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Project Example

Storage Unit: Store It Corner It

One example may be that my family really needs a cabinet to locate/store all of the glassware. These pages are meant as a guide for prospective candidates of Design and Technology, they are not prescriptive nor cover the full range of tasks that a candidate would complete to fully satisfy the examination criteria for a Major Design Project. Note that each of these examples has a title, the title for a project should not be fully determined until the needs have been identified. Someone who sets out to design a bridge, may find that a tunnel is a better solution!

Project Proposal and Project Management / 15
Project Development and Realisation / 35
Evaluation / 10

Project Proposal and Project Management / 15

Identification and exploration of the need

Survey the potential users of the furniture, base the needs on this survey.
Photograph the locations it could possibly go.
Draw plans of the spaces.
Identify the items which could be stored in it and show where they are currently stored.

Areas of investigation

Survey potential users to see which items should be stored / displayed.
Measure the items to be stored, and consider existing designs.
the full range of materials which could be used.
fastening methods.
finishing methods.
construction methods.
hardware.
available space for the furniture to go.
existing decor.

Criteria to evaluate success

Based on the needs: a nice looking cupboard (determined by surveying family and 6 neighbours).
match existing decor (evaluate style existing and develop designs of that style).
fits in the corner neatly (draw plan before and after to evaluate space).
appropriately constructed (seek opinion of experienced cabinetmaker).
Break these up into Functional, Aesthetic, Societal and Environmental criteria.
Analyse the functional and aesthetic criteria.

Action, time and finance plans and their application

Use a Gantt Chart for the overall planning, show time and actions, along the bottom include the budget.
Leave space below each line to indicate the actual usage of time.
Create 'sub charts' of intense work periods, like experiments, modelling, construction phases.
Be sure to take photographs of the Product as it develops so the markers can see the application of my plans.
Keep all receipts and a tally of hours spent.
Produce a pie chart to show the dissection of the budget and whether I over spent or under spent.
Build in at least one month for problems that may occur.

Project Development and Realisation / 35

Evidence of creativity - ideas generation, degree of difference and exploration of existing ideas

Sketch and model various design possibilities.
Take each idea and develop the detail.
Include innovative ways of storing and displaying the items that we want the cabinet to show.
Use a mind map, family brainstorm and style acquisition to develop alternate concepts for achieving the desired function.

Consideration of design factors relevant to the major design project

Develop an analysis of the range of factors that are involved in the design of furniture, ergonomics, anthropometrics and the like.
Brainstorm from existing furniture, materials, finishes, properties, usability, mapping and ease of use.

Appropriate research and experimentation of materials, tools, techniques and testing of design solutions

Use photographs to document the experiments and tests that I conduct.
Create some sample models of the styles and survey potential users. Do the same with finishes.
Try to use not only existing resources but some experimentation to create some of my own, such as create my own mouldings to use, experiment with a different sort of finish which may be more friendly to the environment.
Experiment and develop skills in the appropriate cabinet making techniques.
Test a range of materials for suitability, visit manufacturing plants and discuss with a range of experts.
Use the Internet to seek out 'state of the art' technologies.
Create scale models of three or four designs and evaluate on my criteria, and get the potential users to evaluate. Show how this affects my final choice of design.
Create methods of clamping pieces together, gluing, construction methods, test these alternatives and select the best methods.

Application of conclusions

Identification and justification of ideas and resources

Use of communication and presentation techniques

Get some nice quality A4 paper and some A3 card, use a combination of written notes, sketches, word processor and CAD.
Take photos which are mounted on one side of the A3 with a typed page of comments next door to explain them.
Use four sheets of A3 paper to keep my plans and diary of work on.
Use a word processor at school to keep the data up to date (keep two back ups).

Evidence and application of practical skills to produce a quality project

Use photographs,
make samples, and
make the cabinet to the highest standard.
Have at least two external, independent experts comment on the quality of my product.

Evaluation / 10

Record and application of evaluation procedures throughout the design project

Every third page in the folio, include notes, photos etc. to explain why there is a difference between the plans and the diary of activity.
Take photographs and create separate displays of experiments and tests to show the value of them in their effect on the progress of the project.
Use Post it notes to annotate the product and throughout the folio adding comments where necessary.

Analysis and evaluation of functional and aesthetic aspects of design

Expand on the Identification of Needs and the evaluation criteria to show that I understand the concepts of Functional and Aesthetic criteria. How these aspects will affect my designing.
When my product is complete and tested at home, I will use my criteria and testing methodology to evaluate the functional and aesthetic aspects.
I will create a table and ask the potential users to evaluate it on the criteria that I developed with their help, separating them into function and aesthetic.

Final evaluation with respect to the project's impact on the individual, society and the environment

Using the same table and methods as function and aesthetics above, I will assess the impact on macro and micro societies and environments.
My potential users will be the main respondents, but I will include other independent people, who don't have to say nice things because they know me!

Relationship of the final product, system or environment to the project proposal

I will create a poster showing how this product satisfies the needs that I identified. This will include photos showing how the needs are satisfied and tested.