Design and Technology Skills and Knowledge
What this domain rewards
This domain tests your command of the design process, materials, and safe production. You must know the iterative cycle of investigate, define, ideate, prototype, evaluate, and recognise that evaluation feeds back into earlier stages rather than ending the project. Understand how a design brief differs from a specification: the brief states the problem and constraints in broad terms, while the specification converts it into measurable criteria (dimensions, tolerances, budget, ergonomics, sustainability, safety standards) that you can test against. Know material properties and how they drive selection: strength-to-weight ratio, hardness, ductility, thermal and electrical conductivity, moisture resistance, and workability. Be able to justify a manufacturing method (hand tools, jigs, CAD/CAM, injection moulding, joinery) against batch size, precision, and cost.
Traps to watch
- Confusing a constraint (fixed limit) with a criterion (a target you judge against).
- Treating the design process as strictly linear.
- Ignoring work health and safety: risk assessment, PPE, machine guarding, dust and fume extraction, and safe tool technique are always markable.
- Describing a material by name only, without linking a property to the function it serves.
- Overlooking sustainability: embodied energy, recyclability, and end-of-life.
Rule of thumb
For any justification, use property → function → consequence: "Aluminium is chosen because its high strength-to-weight ratio keeps the frame light while carrying load, which improves portability without compromising safety." Always tie a property to the job it does.
Worked example
A brief asks for a portable display stand. A weak answer says "use timber because it looks good." A strong answer specifies a load rating, a maximum mass, a fold-flat dimension, and a finish, then justifies plywood for its stiffness and consistent thickness, and a knock-down joint for transport-each tied to a measurable criterion.