The Badge Archive

Decompose App User

  • Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Daisy App Development badge requirements.
  • Fulfills Step 2 of GSUSA Brownie and Junior App Development badge requirements.

Info Needed for Badge Requirements:
Decomposition means breaking a big thing into smaller parts. It’s like taking a toy apart into pieces or splitting a big job into smaller steps, like picking up toys first, then making the bed when cleaning your room.

App designers use decomposition, too! Instead of planning the whole app at once, they focus on one piece at a time: What does the app do? What buttons will it have? What words or pictures are needed? Thinking step-by-step helps create a clear, useful app.

Items Needed:

Instructions (Estimated Time: 25–30 minutes):

  1. Introduction to Decomposition (3 minutes)
    • Explain that decomposition means solving big problems by breaking them into smaller parts. Share how app creators use this skill to plan out every piece of their apps.
  2. User Problem Brainstorm (5 minutes)
    • Divide scouts into small groups of 3–4.
    • Give each team an “App Problem” sheet.
    • Scouts read the challenge and brainstorm what kind of app could help solve it.
  3. Interview Prep (5 minutes)
    • Each team comes up with 5 or more questions they would ask a “user” to better understand what the app needs to do.
    • Questions might include: What’s the hardest part of your problem? What would be helpful? What should the app include?
  4. User Interviews (8 minutes)
    • Partner teams together. One group acts as the “user” and answers the questions while the other takes notes.
    • After 4 minutes, they switch roles.
  5. Reflect and Connect (5–7 minutes)
    • Each group reviews their notes to identify the user’s needs.
    • Scouts discuss how they broke one big problem into smaller parts for their design. This is decomposition in action!

Note to Leaders – You can learn more about decomposition with short video or a mini lesson

Tia Kennard