AN ONLINE RESOURCE FOR MATERIALS, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY SECONDARY STUDENTS
MDT Student
Research
Some of the sheets which should be included in the design phase of the project are outlined below. Remember to detail all of your thoughts on paper and make as many of your comments as possible analytical.
Project Brief/Situation
The first part of your project is to clarify the problem by looking at the Design Brief and situation.
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You must consider and comment upon ALL issues which could affect the design of your product. The list of possible issues includes, but is not limited to:
Function
Safety
Cost
Aesthetics
Location
End user
Environmental factors
Special Considerations
The function of your product is very important and this is the section of your folder which will ensure your product functions correctly.
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Everything which you need to consider within your design and how your product will be used must be considered, from where it will be used to anthropometric data or what it will store.
Existing Products
The Existing Products analysis is very important as it allows you to look at and think about other design ideas which are already available.
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Five four examples of products which would meet your brief and analyse them fully using the ACCESS FM help sheet opposite as a guide.
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Try to avoid one word answers and instead opt for detailed analysis.
Compare and Contrast
Comparing and contrasting existing products is an excellent way to think carefully about and analyse the design of the product.
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Look at the form, function, materials, size, shape, aesthetics of each product and carefully discuss these features.
Image Board
An image board is a really fun way of collecting images, textures and colours which can help inform your design ideas. This works particularly well if you are designing for a specific theme within your work. Don't worry about what the images are of, as long as they all have the same theme in common.