Introduction
Have you ever considered how the everyday products such as your mobile phones and speakers you use are designed and manufactured? Have you ever thought about designing your own product? The product design course will develop your ability to produce creative design solutions to everyday problems that users face.
The course covers a range of theory and practical challenges. Pupils will produce products by following the design process, covering research, design, prototyping and modelling, manufacturing their product and evaluating it. Pupils will also cover core skills in the subject such as 3D printing and laser cutting.
The course
Unit 1: Design and Technology in the 21st Century Written examination
This unit is a mix of short answer, structured and extended writing questions assessing candidates’ knowledge and understanding of product design.
Unit 2: Design and make task Non-exam assessment
A sustained design and make task, based on a contextual challenge set by WJEC, assessing candidates’ ability to:
• Identify, investigate, analyze and outline design possibilities
• Design and make prototypes and evaluate their fitness for purpose
Assessment
The course is split into two units and both are worth 50% of the overall grade. Unit 1 is assessed externally and requires learners to sit a two hour exam. This will test their knowledge and understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, tools and their understanding of past and present designers in the industry such as James Dyson (Dyson vacuum cleaners) and Jonathan Ive (Apple).
Unit 2 is marked internally and will assess pupils on their ability to find a design problem, produce a design brief and research to develop their knowledge of the field that their product is based in. They will then explore design sketches and techniques to provide solutions and test by assembling prototypes and models of their designs. Pupils will then produce a final prototype and evaluate.
Progression
This specification builds on subject content which is typically taught at key stage 3 and provides a suitable foundation for the study of design and technology at either AS or A level. In addition, the specification provides a coherent, satisfying and worthwhile course of study for learners who do not progress to further study in this subject. This course if undertaken can lead to art and design courses in university with opportunities such as product design and architecture.