Design and Technology (Product Design)

Course summary

This course has been designed to encourage candidates to take a broad view of design and technology. It develops individual capacity to design and make products and to appreciate the complex relationships between design, materials, manufacture and marketing. A Level of product design is aimed at those interested in the way designers and architects identify potential gaps in the market to successfully research, design and develop innovative prototype proposals that challenge preconceptions. What skills do I have that will make the course suitable for me? • Creativity • Ability to communicate ideas clearly through sketching or 3D CAD software • Appreciation of the need to develop a detailed understanding of materials and complex manufacturing methods delivered through weekly theory lessons. • Keen interest in the analysis of new or innovative products, technologies and materials. A Level Design and Technology: Product Design requires students to engage in both practical and theoretical study. This specification requires students to cover design and technology skills and knowledge as set out below. These have been separated into: • Technical principles • Designing and making principles Students should develop the ability to draw on and apply a range of skills and knowledge from other subject areas to inform their decisions in design and the application or development of technology. Students must also demonstrate maths and science skills such as ratios, volumes, trigonometry and statistics. The ability to apply these skills to solve practical design\ problems will be assessed in both coursework submissions and the final examinations.