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OCR A-Level Design and Technology: Product Design (H406): complete guide to the two written papers, the iterative design NEA and the technical and designing content

A complete guide to OCR A-Level Design and Technology: Product Design (specification H406). Explains the two written papers (Principles of Product Design and Problem Solving in Product Design), the Iterative Design Project NEA, the technical and designing and making principles, the applied mathematics, the levels-of-response extended questions, and how to revise each part.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (32)

OCR A-Level Design and Technology: Product Design (specification H406) is a two-year linear course assessed by two written papers and one non-exam assessment. This page is the index for the theory that the two written papers test: below is a map of the components, the content areas, the applied mathematics, the extended questions and how to revise each part.

The three components

OCR splits the qualification into two written papers and the NEA. The two written papers carry 50 percent of the A-Level and are the focus of this site.

  • Component 01: Principles of Product Design (H406/01). 1 hour 30 minutes, 80 marks, 26.7 percent. Tests the technical principles (materials, properties, manufacturing, scales of production, structures, mechanisms, electronics), applied mathematics and the analysis of existing products, with short-answer, calculation and extended-response questions.
  • Component 02: Problem Solving in Product Design (H406/02). 1 hour 45 minutes, 70 marks, 23.3 percent. Gives a context and products and tests the higher-order designing and making principles: analysing products, proposing and justifying improvements and evaluating the viability of solutions, with levels-of-response extended questions.
  • Component 03/04: Iterative Design Project, the NEA. 50 percent, around 65 hours. A substantial explore, create, evaluate design, make and evaluate project with a portfolio and a prototype, internally marked and externally moderated. Not assessed on this site.

A scientific calculator is allowed in both written papers, because Component 01 in particular rewards applied calculation.

The content areas

The two written papers are built from the technical principles and the designing and making principles, covered in depth on this site.

Materials and their properties
The categories of materials (papers and boards, timbers, ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, composites, smart and modern materials), their physical and mechanical properties, and the selection of materials and stock forms for a product.
Manufacturing processes and scales of production
Shaping and forming processes for metals, polymers and timber, the scales of production (one-off, batch, mass and continuous), digital manufacture (CAD, CAM, CNC), and quality control, tolerances, jigs and fixtures.
Design thinking and the design process
Iterative design and design strategies, design briefs and specifications, primary and secondary research, modelling and prototyping, and communicating design ideas.
Designers, companies and design movements
Influential designers, design companies and the major design movements, and how their work and philosophies influence form, function, materials and sustainability.
Sustainability and the environment
The 6 Rs and sustainable design, life cycle assessment, the sustainability of materials and resources, and the social, moral and ethical issues that surround product design.
Structures, mechanisms and electronic systems
Structures and forces, mechanisms (levers, linkages, gears, cams and pulleys), and electronic systems (inputs, processes and outputs, resistors and potential dividers).
Ergonomics and product analysis
Anthropometrics and percentiles, ergonomics and user fit, the analysis and disassembly of existing products, and inclusive and user-centred design.
Mathematical and technical principles
Stress, strain and Young's modulus, costing and material quantities, scale, ratio and tolerancing, and the electrical and mechanical calculations the paper rewards.

The skills that run across the course

Content knowledge earns the recall marks, but the grades come from applying it through OCR's question types.

  1. Applied mathematics. Calculate percentage waste, material quantities and costs, scale factors, moments, stress and strain, Young's modulus, gear ratios and potential-divider voltages, mostly in Component 01, with units that carry marks.
  2. Application to a named product. Tie every material, process, mechanism or principle to a real consumer product, because OCR awards application (AO2) marks for the product context, not the textbook definition.
  3. The levels-of-response extended response. Build a balanced, applied argument and finish with a reasoned judgement; these 6 to 12 mark questions appear in both papers and decide the top grades.
  4. Command words. State, describe, explain, calculate, analyse, discuss and evaluate are each marked differently, so match the depth of your answer to the verb.

How to study OCR Product Design

Product Design rewards precise technical knowledge and disciplined exam technique in equal measure.

  1. Learn the technical content precisely. Material categories and properties, manufacturing processes, the lever classes, gear ratios and the potential divider are recall marks you cannot afford to drop.
  2. Drill the applied maths. Percentage waste, costing, scale, moments, stress and strain, Young's modulus, gear ratio and potential-divider calculations all appear in Component 01, with units that carry marks.
  3. Practise each command word. A 2-mark state and a 12-mark evaluate are marked very differently, so work each against its mark scheme.
  4. Rehearse the extended questions. They decide the top grades in both papers, so plan and time balanced, applied answers that reach a conclusion.
  5. Always name a product. Application marks come from linking theory to a real product, so use a worked example such as a vacuum cleaner, a kettle, a chair or a smartphone.

The topics, dot point by dot point

Each area has an overview guide, dot-point answer pages and a quiz. Browse the full set at /a-level-ocr/design-and-technology/syllabus.

