ii. develop a range of feasible design ideas which can be correctly interpreted by others
For both digital and product design, a natural starting place when designing is with a pencil and sheet of paper, developing rough sketches of potential solutions. Students should be encouraged to focus on getting the basic building blocks of ideas sketched out in short, concentrated bursts. These initial ideas should focus on generating a range of different solutions to the problem.
Students should then identify which initial ideas should be developed further. This could be done through a range of strategies, including:
Students should then identify which initial ideas should be developed further. This could be done through a range of strategies, including:
- further, more detailed sketches that start to develop ideas with direct reference to the specification
- detailed annotation that allows students to explore and communicate their own thinking through annotation
- making of simple card and CAD models and simulations used to test ideas and ensure they meet the specification.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to develop an idea? How do I present this information?
Designers do not come up with a single, static idea that solves all aspects of a problem; designs are developed over time in an iterative fashion. Students should record their iterative development through design sketching, modelling, refining and testing. This is all part of design development.
A range is not quantifiable. The number of ideas students will create depends on the complexity of the problem, age, level of experience and time. When students ask how many ideas they should generate, the simple answer is: as many as it takes to solve the problem and to develop a design that meets all of the design specifications.
When developing their design ideas, students must always be working towards the goal of designing a solution to the problem, for which the requirements have been defined through the design specification. Therefore, they must work towards developing at least one design to meet the specification.
Students should develop, or refine, every detail, including:
What is a feasible idea?
A feasible idea is an idea students could successfully make independently in the given time, with their skills, and with the resources at their disposal.
Students can include ideas in their design folio that do not achieve all specifications successfully, but these ideas should lead to feasible ideas through design development or be constructively criticized through annotation to highlight weaknesses and suggest improvements.
To ensure that ideas are feasible, they may need to be tested using mock-ups or models.
Depending on the type of project, students can use mock-ups or models to prove concepts or test whether their ideas or solutions will work. This is part of the development of ideas. Students should explain why they are making the mock-up or model and how it has helped them solve any design problems. They should provide evidence of their development by photographing the mock-ups or models and include the results of testing as evidence in the design folio. Students should also clearly state how this testing has informed further development of the designs.
The following questions may help students reflect on their design ideas.
Why is "annotation" important?
Annotation is vital for students to communicate the thinking behind their ideas and how that thinking develops. This is why annotation is so important. Simply sketching ideas will not clearly communicate them, as other people looking at these ideas may not interpret them correctly. Teachers may ask the following questions to support students in writing their annotation.
Do all ideas need to be evaluated against the specification?
When designing, students should develop their ideas towards meeting the design specification, resulting in their final design meeting the criteria. Students should constantly consider the design specifications as they design and reflect this in their annotation. An evaluation of the final design against the specification should be included as part of the design’s selection.
Correct interpretation of design ideasThe correct interpretation of design ideas is vital for clear communication of ideas between a designer, client, target audience and manufacturer.
Students are assessed on the quality of their design communication through strand 2, encompassing their sketching, modelling, refinement, development, testing and annotation of designs. If the teacher cannot determine or interpret the design, it is not sufficiently represented and the design thinking has not been clearly articulated.
Students will need to combine their design sketching, mock-ups and models, CAD and annotation to clearly articulate their ideas.
Designers do not come up with a single, static idea that solves all aspects of a problem; designs are developed over time in an iterative fashion. Students should record their iterative development through design sketching, modelling, refining and testing. This is all part of design development.
A range is not quantifiable. The number of ideas students will create depends on the complexity of the problem, age, level of experience and time. When students ask how many ideas they should generate, the simple answer is: as many as it takes to solve the problem and to develop a design that meets all of the design specifications.
When developing their design ideas, students must always be working towards the goal of designing a solution to the problem, for which the requirements have been defined through the design specification. Therefore, they must work towards developing at least one design to meet the specification.
Students should develop, or refine, every detail, including:
- the exact size and shape of individual components
- the required and/or available materials
- how the components fit together to create the whole
- the required and/or available tools and equipment
- aesthetics (colour, texture, shape, form, line, balance, finish)
- how the user will interact with the solution
- aspects relating to safety and accessibility.
What is a feasible idea?
A feasible idea is an idea students could successfully make independently in the given time, with their skills, and with the resources at their disposal.
Students can include ideas in their design folio that do not achieve all specifications successfully, but these ideas should lead to feasible ideas through design development or be constructively criticized through annotation to highlight weaknesses and suggest improvements.
To ensure that ideas are feasible, they may need to be tested using mock-ups or models.
Depending on the type of project, students can use mock-ups or models to prove concepts or test whether their ideas or solutions will work. This is part of the development of ideas. Students should explain why they are making the mock-up or model and how it has helped them solve any design problems. They should provide evidence of their development by photographing the mock-ups or models and include the results of testing as evidence in the design folio. Students should also clearly state how this testing has informed further development of the designs.
The following questions may help students reflect on their design ideas.
- Do I need to do more research to complete my design? For example, how do I join one part of my design to another?
- Does the school have the resources (tools, machinery, hardware, software or materials) to make the design?
- Do I have the skills to make this design? Can I gain the skills to make this design?
- Will I have to get any resources myself? If so, where and when?
- Will I be able to make this design in the time available?
Why is "annotation" important?
Annotation is vital for students to communicate the thinking behind their ideas and how that thinking develops. This is why annotation is so important. Simply sketching ideas will not clearly communicate them, as other people looking at these ideas may not interpret them correctly. Teachers may ask the following questions to support students in writing their annotation.
- How did you come up with the idea? Did something influence your thinking?
- What materials do you think should be used, and why? Are the materials available?
- How could the idea be made? What tools, equipment and processes would you use?
- Could the design be made in the time available and with your skills?
- Would it cost too much?
- Is it safe?
- Do you think your client would like the idea?
- Why did you choose this colour/texture?
Do all ideas need to be evaluated against the specification?
When designing, students should develop their ideas towards meeting the design specification, resulting in their final design meeting the criteria. Students should constantly consider the design specifications as they design and reflect this in their annotation. An evaluation of the final design against the specification should be included as part of the design’s selection.
Correct interpretation of design ideasThe correct interpretation of design ideas is vital for clear communication of ideas between a designer, client, target audience and manufacturer.
Students are assessed on the quality of their design communication through strand 2, encompassing their sketching, modelling, refinement, development, testing and annotation of designs. If the teacher cannot determine or interpret the design, it is not sufficiently represented and the design thinking has not been clearly articulated.
Students will need to combine their design sketching, mock-ups and models, CAD and annotation to clearly articulate their ideas.