Design and TechnologyQ&A by dot point

Ergonomics and the relationship between people and products, anthropometric data and percentiles, the use of percentile ranges to size products, and how ergonomic and anthropometric data are gathered and applied in design.

Health and safety in design and manufacture, the role of risk assessment and legislation, and the standards and safety marks such as the British Standards Institution Kitemark, the CE and UKCA marks and ISO standards that products must meet.

Intellectual property and how designs are protected through patents, registered designs, copyright and trademarks, the role of these protections in commercial success, and the difference between each form of protection.

Sustainable design and the six Rs, life cycle assessment from raw material extraction to disposal, the impact of manufacturing on the environment, and strategies such as design for disassembly, the circular economy and ethical sourcing.

Design methods including the iterative design process, primary and secondary research, writing a brief and specification, generating and developing ideas, and using critical evaluation and feedback to refine a design.

Major design styles and movements and their key features, including the Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Bauhaus, Modernism, Postmodernism and the Memphis group, and how social, economic and technological change influences design.

Design for manufacture and project management, including designing for the scales of production (one-off, batch, mass and continuous), and the project-management tools used to plan and control production such as Gantt charts, critical path analysis, just-in-time and lean manufacturing.

The role of modelling, prototyping and testing in developing a design, including sketch models, CAD models, rapid prototyping and functional prototypes, and how testing against the specification and with users drives refinement.

How technological and cultural changes impact the work of designers, including socio-economic influences, consumer society, fashion and trends, designers as agents of change, and the conflict between fashion and sustainability, together with the critical analysis and evaluation of products against function, ergonomics, aesthetics, materials, manufacture and sustainability.

The work and influence of major designers and design companies such as Dyson, Apple, Braun (Dieter Rams), Philippe Starck, Charles and Ray Eames and Alessi, and how a company builds brand identity, corporate strategy and a consistent design language.

User-centred design that puts the needs and wants of the user at the heart of the process, and inclusive and universal design that aims to make products usable by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or background.

The requirements for product design and development, including the purpose and demands of a design brief, writing a measurable and justifiable design specification, the role of a manufacturing specification in achieving consistent production, and considering the user throughout development.

Design for manufacturing, maintenance, repair and disposal, including planning for accuracy and efficiency, the meaning and use of tolerances, the role of jigs, templates and patterns, design for maintenance and disassembly, and the use of mathematical modelling and CAD in production.

The role of computer-aided design and manufacture, CNC machining and additive manufacturing, and the digital systems that support modern production such as robotics, flexible manufacturing systems and the management of a global supply chain.

Sources of energy and how they are generated, stored and converted, the principles of mechanical systems including the four types of motion, levers, linkages, cams, gears and pulleys, and the use of electronic systems and programmable components in products.

How the properties of materials are enhanced before manufacture, including heat treatment of metals (hardening, tempering, annealing, normalising and case hardening), work hardening and alloying, the seasoning and preservative treatment and lamination of timber, and the addition of admixtures and reinforcement to polymers and composites.

Enterprise and marketing in the development of products, including the role of entrepreneurs and how enterprise drives innovation, the marketing methods and media used to promote products and the impact of advertising, and the purpose of feasibility studies in deciding whether a design idea should proceed.

The main shaping, forming, casting, moulding and joining processes for the material families, and how scale of production (one-off, batch, mass and continuous) drives the choice of process, tooling and cost.

The classification of materials into papers and boards, timbers, metals, polymers, composites and technical textiles, and the physical and mechanical properties that decide which material suits a given application.

Modern materials developed through invention or improved processing, and smart materials that change a property in response to an external stimulus, including shape-memory alloys, thermochromic and photochromic materials, piezoelectric materials and electroluminescent wire.

Modern industrial and commercial practice including lean manufacturing and just-in-time production, automation and the use of robotics, standardisation and the use of standard components, quality control and quality assurance, and the social, moral and ethical responsibilities of manufacturers.

How treatments, coatings and finishes change the performance of materials, how stock forms and standard components are supplied, and how materials are tested for strength, hardness and durability.

Why finishes are applied to materials for aesthetic, protective and functional reasons, and the finishing techniques used on metals (painting, anodising, powder coating, galvanising, electroplating), polymers, timbers (lacquering, varnishing, oils, waxes, staining) and textiles (dyeing, printing, chemical finishes).