Remember Major Changes to New Major Project – So Here is the Start of A Checklist to Help Out?

Hi all,

Yes I know the Major Project has gone through a major overhaul – and although the Standard Level has many comparisons the Higher Level having Commercial Production and Marketing as two separate criteria has really changed some of the emphasis. Below is the starting of a checklist – built upon from another Design Technology teachers initial workings. It is by no means finished but gives a good suggestion as to some of the areas – and also the importance of giving students a checklist as there are many many things and criteria to cover.

Remember the TSM which helps greatly – this time with a maximum number of pages guide with 34 pages for SL and 44 pages for HL.

Below is the initial checklist which still needs building upon – for Higher Level.

A: Analysis of a Design opportunity.

• Describe an appropriate problem, which leads to a design opportunity:Two A4

• Did you describe and analyze the design situation and the problem that you noticed (Constructive Discontent)?
• Did you include photos, which describe your problem?
• Did you identify the intended market user group/user trial and explained why the project is worthy of investigation?
• Did you include a questionnaire, which will help you identify a certain need?
• Did you analyze the results of the questionnaire?
• Did you conduct any relevant interview?
• Did you include a discussion and images of the user trial showing images specific to the design problem which might include ergonomic factors, percentiles and material issues?

• Explains the Key findings (summative from) from relevant market and user research. Two A4

• Primary and secondary research strategies , qualitative and quantitative information
• Possible technologies ( manufacturing processes and techniques)
• Possible materials
• Ergonomic data if relevant
• Further market research
• Safety factors and precautions
• Literature research : internet , magazines , catalogues
  • Expert appraisal : Interviews with an introduction and conclusion
  • Similar products satisfying the same needs ( morphological analysis)
  • Different products from which you can adapt a certain solution.
  • Did you analyze collected information and came up with a summary and a conclusion for your research?
  • Did you properly reference every source of information you used with a list of references at the end of your researching stage?

• Develop a detailed brief which identifies the relevant parameters of the problem one A4

• Did you state what the intended outcome (product) is?
• Did you identify the target market?
• Did you identify the feasibility of the product?
• Did you include estimated cost of the product?
• Did you state the most important criteria(broad requirements) that should be met by this design e.g. aesthetics , value for money , etc …
• Did you consider major constraints such as available resources, time, or cost?

• Develops a marketing specifications which justifies the requirements One A4.

• Did you include a list of marketing specifications emphasizing Target market, target audience
• Did you include a summary of a market analysis (potential user and market, economic validity considering fixed, variable cost and pricing)
• A list of the user’s need
• Did you consider the competition for a list of market needs
• Develops design specifications, which justifies the requirements One A4

• Did you develop a list of requirements and considerations that are specific feasible and measureable.
• aesthetic requirements
• cost constraints
• customer requirements
• environmental requirements
• size constraints
• safety considerations
• performance requirements and constraints
• materials requirements
• manufacturing requirements.

• Please note that points mentioned in your design brief should be highlighted in your PDS and MDS

B: Conceptual Design

• Develops ideas to meet appropriate specifications which explore solutions to the problem six A4

• Did you link any research or added further research with the ideas and discuss key points?
• Possible styles and colors
• Blow ups of distinctive details
• Special features explaining the design solution
• Possible manufacturing processes and techniques
• Possible materials
• How they meet specifications
• Did you annotate each solution (putting arrows and notes) to point out the following
• Did you sketch your ideas to a point where they are clearly communicated?
• Did you properly communicate each idea showing top, side and front sides as well?
• Did you include enough doodles – quick sketches of initial thoughts?
• Did you come up with 3-4 radical possible solutions (design)?

• Uses concept modelling to guide design development four A4

• Concept models in the form of sketches, CAD, 2D and 3D models should be used to establish the validity of ideas against specifications before refining ideas through detailed development.
• Concept modelling is used to:
• Did you create a simple mock up models or CAD to evaluate your solutions in 3D for the following aspects including lla epecifactions
  1. Shape
  2. Stability
  3. Functionality
  4. Ability to be manufactured in terms of available resources
     • Did you modify design based on your personal evaluation and feedback from different sources (peers, teachers, experts … etc)?

