Technology and Living: design, science and justified product decisions
Hong Kong Technology and Living connects scientific and technological knowledge with practical design and everyday needs. Students choose the Food Science and Technology strand or the Fashion, Clothing and Textiles strand. This page offers written foundations from both areas for selection and review; it does not imply that every learner must take both strands or that multiple-choice recognition replaces the actual project and practical work.
Define and investigate
A design brief identifies the problem, intended user and constraints. Specifications translate relevant needs into criteria that can be evaluated. Research should examine actual users, materials, products and evidence rather than collecting attractive images without a question. Distinguish an idea, a prototype and a tested outcome. A proposed product must be judged against the brief, not merely whether its maker likes the appearance.
Food science and technology
Relate ingredient composition and processing to structure, flavor, texture, nutrition and safety. Starch gelatinization, protein changes, emulsions and heat transfer explain different observations. Recipe quantities, portion yield and cost calculations need consistent units. A food-safety decision must consider ingredients, hazards, handling and actual local guidance. Do not import a foreign statutory temperature or label scheme as a Hong Kong requirement. Ordinary cooking is not a general method for removing allergens.
Fashion, clothing and textiles
Consider fiber, fabric construction, finish, pattern, fit, assembly and care in relation to the intended user. Grain and stretch affect how a pattern behaves. A successful sample seam does not establish the fit or durability of the complete item. Compare a prototype with the stated criteria, investigate faults and document changes. Cultural, environmental and economic choices require evidence and explicit tradeoffs rather than assuming that one material is always sustainable.
Evaluate and communicate
Use drawings, records, measurements and explanations to show why a decision was made and what testing established. A cost comparison needs a consistent unit and an honest treatment of waste. User feedback can reveal a problem without proving every cause. Preserve the link from research to specification, development and evaluation. These foundations support HKDSE study while the actual strand syllabus, school-based work, design folio, practical skills and current assessment requirements remain essential separate preparation.