GCSE+EP+-+Designing+Products

toc = 4.1 Specification criteria = When designing a product, students should take into account the following specification criteria: Before you actually begin to design your product you need to consider each of the above specification criteria - use them as headings, look at your research - what did you find out. This can help you to write your specification criteria. When creating the specifications for your electronic product, you can separate the casing from the internal electronics, But you must remember not to be too specific about components, as you have not designed anything yet. Specifications are guidelines / rules that you use when designing a product to meet a need. Use the following headings and descriptions to help you plan and set out your work. The following are key factors in any specification. These ** may not ** all be appropriate to any one problem.
 * Form
 * Function
 * User requirement
 * Performance requirements
 * Material and component requirements
 * Scale of production
 * Sustainability
 * **Form** - How should the product be shaped/styled? if so why? **Aesthetics** - Is our perception and understanding of the world through our senses. Appearance, finish, pattern, colour and shape details appropriate to your project need to be highlighted in your specifications.
 * **Function** - What is the purpose of the product? What must the product be able to do, what are its performance requirements? E.g. speed of operation, special features, accessories and ergonomic factors and requirements.
 * **User requirements** - What qualities would make the product attractive to potential users? **Ergonomics** - The relationship between the design and its users. Any data which identifies specific characteristics of the user, supporting equipment or the surrounding environment must be stated. This includes anthropometry. **Size -** Minimum and maximum size and weight. Must it be a certain size?
 * **Performance requirements** - What are the technical considerations that must be achieved within the product? **Safety** - What safety factors need to be taken into consideration when designing this product? Are there any relevant safety standards? How might the product be misused what can be done to prevent this? What warning instructions and labels need to be provided?
 * **Material and component requirements** - How should materials and components perform within the product? You must consider methods and scale of production, economic considerations, materials availability and the properties of materials for this project.
 * **Scale of production and cost** - How will the design allow for scale of production and what are the considerations in determining cost? What are the financial limitations for this project and why? **Time** - What are the time limitations for the design and manufacture of the project? **Manufacture** - Are there any limits to scale / type of manufacturing processes that can be used for this project? How many units are to be made?size of batches?
 * **Sustainability** - How will the design allow for environmental considerations? Any limitations regarding sound, light, and temperature should be considered. Additionally a statement regarding the products impact on the environment, in relation to materials used, manufacturing process (energy consumption), product life and recycling.

Use the following link to see some example of worked GCSE projects: = Task = Using your own mobile phone - find a picture of it on the Internet or take a picture of it with your friends phone - particularly good if it has a protective casing. Use the above specification criteria to write the specifications for your mobile phone, use the Internet to find some of the information you require. If you have no phone to hand here are some pictures of my iPhone its an older model 3G and I have a hard two piece protective translucent red plastic case made by speck - saved its life on many occasions! It used to have silicon rubber grips stuck on the side (glued/doublesided tape) which fell off after 3 months due to the humidity here in Hong Kong. I do not have a screen protector as I found this made using the touch screen not very responsive - no obvious scratches on the screen. The protective casing is extremely scratched but completely intact. The phone and casing are 2.5 years old (Jan 2011).
 * [[image:EP_iPhone11.JPG]] || [[image:EP_iPhone21.JPG]] || [[image:EP_iPhone31.JPG]] ||

= 4.2 Designing Skills = When designing a product, students should be able to respond creatively to design briefs and specification criteria, including: Use the following link to see some example of worked GCSE projects: = 4.3 Application of knowledge and understanding =
 * clear communication of design intentions using notes and/or sketches
 * annotation which relates to the original specification criteria

When designing a product, students should be able to apply their knowledge and understanding of a wide range of materials and/or components and manufacturing processes to each design idea, including:
 * the properties of materials and/or components
 * the advantages/disadvantages of materials and/or components and manufacturing processes
 * justification of the choice of materials and/or components and manufacturing processes.

Use the following link to see some example of worked GCSE projects: