OLA 6th Design Technology: Product Design
Inspiring innovative design:
If you are looking for a course that will give you excellent progression of knowledge, understanding and design/making skills, then A Level Design Technology is the course for you. It provides you with a coherent experience of moving from the breadth of the GCSE to the specialisation depth of A level and beyond. The specification provides students with design skills for the future so that they are able to recognise design needs and develop an understanding of how current global issues, including integrating technology, impacts on today’s world. Students will be encouraged to take design risks and innovate in a situation where it is safe to test and refine ideas, giving them the confidence at A level to further develop these skills in their own design brief with a client/end user.
The A Level course is assessed by a written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes which is worth 50% of the qualification 120 marks. The following topics are covered:
Topic 1: Materials
Topic 2: Performance characteristics of materials
Topic 3: Processes and techniques
Topic 4: Digital technologies
Topic 5: Factors influencing the development of products
Topic 6: Effects of technological developments
Topic 7: Potential hazards and risk assessment
Topic 8: Features of manufacturing industries
Topic 9: Designing for maintenance and the cleaner environment
Topic 10: Current legislation
Topic 11: Information handling, Modelling and forward planning
Topic 12: Further processes and techniques.
The other 50% of the qualification is in the form of a Non-examined assessment which involves:
● Students individually and/or in consultation with a client/end user identify a problem and design context.
● Students will develop a range of potential solutions which include the use of computer aided design and evidence of modelling.
● Students will be expected to make decisions about the designing and development of the prototype in conjunction with the opinions of the client/end user which may have an impact on the environment.
● Students will realise one potential solution through practical making activities with evidence of project management and planning for production.
● Students will incorporate issues related to sustainability and the impact on their prototype
● Students are expected to analyse and evaluate wider issues in design technology, prototypes/products made by themselves and others including social, moral, ethical and environmental impacts.
Preparatory work for studying Product Design in the Sixth Form
If you are considering opting to study A Level Design Technology then these are the tasks that you will need to work through in the summer. You will be required to present them to the Head of Design Technology in September. • To carry out a product analysis and development task. You need to choose a household item e.g. Computer mouse and using sketching and notes to carry out an in depth analysis of the product. Research other similar products on the market and use sketching to develop the product to make it more aesthetically pleasing or to have another function. • To research a famous designer or architect and produce an information page that could be presented to an A level group highlighting facts such as key characteristics, the history of the product/designer and the products that have made them famous.