This document outlines the steps and requirements for a design technology project. It includes developing a design brief to identify the need for a new product, conducting research on the market, existing products, and how the new product would be used. It also provides guidance on creating a product specification, developing design ideas, choosing a final design, modeling and testing the design, creating plans for manufacture, implementing quality controls, testing the final product, and suggesting modifications.

1. Design Technology Design Brief 1 Provide a written description to say why there is a need for a particular type of product. In several paragraphs you could describe the people who might need the product, what you see as a typical situation, why people would want to buy the product, what some of the problems might be etc.. Write a design brief for the product which gives a summary view of what this design project is all about.

2. Design Technology Research Plan 2 Show at least six things you could research to help you design, and where you will look for your information. This must include: the market for your product (interview/survey) existing products (shops/catalogues/brochures/observation/internet) the situation (how/where the product will be used) any other relevant information you can think of. Places to look for information include the internet, libraries (school/local/city), encyclopaedia, CD-ROM, shops, catalogues, manufacturers, interview/survey with client/customer/expert, existing products, observation, magazines, classroom information, textbook, teachers, parents etc.. Analyse every piece of research you find; show how it is relevant to you in your design.

3. Design Technology Research: market 3 Use an interview with a client or a questionnaire to show that there is a market for your product, and what the customers want. If you use a questionnaire then use Excel to present a few charts and graphs of results.

4. Design Technology Research: market

5. Design Technology Research: existing products 5 Use pictures of existing products and analyse to show how the product fits the function. Look at materials, construction, function, value, colour, aesthetics, ergonomics, etc. If you can, take one apart to show how it is made. Use diagrams and photographs.

6. Design Technology Research: existing products

7. Design Technology Research: existing products

8. Design Technology Research: situation 8 Show how, where, when, by whom etc. the product will be used.

9. Design Technology Research 9 Add any extra relevant research you can think of.

10. Design Technology Specification 10 Write a specification as a list of bullet points of “design criteria” – things your product should do . Most criteria should come from your analysis of research. For example: Must conform to British Standards on safety Must be brightly coloured Must emit a noise louder than 100 decibels Must be no larger than 200 x 100 x 50 mm Must cost less than £5 to make Etc.

11. Design Technology Design ideas 11 Sketch your design ideas. Make them clear, but don’t worry too much about neatness; this folder is to show evidence of your thoughts. Help your reader by adding notes, labels, using colour, shade, short explanations etc.. Focus on technical detail if appropriate. For each evaluate the good and bad points.

12. Design Technology Design ideas

13. Design Technology Design ideas

14. Design Technology Choice of idea & reasons 14 Describe carefully why you have chosen your final idea. Say why you think it is the best idea to develop. You might want to include details from other design ideas you have had.

15. Design Technology Design development 15 Over the next few pages develop the detail of you final design. You may well need to model your design; modelling can include card modelling, computer simulation, scale drawing, CAD, circuit board testing, use of kits etc.. You must record your testing; use drawings, photographs, printouts, diagrams etc..

16. Design Technology Design development

17. Design Technology Design development: final drawing 17 This page(s) should show exactly what you plan to make. There should be enough detail here to enable any competent person to make your design for you.

18. Design Technology Design development: detail

19. Design Technology Materials & components 19 Use this page to list the materials and components you will need to start manufacture.

20. Design Technology Plan of manufacture 20 Give a step by step plan for manufacture using flowcharts. Make sure you break the process down into individual steps. Show estimates of time taken for each stage, health and safety considerations, where quality control takes place.

21. Design Technology Quantity manufacture: quality controls 21 Describe what steps you have taken to make your product in a batch of fifty. Show the design for jigs, templates, PCB masks, vacuum forming moulds and show how they enable consistent quality and ease of manufacture. Describe quality controls; what checks do you make during manufacture to make sure that the final product will be well made?

22. Design Technology Modifications 22 During manufacture you will almost certainly have changed some aspects of your design. Use drawings and diagrams to explain what you have changed and why.

23. Design Technology Evaluation: testing 23 Show how you tested your product with the customer. Photographs often help. Describe the successes and failures revealed by the testing.

24. Design Technology Evaluation against specification 23 Show how you tested your product with the customer. Photographs often help. Describe the successes and failures revealed by the testing.

25. Design Technology Suggested modifications 25 After evaluation you may have more ideas for improvements; show them here.

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