Difference between IPT and Software Design and Development (1 Viewer)

YJ90

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Hi,

Can anyone tell me the difference between Information and Processes Technology and Software Design and Development. Also if you can please tell me which one is more interesting to do and any relevant info.

Thanks
 

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IPT is much more theory based
It is seen as less difficult than SDD
Not too much effort is required to do well

SDD is more practical
It is seen more difficult than IPT
Everyone can expect poor results in SDD, even if you are good at computers
 

Beege

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im alright at software but I can see myself getting better marks in IPT though as I do both subjects. Software does get hard but IPT doesnt, the hardest topic in IPT is probably the Database topic and in software is probably the software cycle and the option topics (I think software developers view of the hardware is much harder than evolution of programming languages because there are more numbers involved lol, looks very confusing lol)
 

z600

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IPT is more got to do with the hardware and ergonomics areas of computing. The stuff you studies stretch across a wide range of things. As for SDD, u deal with programming and scripting. You can always check out the syllabus.
 

Beege

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the reason i picked both subjects is because I love computing and I'm good at it, but sometimes I stuggle with the subjects haha
 

bringbackshred

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You want to do Software. It is much harder but about 10 times more interesting.
 

Lwaxana

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1. IPT has a much broader after HSC use than SDD.
It deals with information systems and provides you with an understanding of how these systems are setup and function in our modern society. Informatics can be used in many fields such as medical, engineering, banking
You should, at a minimum, become skilled at spreadsheets/databases and have an appreciation of web and publishing design principles - all of these skills are easily transferable to other industries/studies.

2. Its easier to get Band 6 in IPT than SDD (imho)

3. SDD requires you to be proficient in computer programming languages - students with strong mathematical reasoning tend to do better in this subject

Comments like "such and such a subject is boring" are misleading, anything can be boring if taught "badly"
so consider the teacher - are they passionate ? committed to their senior classes ?
 

bringbackshred

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3. SDD requires you to be proficient in computer programming languages


Not exactly. Whatever you need to know you will learn along the way in the course. That's the way the syllabus is designed. Of course, it does help but if you know a lot about, say, VB and your teacher only knows C++, what help is that? As such, you don't really need to know about any languages, because to be able to do something liek that in preparation would mean you would have to learn jsut about every popular programming language out there and I don't think anyone[/] has the time or passion to do that.
It all depends on the way your teacher teaches and the languages he/she decides to teach you. Don't think that you need to know anything about programming because jsut about every question on the HSC will be a general programming related question - nothing will relate to a specific language because the Board of Studies will not know whether it is being taught in every school.

</rant>

Good luck with whatever you do.
 

adgala

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although i didn't do IPT, i think some aspects of both courses compliment and overlap each other so it might be an advantage if you do both? looking back now, if my school still offered the IPT course, i would've done both SDD/IPT.
 

milton

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SDD actually involves some real computer programming, unlike IPT
however there is a little bit of overlap between both courses e.g. ergonomics, flowcharts, context diagrams..? i think

SDD is like an introduction to computing and IPT is like an introduction to the APPLICATION of computing.
personally i recommend SDD because its easier to get higher (scaled) marks
 

xclo

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lol, but milton, like ur quote suggests, sometimes sdd computing just isn't rigorous enough. some of the blunders were hilarious
 

milton

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the most advanced algorithm you learn in SDD is a bubble sort which is extremely inefficient. comparing SDD to computer science is like general maths to 4u
 

priesty

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SDD is very technical and gets into the nitty gritty of programing and coding, and all the processes involved with software solutions. And the theory of how computers work/operate/function.

IPT overlaps in this theory area, but looks at more management of systems and is particularly useful for if u want to get into the managing sides of industries etc. It looks at the operation of all different kinds of systems, both computer systems as well as business and processing systems.

Both are pretty easy if you work hard. I got Band 6 in both last year. Just gotta make sure that if you do both, you dont get mixed up with terminology and content in both courses.
 

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