AQA Computing A2 Project ideas and advice needed!!

omg i need to think of a idea for my computing project and i still cant think of one
i thought of a few but my teacher says that im not doing it unless i have a "real end user"

so can someone please give me some ideas and suggestions on what i can do. most people are usin their parents as end users but my parents dont work so its hard to program something for them.

i was thinking of making a website but i dont know for what........ and i need a "real end user" which narrows down all my choices!

i dont understand why my teacher says i hav to hav a bludy real end user as i would rather make it up, and im confident that i can make it realistic....

btw i really want a A for computing, for my exams this year comp1 i think i did quite well on and comp2 not so good so im really hoping to get a good grade for a2 cw.. but i think chances are narrow considering that i cant even think of a idea......

ideas i was considering:


do u think any of my ideas would be too easy??

please some realistic ideas where i can get a "real end user"
i wish my teacher would just let me make up my bludy client........ that would make life so much easier damn

It might be easier but it won't get you the A grade you want.
It's not your teacher insisting that you have to have a real end-user it's the exam board. If you look at the criteria for marking projects you can't get over half marks in the analysis section without good evidence that you have talked to an end-user.
Whatever your coursework is on it needs to have substantial amounts of processing/programming to get a decent grade. Developing a website is unlikely to get you many marks unless it involved a fair bit of server-side scripting. Hangman would be frowned upon as it was the COMP1 skeleton program 2 years ago and isn't really substantial enough - who would it be for anyway?
How about thinking about something based in your school/college? What other subjects do you do? Some students develop projects for their other subjects. E.g. multi-choice testing systems that allow teachers to add tests and record students results. That allows for two set of end-users - teachers and students.
How about doing something for your school/college library?
Do you have any hobbies or a part-time job you can base the project on? Or is there a local shop (newsagents?) or business that you can get to know?

Hope this helps.

I too have the same problem. My parents are high school teachers and I live opposite a pub, I'm considering either of those.
Thing is, the school is (obviously) already computerised. Could I just BS and say its not? There would be more to do in a school I would imagine...

aw thanks for the advice! do u think making a system that records results of student grades would get me a decent mark?

It doesn't matter if it is already computerised. It could be that the system doesn't produce all the required reports or it has a lot of unnecessary features. I wouldn't go pretending that it isn't computerised as you can use screen shots from an existing system as evidence that you have carried out a proper investigation!
For example, your school may have a prefectly good library loans system but does it allow books to be reserved?
Your parents should be able to help. What subjects do they teach? What about an on-screen testing system?

It depends what you are planning to do with the data. If it is simply a matter of storing results and grades it is unlikely to get many marks. The project needs to have substantial amounts of procesing to get a decent mark. The topic doesn't determine the grade, it's how complex the system is.

I'll give you two examples to help explain - both loans systems, both programmed but data stored in Access tables

1) Library System - no proper evidence of a real-end user so suspected as being fictious. Program stores details of Titles, Copies, Borrowers and loans. Successfully calculates return dates and identifies overdue items. Prints out overdue letters. Minimal validation - just presence checks. Grade D/E

2) Library System based on college library includes screenshots of existing system, transcript of an interview with the librarian and observation notes. Does all the same as above but also allows books to be reserved. Imports all the student data from the College data system. Calculates usage statistics using complex bits of SQL. All input data validated properly including ISBNs, etc. Grade A/B.

It depends what you are planning to do with the data. If it is simply a matter of storing results and grades it is unlikely to get many marks. The project needs to have substantial amounts of procesing to get a decent mark. The topic doesn't determine the grade, it's how complex the system is.

I'll give you two examples to help explain - both loans systems, both programmed but data stored in Access tables

1) Library System - no proper evidence of a real-end user so suspected as being fictious. Program stores details of Titles, Copies, Borrowers and loans. Successfully calculates return dates and identifies overdue items. Prints out overdue letters. Minimal validation - just presence checks. Grade D/E

2) Library System based on college library includes screenshots of existing system, transcript of an interview with the librarian and observation notes. Does all the same as above but also allows books to be reserved. Imports all the student data from the College data system. Calculates usage statistics using complex bits of SQL. All input data validated properly including ISBNs, etc. Grade A/B.

It depends what you are planning to do with the data. If it is simply a matter of storing results and grades it is unlikely to get many marks. The project needs to have substantial amounts of procesing to get a decent mark. The topic doesn't determine the grade, it's how complex the system is.

I'll give you two examples to help explain - both loans systems, both programmed but data stored in Access tables

1) Library System - no proper evidence of a real-end user so suspected as being fictious. Program stores details of Titles, Copies, Borrowers and loans. Successfully calculates return dates and identifies overdue items. Prints out overdue letters. Minimal validation - just presence checks. Grade D/E

2) Library System based on college library includes screenshots of existing system, transcript of an interview with the librarian and observation notes. Does all the same as above but also allows books to be reserved. Imports all the student data from the College data system. Calculates usage statistics using complex bits of SQL. All input data validated properly including ISBNs, etc. Grade A/B.