For the official specification

OCR publishes the full specification (H406), sample assessment materials and past papers at ocr.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and OCR's own past papers, because question style and mark allocations are board-specific.

Design and Technology guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Design and Technology practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The A-LEVEL-OCR system, explained

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Common questions about Design and Technology

How is OCR A-Level Product Design (H406) structured?
OCR A-Level Design and Technology: Product Design is assessed by two written papers and one non-exam assessment (NEA). Component 01, Principles of Product Design, is a 1 hour 30 minute paper worth 80 marks and 26.7 percent. Component 02, Problem Solving in Product Design, is a 1 hour 45 minute paper worth 70 marks and 23.3 percent. Component 03/04, the Iterative Design Project (the NEA), is worth 50 percent and is a substantial design, make and evaluate project of around 65 hours. The two written papers carry 50 percent of the A-Level and are the theory covered on this site.
What does OCR Product Design Component 01 cover?
Component 01, Principles of Product Design, tests the technical principles: the analysis of existing products, applied mathematics, and technical knowledge of materials, properties, manufacturing processes and scales of production, structures, mechanisms and electronic systems, plus the wider social, moral and environmental issues. It is the most calculation-heavy paper, using short-answer, calculation and extended-response questions, and rewards correct working, units and the application of technical terms to consumer products.
What does OCR Product Design Component 02 cover?
Component 02, Problem Solving in Product Design, gives you a context and existing products and asks you to apply your knowledge: to analyse products, propose and justify design improvements, evaluate the viability of solutions and make critical judgements about appropriate materials, manufacturing methods and outcomes. It targets the higher-order designing and making principles, with extended levels-of-response questions worth up to 12 marks that reward application (AO2) and evaluation (AO3).
What are the assessment objectives in OCR Product Design?
OCR uses three assessment objectives. AO1 is identify, investigate and outline design possibilities to address needs and wants (research, analysis and specification). AO2 is design and make prototypes that are fit for purpose (generating, developing, modelling and realising solutions). AO3 is analyse and evaluate, covering your own work, existing products and wider issues such as sustainability and commercial viability. The two written papers weight AO1 and AO3 heavily; the NEA carries most of the AO2 marks.
What question types appear in OCR Product Design exams?
Both written papers use short-answer recall, calculation and extended-response questions. Component 01 includes calculation questions on percentages, ratio, area, volume, density, costing, moments, stress and strain, gear ratios and electronics, where working and units carry marks and a calculator is allowed. Both papers end with extended-response questions, typically 6, 8 or up to 12 marks, marked by levels of response. These reward a structured, balanced argument that applies technical knowledge to a product and reaches a justified judgement, often on sustainability, viability or a manufacturing choice.
How is the levels-of-response question marked in OCR Product Design?
Extended-response questions (commonly 6, 8 or up to 12 marks) are marked by levels of response, not by counting points. A top-level answer is accurate and detailed (AO1), applies the technical knowledge to the named product or context (AO2), and analyses and evaluates more than one factor before reaching a reasoned, justified judgement (AO3). Use the command word as your guide: Evaluate and Discuss demand a weighed conclusion, Analyse demands a breakdown of significance, and Explain demands a clear cause and effect chain.
What is the OCR Product Design non-exam assessment (NEA)?
Component 03/04 is the Iterative Design Project, worth 50 percent and around 65 hours. You choose your own context and produce a chronological portfolio plus a working prototype, structured around the iterative cycle of explore, create and evaluate. Evidence includes research, product analysis, a specification, idea generation, development, modelling and prototyping, user testing and a final evaluation that justifies your decisions and the commercial viability of the outcome. The NEA is not assessed on this site, but the technical and designing principles it draws on are covered in full.
How should I revise OCR Product Design?
Work topic by topic against the specification, because questions are written from it. Learn the materials, properties, processes, structures, mechanisms and electronics precisely, then practise applying each to a named consumer product, which is how OCR awards AO2 marks. Drill the applied maths (percentage waste, costing, scale, moments, stress and strain, Young's modulus, gear ratio, potential dividers) until calculations and units are automatic. Rehearse 8 and 12 mark levels-of-response answers on sustainability, viability and manufacturing, because they decide the top grades. Always justify a decision rather than just describing a fact.
How does OCR Product Design compare to AQA and Edexcel?
All A-Level Design and Technology specifications (OCR, AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas) share the regulated core: materials and properties, manufacturing and scales of production, structures, mechanisms and electronics, sustainability, ergonomics and the design process. OCR's distinctive features are the two-paper split (Principles in Component 01, Problem Solving in Component 02), the heavy applied-mathematics demand in Component 01, the iterative explore, create, evaluate model for the NEA, and the levels-of-response extended questions. Always revise from the current OCR H406 specification and OCR past papers, because question wording and mark schemes are board-specific.