← Design and Technology syllabus

EnglandDesign and Technology

Design thinking and the design process (Components 01 and 02)

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do designers communicate ideas, and which drawing and presentation techniques suit different purposes?

Communicating design ideas: freehand and formal sketching, rendering, isometric and orthographic (third-angle) projection, exploded and assembly drawings, working drawings and CAD visualisations, and choosing the right technique for the audience and purpose.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level Product Design on communicating design ideas: freehand and formal sketching, rendering, isometric and orthographic (third-angle) projection, exploded and assembly drawings, working drawings and CAD visualisations, and how to choose the right technique for the audience and purpose.
11 min answer →

What is the difference between a design brief and a specification, and how is a good specification written and used?

Design briefs and design specifications: the difference between them, writing measurable and justified specification criteria (using a framework such as ACCESSFM), and the role of the specification in evaluating a design and judging its viability.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level Product Design on design briefs and specifications: the difference between a broad brief and a measurable specification, writing justified design criteria using the ACCESSFM framework, and using the specification to evaluate a design and judge its viability.
11 min answer →

What is iterative design, and how do design strategies such as user-centred design and collaboration drive the process?

Iterative design as a cycle of explore, create and evaluate, and the design strategies that drive it: user-centred design, collaboration and co-design, systems thinking, and the distinction between iterative and linear design.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level Product Design on iterative design and design strategies: the explore, create, evaluate cycle, the difference between iterative and linear design, user-centred design, collaboration and co-design, and systems thinking, with how each shapes the way products are developed.
11 min answer →

How do designers research a problem and use modelling and prototyping to develop and test ideas?

Primary and secondary research methods, the use of anthropometric and market data, and modelling and prototyping (sketch models, CAD models, working prototypes) to develop, test and refine design ideas through the iterative cycle.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level Product Design on research and modelling: primary and secondary research methods, the use of anthropometric and market data, and modelling and prototyping (sketch models, CAD models and working prototypes) to develop, test and refine ideas through the iterative cycle.
11 min answer →