THE ANALYSIS
V. Ryan © 2001-2005
The ANALYSIS is one of the early sections in the design process. It
involves listing as many questions as you can think of regarding your
project. The questions will vary from project to project but usually the
majority of these questions are the same, whatever the project you are
attempting. The questions below may be useful especially if you adapt them
to suit your current project. Remember the SYNTHESIS is the following
section in the design process and is a list of answers. You may not be able to
complete the synthesis until you have almost finished the entire project.
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE ANALYSIS
1. Will the design be safe ?
2. What materials are available ? What materials will be the most suitable?
What will be the overall size ?
3. How long will the product take to manufacture ?
4. How will the product be mass produced ? On a production line ? What
will the cost of ‘labour’ be ?
5. What is the best shape for the solution ?
6. What colour scheme will be most appropriate ?
7. What are the functions of the product ?
8. What type of circuit is required ? Is a timer required ? Are flashing lights
needed ?
9. What special features need to be built into the designs ?
10. What ‘ergonomic’ factors need to be taken into account ?
11. What designs already exist ? What do you think of them ? Could they be
improved ?
12. What are the addresses of manufacturers and suppliers who may help me
design my product ?
13. Where can I collect research material to help me design ?
14. Who is going to buy my product ? What is the age group ?
15. Is my solution likely to solve the design problem ?
16. What equipment and machinery will I need for manufacture ?
THE DEVELOPMENT SECTION
V. Ryan © 2001-2006
The Development follows the IDEAS section. A good way to start a
development is to draw your best idea in the middle of the page and write
around it areas of your design that need improving. For instance, you may
need to improve the colour scheme OR the circuit may need improving
further. Alongside each area write a few notes of explanation. Then, produce
one A4 sheet for each area e.g. See circuit ‘development'.
CAN YOUR DESIGN BE IMPROVED ?
MATERIALS - You
must choose materials
and state how they can
be combined to produce
your final design.
COLOUR - Produce a
colour scheme for the
final design.
SAFETY - You may be
able to show how you
have improved the safety
aspect of your design.
COST - Work out the
cost of your product. You
may wish to use a
spreadsheet for this
purpose.
CIRCUIT - Select a
circuit from the ideas
section and improve it
further - stage by stage.
MECHANISM - You
may need to develop
mechanisms or gear
systems for your project.
SHAPE - Can you
improve the shape of
your design ? If so show
how.
INDUSTRIAL
MANUFACTURE You must draw each
stage of your ‘products’
manufacture (in
industry).
Above is an example of an educational toy. Notes are arranged around the
drawing, referring to various aspects of the design that can be improved or
need developing
You must decide the areas to develop. Think carefully how your design can be
improved !
FURTHER INFORMATION - THE DEVELOPMENT SECTION
The development section of a project is extremely important especially if you are
aiming for a high grade. In this section you must select your best idea and explain
how it can be improved and investigate new aspects. On the first sheet the best idea is
drawn and aspects that can be improved are identified. All designs can be improved
and outlined below are aspects that you may wish to consider when improving your
idea. Costing your project and Health and Safety relating to it must also be
investigated.
1. Select your best idea carefully. You may decide that selecting aspects from many
designs and putting them together as one idea is preferable to selecting one complete
idea from a range.
2. The development must show that you understand that your idea can be improved
and developed. Think carefully about how improvements can be made and ask others
for their views.
3. Draw your selected idea in the centre of the page and identify improvements. Use
headings for each aspect and then write a short paragraph regarding how you intend to
make improvements.
4. Identify up to 6 or 7 improvements. Include headings such as Health and Safety and
Cost. Other aspects may be; shape / colour, Industrial manufacture, materials, circuits
and other improvements that only apply to your project such as CAD/CAM and
mechanisms.
5. The idea can be drawn in a simple but accurate way. Sometimes it is best to keep to
a plain drawing without colour and shade. This means that the attention of a person
looking at the sheet will be drawn to the written explanation.
6. Do not crowd the page with notes. Additional notes and drawings will be included
on the following development sheets.
7. In the development section each area to be improved has its own development
sheet. This means the development section is 6 to 7 sheets in length.
8. Look at old projects to see how pupils have successfully organised their
development sections. Learn from their mistakes and build a comprehensive section.
EXAMPLE DEVELOPMENT SHEETS
Educational Toy for a Young Child
Electronic Control System for a Green House
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT SHEETS
SUMMARY:
A. Ask the views of others regarding which of your ideas is potentially best.
B. Take time to decide which aspects of your design need improving and which need
further investigation.
C. Draw the idea in the centre of the page, keep the drawing simple, clear and
accurate.
D. Keep notes simple and precise and arrange them around the drawing.
E. Complete your homework on time. Do not fall behind as you may find it
impossible to catch up.
HOW TO COST A
PROJECT
V. Ryan © 2001-2005
Any company manufacturing a product or a supplier supplying
goods have to calculate their costs very carefully. The cost of
employing people to promote, manufacture, market and sell
products should not be overlooked when you are designing a
solution and you must carefully explain the costing of designs,
especially when you select your best idea and develop it. There
are two types of costs - ‘fixed costs’ and ‘variable costs’
FIXED COSTS
VARIABLE COSTS
These are costs that do not increase or These change as output increases and
decrease as output fluctuates. For example, include such things as materials required to
salaries of employees, rent for premises manufacture the product. If production
and advertising costs.
increases then more materials are needed
and consequently costs increase.
TOTAL COSTS = FIXED COSTS + VARIABLE
COSTS
EXAMPLE - Imagine you have designed a clock and intend to produce it on a large
scale (called mass production). The costs would have to be calculated in detail before
you could secure a loan from a bank which would allow you to set up the
business/company. The table below suggests a method of setting out the costs.
Complete the table above by filling in the total costs and unit costs.
UNIT COST = TOTAL COST / NUMBER
PRODUCED
Costing a project with a view to producing it on a mass production line is an aspect of
design work and you must present this as part of the development section of the design
process. Having decided which of your ideas is the best, ‘cost’ its’ manufacture.
EXAMPLE COSTING SHEET