SACE Stage 2 Design, Technology and Engineering key terms

A short written statement that sets out the problem to be solved, the client or user, the constraints and the intended outcome, giving direction before any concept ideas are produced.

The person or organisation who commissions a designed solution, supplies the brief and approves the final outcome, and who may differ from the end user of the product.

The person who actually operates, wears or consumes the finished product, whose needs, abilities and context of use should shape design decisions throughout the process.

Any individual or group affected by, or with an interest in, a design outcome, including clients, users, manufacturers, regulators and the wider community whose concerns may need balancing.

The fixed limits within which a solution must be produced, such as budget, time, available materials, equipment, legal requirements, safety rules and manufacturing capacity.

The measurable standards against which competing ideas and the final product are judged, covering function, aesthetics, safety, durability, cost and environmental impact.

Precise, quantified requirements for a product, such as dimensions, tolerances, material grades, load ratings and finish, written so that manufacture and inspection can be checked objectively.

The divergent stage of generating many possible concepts through sketching, brainstorming, mood boards and modelling, deliberately postponing judgement so that unusual options are explored.

A quick freehand drawing that records and communicates an early design idea, showing form, proportion and key features rather than exact dimensions or manufacturing detail.

The repeated cycle of designing, making, testing and refining, where feedback from each version is used to improve the next so that the solution progressively meets the criteria.

A physical or digital early version of a product built to test function, fit, appearance or manufacture, allowing problems to be found cheaply before final production.

A reduced or enlarged three-dimensional representation made to a stated ratio, used to study form, proportion and spatial relationships before full-size construction begins.

A drawing method that shows a three-dimensional object as separate flat views, usually front, top and side, arranged in a standard layout with all dimensions true to scale.

A pictorial drawing in which the three principal axes are set 120 degrees apart and lengths are drawn true, giving a three-dimensional impression without perspective distortion.

A standard drawing convention in which each view is placed on the side of the object from which it is viewed, so the top view sits above the front view.

A fully dimensioned and annotated drawing that gives a manufacturer everything needed to make a part, including views, sections, material notes and tolerances.

The permitted amount of variation in a dimension or process, stated as an upper and lower limit, so that parts still fit and function when made within acceptable accuracy.

The property that allows any part from a batch to fit and work in any matching assembly without hand fitting, achieved through controlled tolerances and standardised components.

The use of agreed, published sizes, materials or procedures so that components from different makers are compatible, reducing cost and simplifying repair and replacement.

The study of human body measurements such as reach, height and grip, used to size products so that most intended users can operate them comfortably.

The study of how people interact with products and workplaces, aiming to match tasks, forces and postures to human capability so that use is safe, efficient and comfortable.

Designing products and environments that can be used by people with a wide range of abilities, ages and conditions, including those with limited sight, hearing or mobility.

An approach that deliberately considers the widest practical range of users from the outset, rather than adding special features for particular groups afterwards.

Designing a product so it can be produced economically and reliably with the chosen processes, by simplifying shapes, reducing parts and avoiding unnecessary features.

Designing a product so it can be put together quickly and with few errors, using fewer parts, self-locating features, one-direction fastening and easy access.

Designing joints and materials so a product can be taken apart at end of life, allowing components to be repaired, reused or separated for recycling.

The systematic choice of a material by comparing required properties such as strength, stiffness, density, cost and workability against the demands of the application.

A measurable characteristic of a material, such as tensile strength, hardness, density or thermal conductivity, that predicts how it behaves under particular conditions.

The internal force carried per unit area within a material, calculated as force divided by cross-sectional area, and compared with the material's strength to judge safety.

The ratio of a material's or structure's failure strength to the maximum expected working load, providing a margin for uncertainty, overload and material variation.

The loss of a structure's ability to carry its intended load, through fracture, excessive deflection, buckling or fatigue, often resulting from underestimated stress.

A device such as a screw, bolt, rivet or clip that holds parts together, chosen for the loads it must carry, whether the joint must be permanent or removable.

A structured method of estimating a product's environmental impacts at every stage, from raw material extraction through manufacture, use and disposal or recycling.

Meeting present needs without compromising resources and ecosystems for the future, achieved by reducing material and energy use, waste and harmful emissions.

A system in which materials are kept in use through repair, remanufacture and recycling rather than being discarded, so waste becomes a resource for new products.

The planned checks and measurements carried out during and after production to confirm that a product meets its specifications and tolerances consistently.

The judgement of a finished or developing solution against the design criteria and brief, using testing, user feedback and evidence to recommend improvements.