Design and Technology (Product Design)

Course summary

Product Design focuses on meeting the needs and requirements of users through user centred iterative design. The course covers the designed world; the analysis of existing solutions in respect of economic and market considerations, enterprise and innovation and wider issues in order to understand how best to apply design to create solutions. Reflecting authentic practice, giving an insight into the way creative design and manufacturing industries function. Applying innovation and creativity and developing problem solving skills reflects the importance of Product Design as a key link between STEM and The Arts. Central to the content of Product Design is the requirement of the leaners to understand and apply iterative user centred design. Demonstrating knowledge, understanding and skills through interrelated iterative processes that ‘explore’ needs, ‘create’ solutions and ‘evaluate’ how well the needs will be met with the user and stakeholders at its centre. There is distinct content for the exam and non-exam assessment, which is bound together via 9 topic areas that shape all components and give clarity, these are: Identifying requirements Learning from existing products and practice Implications of wider issues Design thinking and communication Material considerations Engineering Principles Manufacturing processes and techniques Viability of design solutions Health and safety