AQA
GCSE Product Design Textiles
Year 11 Assessment Booklet
Name: Year 11 GCSE Product Design
AQA Product Design GCSE
Product Design Course Introduction
GCSE Product Design is a relatively new course, which has been written to allow
you to use any suitable materials throughout the course. The emphasis of this
course is on commercial Product Design. Most commercial products require
some form of labeling, packaging or instructions and consequently an element
of graphic design will be required for your product to be complete. In your own
designing and making you will need to take into account how commercial
products are designed and manufactured.
You have chosen to focus your coursework on a textile product. You will
therefore need to be conversant with a number of textile products and textile
materials. In order to be successful in the exam you will also learn about a
range of other materials such as paper and card.
Course Aims
The Course encourages you;
a. to demonstrate fully your design and technology capability, which
requires you to combine skills with knowledge and understanding in
order to design and make quality products.
b. acquire and apply knowledge, skills and understanding through:
* analysing and evaluating products and processes;
* engaging in focused tasks to develop and demonstrate
techniques;
* engaging in strategies for developing ideas, planning and
manufacturing products;
* considering how past and present design and technology,
relevant to a designing and making context, affects society:
* regognising the moral, cultural and environmental issues
inherent in design and technology.
Course Objectives
You should be able to demonstrate your design and technology capability
through acquiring and applying knowledge, skills and understanding:
a.
b.
c.
of materials, components, processes, techniques and
industrial practice;
when designing and making quality products in quantity;
when evaluating processes and products and examining
the wider effects of design technology on society.
Year 11 GCSE Product Design
Product Design GCSE Course Outline
Coursework
In the last term of year 10 you start on your major project, you will continue to work on this
project during year 11 until its completion deadline in March the following year.
Your coursework involves undertaking a single project which investigates the designing, making
and testing of a new product. This project will consist of a concise design folder which includes
designing to a brief and situation, the research you undertake, the specification for the product,
the ideas you think up and how you develop them towards a final design. It will also need a
work plan which should be detailed enough for someone else to follow, you will finally test your
product and complete a final evaluation of the project. As part of the manufacturing process you
will produce samples of construction techniques and a model or prototype before constructing
your final textile product.
This work will account for 60% of your final GCSE grade. It will be marked by your teacher,
moderated by the other teachers in the department, then moderated by the Exam Board.
Your design folder should provide the following:
* A Design Situation and Design Brief, explaining what your project is about
* Details of the research you intend to undertake and what you are going to do
with it.
* Your Analysis of the problem and research materials collected
* A specification for your product
* A range of initial ideas which meet the specification
* The development of one or more of your ideas
* A final design proposal and production plan in enough detail for the moderator
to follow
* Testing and evaluation throughout the project
* How the product would be manufactured commercially
The design folder should show your industrial understanding and your ability to communicate
your thinking. It is expected that you will use a variety of ICT and manual communication
techniques were appropriate. You should also show your wider understanding of Design and
Technology issues such as the environmental implications of your project.
The Written Exam Paper
This will take place at the end of year 11 and will make up 40% of your final GCSE grade. At the
beginning of year 11 you will sit a mock exam paper. There is only one exam paper, you will be
entered either for the higher tier or the Foundation tier. The foundation tier will not allow you to
gain more than a grade C. The Higher tier is focused on students expected to gain grade C or
above. Which tier you are entered for is usually done in January of Year 11, before you complete
your coursework. Students who are behind at this stage can be expect to be entered for the
foundation tier and their parents contacted, so do not leave all your work for the last couple of
weeks.
Both Higher and Foundation papers will be two hours in duration so you will need to prepare
thoroughly for this part of the assessment.
The Examiner will write the paper to test your Knowledge and understanding relating to
designing and manufacturing of commercial products. As a general guide, they plan questions to
earn you a mark a minute, if you have a 10 mark question, you are expected to spend roughly
ten minutes answering that question.
Year 11 GCSE Product Design
Coursework and Written Paper
Coursework Deadline Dates
Major Project Research Complete
– 11th September
2009
Major Project Concept Ideas Complete
–
9th October
2009
Major Project Development Complete
– 27th November
2009
Major Project Manufacturing Complete
– 26th
February
2010
Major Project Final Hand In
– 26th
March
2010
Essential Equipment List
A3 Folder
HB & 2H Pencils
Rubber & Sharpener
Ruler
A range of Coloured Pencils
A fine Line Black Pen
A Can of Spray Mount
You will need to purchase all your fabrics, trims, zips etc, that you need to
make your final product. Please speak to your teacher for advise on where to
purchase your fabrics.
Year 11 GCSE Product Design
Important Dates & Equipment List
Coursework Criteria
As described in the coursework outline, your design folder should provide a
range of information and examples of your knowledge and skills. Below is a
brief description of what each section of your folder should provide.
• Task & Research Analysis - A Design Situation and Design Brief, explaining
what your project is about. You should analyse the task and research materials
logically, thoroughly and effectively, showing evidence of your thought process
and planning.
• Research - Details of the research you intend to undertake and what you are
going to do with it, including market research, product environment research,
User/ client advice, professional advice and analysis of this material
• Detailed Specification – After your research analysis you will have a better
understanding of what you will be designing, you can now write a more
detailed specification which will include specific fabrics, style, colours, how
much it will cost, what techniques you will use, quality, quantity and target
audience information.
• Design Ideas – Always design with your specification in mind. Use your
understanding of sketching and rendering techniques to enhance your
presentation. Remember to annotate your designs, explaining all of your design
decisions.
• Development of Final Design – Develop at least three design proposals.
Annotate as you develop your designs. Use sketches, CAD & models to explain
your concept.
• Production Plan – Produce a flow chart plan for making your product, taking
into account time, processes, materials and tools to be used. Explain how you
intend to manufacture and achieve accuracy and quality assurance.
• Testing and Evaluation – When you have finished your product, carry out a
critical evaluation of the product and the process of designing and
manufacturing it. Compare your product to the original specification, point by
point. Make suggestions for modifications or improvements to your final
product.
• Communication – Your folder should communicate your design thoughts
and ideas, both to yourself and to other people. In order to do this effectively,
you should use a variety of presentation techniques and media.
• Industrial Practice – Throughout your folder, you should make reference to
the way your product would be designed and manufactured in an industrial
situation.
Year 11 GCSE Product Design
Major Project Coursework Criteria
Year 11 Project Tracker
Suggestions for Amendments
Task & Research Analysis
Starting Point Mind map
Design Situation & Brief
Initial Specification
Research Plan
Time Plan
Theme Research
Mood Board
Market Research
Letters/Email
Survey/Questionnaire
Survey/Questionnaire Results
Product Environment
Product Analysis
Research analysis
Detailed Specification
Design Ideas
Development Ideas
At least three ideas developed
Final presentation design.
Focused Fabric/Component research
Industrial practice/construction techniques
Production Planning
Manufacturing Specification
Product Plan
Materials & Components list
Costings
Evaluation / Testing
Final Product Photo’s
Client Interview Feedback / Survey
Final Evaluation with
Suggested Improvements
Communication and Modeling
Year 11 GCSE Product Design
Year 11 Project Tracker