Amiria Gale Design & Technology students often evaluate products in terms of environmental impact and sustainability. The Cambridge syllabus explains that designers have a responsibility to ensure that products and packaging are made from sustainable materials and components. The aim of this analysis is to help identify ways that designers can minimise negative environmental impacts and reduce … Read more
High school Design & Technology students often have to understand the meaning of quality assurance and quality control in a product design. These are particularly important terms to understand when undertaking mass or batch production (producing items at scale), as they help ensure consistency and the creation of high quality products. This article introduces students … Read more
Designers have an obligation to ensure their creations not only function as intended but also safeguard the well-being of manufacturers, workers, and users throughout the product’s entire lifecycle. This article guides students through the process of assessing a product in terms of health and safety, identifying potential hazards and risks at each stage in the … Read more
Understanding the cost of a product throughout its lifecycle is crucial for establishing whether a product is commercially viable and able to be sold for a profit. Cost considerations extend far beyond the initial manufacturing process and encompass everything from research and development to eventual disposal. This guide helps students evaluate the financial implications at … Read more
Understanding the target market is crucial for any Design and Technology project. It is essential to clearly identify and understand who your target user is at the outset of your project. This article guides you through key questions to help you create a clear picture of your target market. Why businesses target specific customers Most … Read more
Aesthetics refers to the appearance of something. Aesthetics plays an important role in Design and Technology because visual appearance strongly influences how a user will respond to, purchase or interact with a product. When we talk about aesthetics, we consider visual elements such as colour, tone, line, shape, texture, form, space, and proportion, and how … Read more
High school Design and Technology students often need to test and evaluate products. This may involve devising and applying appropriate tests as necessary to assess the success of a product against original specifications or design need. This article provides an introduction to destructive and non-destructive testing methods. Products are tested for many reasons. Testing helps … Read more
[show an awareness of correct procedures for the preparation of materials select appropriate processes for shaping, forming, cutting, joining, fitting, assembling and finishing a variety of materials show an awareness of the correct and accurate methods of drawing, marking out and testing – IG] [produce a product which demonstrates an ability to manipulate materials sensitively … Read more
In Design & Technology, a model is a representation of a product used to visualise, explain, or demonstrate a design. Models don’t necessarily need to be functional – they can just show what a product looks like, or give an impression of how something might work. This article summarises different types of models, as well … Read more
[select and develop a solution after consideration of time, cost, skill and resources – IG] [clarify main features/aspects of proposed solution evaluate the proposed solutions regarding the specification points – IG] [simple comparative testing leading to the reasoned selection of materials and processes for specific design and making tasks – IG] use modelling and trialling … Read more