Project Pathway
Every topic this year builds toward one goal: understanding and building a real IoT smart home — the Simpson's House project. Here's how it all connects.
The Backbone: Simpson's House
An iPad app controls a physical house model over WiFi. A Raspberry Pi runs the logic, drives servo motors for doors, and controls an LED. The iPad publishes commands over MQTT; the Pi listens and acts. Every concept you learn this year — hardware, networking, UX, data, algorithms, privacy — is visible somewhere in this system.
How the System Works
The complete data flow from iPad tap to physical action — and which topics explain each part.
iPad App
SwiftUI controller
MQTT Broker
Mosquitto on Pi
Python Listener
Algorithm + functions
Hardware
LED + Servos
The assessment pathway: Task 2 builds SwiftUI confidence in About Me, Task 3 applies those skills to the Simpsons House frontend, and the major project shows the complete system. Privacy & Security (Term 4) examines what happens when connected systems expose device data or access.
Building the Foundation
You learn how computers and networks work, how to design digital products, and how to build a SwiftUI app — the same skills the Simpson's House controller runs on.
Digital Systems & Hardware
The Raspberry Pi is the hardware at the heart of Simpson's House — understanding CPU, RAM, I/O, and networking explains exactly why it works the way it does.
View topic →Web Documents (HTML & CSS)
The iPad app connects to the Pi over WebSocket — an evolution of HTTP. Understanding web protocols explains how that communication channel is established.
View topic →UX/UI Design
Before writing a line of Swift, the Simpson's House interface was designed: device cards, connection screens, and the deliberate choice to use OPEN/CLOSE instead of a toggle.
View topic →About Me Playground (SwiftUI)
Every SwiftUI skill from About Me — @State, modifiers, stacks, TabView — is used directly in the Simpson's House controller app. About Me is the training ground.
View topic →Building SwiftUI Confidence
You move from design planning into a working Swift Playgrounds app. Task 2 is the About Me Swift Playgrounds Challenge, or an approved App Gallery free choice challenge if you already submitted About Me in 2025.
Task 2: About Me Swift Playgrounds
This is the formal A2 task: build a working About Me app, or complete an approved App Gallery challenge if you submitted About Me in 2025.
View topic →About Me Playground Guide
The guide shows the SwiftUI patterns you need: stacks, modifiers, @State, buttons, images, tabs and layout decisions.
View topic →UX/UI Design
A good About Me app is not just decoration. You are practising readable hierarchy, intentional layout, clear interaction and accessible design.
View topic →Testing & Debugging
The A2 evidence requires a test log. This builds the habit of checking expected vs actual behaviour before the Simpsons House app.
View topic →Customising the Simpsons House Frontend
This is where the major project becomes concrete. You inspect the existing Simpsons House SwiftUI app, safely customise the frontend, and prove the interface still communicates app state clearly.
Task 3: Frontend Customisation
This is the formal A3 task: improve the Simpsons House frontend while preserving safe device-control behaviour.
View topic → ★ Capstone ProjectIoT & Simpson's House
The capstone. You inspect the app structure, understand how the iPad frontend relates to the MQTT/Pi system, and customise the interface.
View topic →Functions & Modularity
The app is split into SwiftUI components such as ContentView, HeroSectionView, DeviceControlsSection and DeviceCard. Customisation works best when each component keeps a clear role.
View topic →Testing & Debugging
Task 3 requires test evidence for connected/offline and active/inactive states where possible. The frontend must still work after customisation.
View topic →Thinking Critically
Now that you've built a connected system, you examine the risks. Who can access your smart home? What data does it collect? How do you secure it?
Ready to explore?
Every topic page includes an "In Simpson's House" section showing exactly where that concept appears in the project. Start anywhere — it all connects.