QCAA Design exam-day guide
QCAA Design · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Bring photographic identification
Carry the ID your school or venue has told you to present on the day. Because accepted ID formats vary by school and by QCAA scheduling arrangements, confirm the exact requirement with your teacher or the provider rather than assuming a specific document is acceptable.
Confirm your exam time, room and seat
Check your personal timetable and room allocation the day before. Venues and start times are set locally, so verify details with your teacher or the provider instead of relying on a friend's version.
Pack permitted equipment
Bring black or blue pens, pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, and a ruler. For Design, a small set of drawing or rendering tools may be useful for sketching or annotating, but confirm with the provider what is permitted before you rely on it.
Bring an approved calculator only if allowed
Some Design tasks may involve simple calculations, but calculator rules are set by the syllabus and the school. Ask your teacher whether a calculator is permitted for your specific paper.
Leave phones and smart devices at home or in your bag
Mobile phones, smart watches and similar devices are not permitted in the exam room. Plan to hand them in or store them as directed, and never keep one on your person.
Carry a clear water bottle
A plain, label-free water bottle is usually acceptable, but confirm the venue's rules. Avoid bringing snacks unless you have been told food is allowed.
Review the syllabus content overview, not new material
In the final days, skim your own summary notes and the syllabus dot points so you can locate topics quickly. Do not attempt to learn brand-new content the night before.
Practise sketching and annotating under time
Design rewards clear, labelled thinking. Time yourself producing a quick concept sketch with annotations, then check that your labels explain purpose, materials and user needs.
Prepare a short list of design vocabulary
Write out terms such as form, function, ergonomics, sustainability, iteration and user-centred design, and rehearse a one-line definition for each so you can use them accurately in extended responses.
Plan your route and arrival time
Know how you are getting to the venue and aim to arrive early. Confirm the required arrival time with your teacher or the provider.
Get a full night's sleep
Avoid late-night cramming. A rested mind handles extended design reasoning and sketching far better than a tired one.
Eat a proper breakfast or meal beforehand
Bring or eat something substantial before the session so hunger does not interrupt your focus during longer written tasks.
Plan the day
Build a one-page summary of each major topic, focusing on design processes, user-centred approaches, materials and sustainability, and evaluation. Rehearse the structure of an extended response: define the problem, identify the user, propose and justify a solution, then evaluate it.
Complete at least two timed practice tasks using past-style stimulus material you have not seen before. Mark your own work against the syllabus descriptors and note where you lost marks: unclear justification, missing labels, or vague evaluation.
Check your equipment, confirm your timetable and room, and resolve any uncertainty about permitted items, ID or calculator use with your teacher or the provider.
Do a light review only. Read your summary sheets aloud, redraw one or two key diagrams from memory, and stop studying early enough to relax. Pack your bag with pens, pencils, ruler, ID and water the night before.
Set two alarms and confirm your transport plan. Avoid discussing the exam at length with others, as last-minute comparisons tend to increase anxiety without improving performance.
Eat a proper meal, arrive early, and use the waiting time for a calm skim of your summary sheet rather than a deep dive into new content. Once you enter the room, put away all notes and devices as directed.
Read the instructions and the whole paper before writing. Allocate time per section, allowing more for extended responses, and leave a few minutes at the end to check that every question has been attempted.
For each extended response, spend a minute planning: identify the user, the need, your proposed design direction and the criteria you will use to judge success. Then write in clear paragraphs and use labelled sketches where they make your reasoning easier to follow.
If you get stuck, move on and return later. Keep an eye on the clock, and if time is short, write brief but structured points rather than leaving a question blank.
Rules to check
Follow all instructions from the supervisor. If you are unsure about a procedure, raise your hand and ask rather than guessing.
Bring and present the identification your venue requires. Accepted forms of ID can vary, so confirm the requirement with your teacher or the provider before the day.
Do not bring phones, smart watches or other unauthorised electronic devices into the exam room. Hand them in or store them as directed.
Only use equipment that has been approved for your paper. If you are unsure whether an item such as a calculator or drawing tool is allowed, confirm with the provider beforehand.
If you need to leave the room for a break or toilet visit, follow the supervisor's instructions. Supervision arrangements during absences are set by the venue, so confirm the process with the provider.
Marks are awarded for the quality of your design reasoning, justification and evaluation, not for the quantity of writing. Aim for clear, purposeful responses.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, and do not attempt to view or copy another candidate's work.
If you feel unwell or something affects your performance, tell the supervisor and your teacher as soon as possible. Special provisions and illness processes are handled by the school, so confirm the correct procedure with the provider.