Design and Problem Solving
Design and Problem Solving tests the process, not just the final sketch. You need to interpret a brief, state constraints, research user needs, generate and test ideas, and evaluate against the original problem.
Core rules
- A brief states the problem, user and purpose. Constraints are limits such as size, cost, materials, time, safety and available equipment.
- Research may include anthropometrics (body sizes), ergonomics (how people use things), existing products and material data.
- Generate several annotated sketches before choosing. A specification lists measurable requirements: dimensions, load, finish, cost and safety.
- Prototype or model, test against the specification, then evaluate. The process is iterative: test results feed back into the design.
Worked example
Design mobile storage for a small workshop. Brief: hold hand tools securely, move on castors, fit a 1200 mm × 600 mm floor area and cost under a set budget. Constraints: 18 mm plywood, locked castors, no higher than 1800 mm for stability. Sketches show shelves, a tool board and a lockable door. The chosen design uses a plywood carcase, pinned and screwed joints, a back panel for racking resistance and two braked castors. Evaluation checks capacity, stability, mobility, safety edges and cost against the brief.
Traps
Jumping to a favoured solution, ignoring a stated constraint, designing for yourself rather than the user, and omitting evaluation against the brief all lose marks.