AP CSP topic 1.1
Collaboration
Most computing innovations are built by teams, not lone geniuses. People with different backgrounds notice different problems and ideas, which helps avoid bias and leads to better solutions. Teams use tools like shared documents, version control, and pair programming, where one person types (the driver) while the other reviews and plans (the navigator). Good collaboration also means giving and accepting feedback respectfully.
Collaboration vocabulary
- Computing innovation: A new or improved program, device, or idea that uses computing as a key part of how it works.
- Pair programming: Two programmers sharing one task: a driver writes the code and a navigator reviews it and plans ahead.
- Diverse perspectives: Ideas from people with different backgrounds and experiences, which help a team avoid bias and blind spots.
- Feedback: Comments from users or teammates used to improve a program.
AP-style practice questions
Try each one, then open the answer. To save your progress, take this quiz in the interactive course.
1. A team is building an app to help students find study groups. Which of the following is the most likely benefit of including students from several different schools on the design team?
- (A) The app will need less testing
- (B) The team is more likely to notice needs and problems that one group of users would miss
- (C) The app will run faster on older phones
- (D) The team will not need to collect user feedback
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(B) The team is more likely to notice needs and problems that one group of users would miss Diverse perspectives help a team spot needs and biases that a single group might overlook.
2. Two students are pair programming. Which of the following best describes the role of the navigator?
- (A) Typing all of the code
- (B) Reviewing each line as it is written and thinking about the next steps
- (C) Testing the finished program alone
- (D) Writing the documentation after the program is done
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(B) Reviewing each line as it is written and thinking about the next steps The driver types; the navigator reviews the code and plans ahead.
A developer posts an early version of a recipe app and asks 30 users to try it. Users report that the search bar is hard to find and that ingredient amounts are too small to read.
3. Which of the following is the best next step for the developer?
- (A) Release the app to everyone as it is
- (B) Use the feedback to revise the design and test again with users
- (C) Remove the search feature
- (D) Ask the same users to stop using the app
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(B) Use the feedback to revise the design and test again with users User feedback drives the next round of design and testing.
4. A team shares one online document where each member adds code and comments. Which of the following is the main advantage of this approach?
- (A) It guarantees the code has no errors
- (B) It lets members see each other's work and give feedback as the project develops
- (C) It removes the need for testing
- (D) It makes the program run faster
Show answer
(B) It lets members see each other's work and give feedback as the project develops Shared tools make collaboration and feedback easier, but they do not replace testing.