset and experiment. This fixed teaching model does not save progress or award XP.
Ready · Make a prediction
- Innovationmedical-image-toolWaiting
- UseintendedWaiting
Ready to explore: Intended benefits and unintended reuse
Why: Change an input, predict the first effect, then advance one step.
Try this: Change one input or choose another listed case. Predict the effect, reset and compare the states and governing rule.
Step through and experiment
Change it · step through · explain
Change an input, predict what will happen, then advance one step. Read why the state changes, reset and experiment. This fixed teaching model does not save progress or award XP.
Ready · Make a prediction
- Input 1online-onlyWaiting
Ready to experiment
Why: Predict the first change, then advance one step.
Try this: Compare all three policies. Which barrier does each change, and which remains?
Check a misconception
Claim: An intended benefit guarantees everyone benefits equally.
Effects depend on stakeholder circumstances and can include unintended harms.
Guided practice
State one benefit and one harm of the booking service with stakeholders.
Work with a partner. Make a prediction, compare your reasoning, then identify the rule that supports your answer.
Independent transfer
A resident does not use a traffic app but suffers rerouted traffic. Can they be a stakeholder?
Exit check
What is missing from “the app is popular, so it is beneficial”?
Write your reasoning before comparing with a classmate. If your teacher assigned this task, submit it through My classes to save your work and receive feedback.
Check yourself
Your practice so far
Check an answer to see its rationale.