• Justifies the most appropriate idea for detailed development One A4

• Did you evaluate each idea against your PDS?
• Did you summarize your evaluation to decide on the chosen solution?

C : Developing the chosen solution

• Develops an accurate and detailed design proposal two A4

• Did you create a simple mock up model to evaluate your solution in 3D for the following aspects :
  1. Shape
  2. Stability
  3. Functionality
  4. Ability to be manufactured in terms of available resources
     • Did you modify design based on your personal evaluation and feedback from different sources (peers, teachers, experts … etc)?
     • Did you come up with a modified and final specification list?
     • Did you create enough sketches to show the development of your design?
     • Did you create enough sketches to show how product opens/closes, clearly showing internal divisions/separators, how corners or parts are assembled?
• Did you develop a range of hand drawn ideas showing information about construction methods, materials and functions?
• Did you develop your chosen solution to a point where each feature is covered with enough details to be manufactured?

• Justifies the choice of appropriate manufacturing techniques two A4

• Did you show and explain manufacturing techniques to be used including all maierails
• Did you consider scale of production (one off, mass or batched)?

• Develops an accurate and detailed design proposal three A4
• Did you draw your solution in orthographic with clear titles, dimensions and scale?
• Did you include sectional views and close up views?
• Did you draw your solution in any form of 3D drawing such as isometric, exploded or oblique?
• Did you include a Cad drawing of chosen idea?
• Did you list the materials to be used?
• Did you create a past’s list?
• Did you create an estimated cost based on your part’s list?
• Did you create a clear work plan aided with diagrams?
• Did you create some sort of a time plan (Gantt’s chart) showing a time line against each stage?

• Produces a detailed plan for manufacture and realized the chosen solution two A4

• Did you document each step of the manufacturing with photos, diagrams, and comments?
• Did you include a production schedule including an annotated diagram of each stage, a photo of the tools and equipments used?
• Did you include a Gantt Chart showing stages of the production including processed and time planned showing actual time spend on each stage in minutes?
• Did you include a risk assessment showing the issues of health and safety awareness during the production of the product including controlled measures?
• Did you clearly annotate with text and diagrams what you did and why some parts had to be changed and altered or made differently as originally planned?
• Did you highlight modifications, which had to be made based on continuous evaluation (feedback)?
• Did you consider issues relating to Quality –how did you process encourage a high quality product?
• Did you justify these modifications?
• Did you show photos of the finished product showing special features and images of the product in use in its environment?

D: Testing and Evaluation

• Evaluates the success of the solution against marketing and design specification and explained how the design can be improved, up to seven A4

• Did you put your own personal evaluation mentioning strengths and weaknesses of your design solution?
• Did you include other sources of evaluation such as a questionnaire for potential users or experts?
• Did you test your product in its intended context to see how successful it is?
• Did you include a detailed interview based on product and marketing specifications and documented supporting discussion and feedback about products functionality and suitability
• Did you document this testing by photos and comments?
• Did you include a product life cycle analysis?
• Did you suggest improvements for your design by discussing all possible modifications
• Did you sketch clear drawings with annotations to changes and alterations to improve and refine your design if you were to make it again?
• Did you evaluate the whole process that you went through?
• Did you evaluate your own performance?
• Did you mention any unexpected circumstances (positive or negative)?
• Did you comment on how well you have implemented the DCM and completed each stage/criteria of the product?

Note E – is similar to C in many ways but needs the detail of the Higher Level Unit Commercial Production included six A4 (More to follow in another post)

F: Marketing strategies (Higher Level Only)

• Justifies an appropriate target sales price two A4
• Did you adjust the price to suit a proposed scale of production?
• Did you compare the cost of existing products against the cost of making a prototype?
• Did You justify the sale price based on competing products, market need and breakeven point?
• Did you specify Target sale price?
• Discusses appropriate promotional strategies for the solution two A4
• Did you suggest appropriate promotional strategies?
• Did you discuss the promotional strategies in relation to the suggested initial production run and the nature of the target market?

Promotional Strategies could be:

• advertising
• sales promotion
• personal selling
• internet marketing

Would be lovely if other teachers could share there completed checklists in the comments for other teachers.