LGCSE Design & Technology (0189) study plan

Map the full iterative design cycle (brief, research, specification, ideation, development, prototyping, testing, evaluation) and label each stage with its inputs and outputs on a single annotated diagram

Write a product design specification for a chosen everyday product, listing at least 12 measurable criteria covering function, user, cost, materials, safety and sustainability

Produce 15 distinct annotated concept sketches for that product, varying form, mechanism and material rather than restyling one idea

Apply isometric and orthographic projection to two of the concepts, including hidden detail and a dimensioned third-angle layout

Draft a short evaluation matrix scoring the concepts against the specification criteria and justify the top choice in writing

Classify hardwoods, softwoods, manufactured boards, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics and composites, and record for each one source, key properties and two typical products

Explain how structure (grain, grain direction, alloying, polymer chain type) produces the working properties of each material family

Select and justify materials for five different product contexts, matching properties such as strength-to-weight, hardness, insulation, ductility and moisture resistance to the use

Compare two candidate materials for one component using a table of at least six properties, then state a final choice with trade-offs

Describe three standard material tests or identification checks (for example a file or spark test on metals, a float or burn test on plastics) and what result each indicates

Sequence the steps to mark out, cut, shape, drill, join and finish one wood, one metal and one polymer workpiece, naming the specific tool for each step

Match at least 12 hand tools and 6 machine tools to their correct use, and state one common misuse and its consequence for each of six of them

Select appropriate permanent and temporary joining methods (screws, dowels, joints, welding, brazing, adhesives, mechanical fasteners) for three given assemblies and justify each choice

Carry out a written risk assessment for a workshop task, scoring likelihood and severity, and list controls in hierarchy order (eliminate, substitute, engineer, administrate, PPE)

Explain safe practice for three specific hazards such as dust, fume, rotating machinery and sharp edges, including the control measure and the reason it works

Identify and sketch the six simple machines and classify at least eight everyday mechanisms (lever, linkage, cam, follower, gear train, pulley, belt, chain, screw, rack and pinion) by motion conversion

Calculate mechanical advantage, velocity ratio and efficiency for three worked examples, including one gear train and one pulley system

Draw a labelled free-body diagram for a simply supported beam and calculate reaction forces and the bending moment at a point under a point load

Compare truss, frame and box structures, explaining how triangulation, stiffness and material choice resist tension, compression, shear and bending

Analyse one real mechanism from a household product by sketching it, naming its parts and stating its input and output motion

Draw and interpret circuit symbols for at least 12 components, including resistor, capacitor, diode, LED, transistor, switch, motor, battery and thermistor

Apply Ohm's law and series/parallel rules to calculate current, voltage and resistance in three circuits, showing each step

Design and document one control system using an input, process and output block diagram, then convert it into a labelled circuit or flowchart

Explain the difference between analogue and digital signals and describe how a sensor, a comparator or a microcontroller can drive an output in a given scenario

Diagnose three faults in a described circuit (open circuit, short circuit, wrong component value) and state the test and the correction for each

Describe the CAD workflow from sketch constraints to 3D model to technical drawing, and explain what CAM adds in toolpath generation and machine control

Compare additive, subtractive and forming manufacture on cost, speed, waste, finish and suitable batch size, and recommend one for a stated product

Evaluate three emerging technologies (for example 3D printing, CNC routing, laser cutting, smart materials, IoT control) against capability, cost and design freedom

Carry out a life-cycle assessment for one product across material extraction, manufacture, use, transport and disposal, identifying the highest-impact stage

Apply the 6Rs and at least four design strategies for sustainability (design for disassembly, material reduction, recycled content, repairability, energy efficiency) to redesign one product and record the changes

Re-work past design questions under timed conditions, producing a specification, sketches and a justified material and process choice within 20 minutes

Correct and annotate your own weak answers against mark-scheme style criteria, listing the specific points missed

Build a one-page revision sheet linking each material family to its common processes, joining methods and finishes

Practise explaining design decisions in full sentences that name the criterion, the choice and the reason, rather than describing the product

Complete two full mock papers under exam timing, including the design and graphical sections

Audit every wrong or partial answer by domain and rank the gaps by marks lost

Re-teach the two weakest domains using your own notes, then re-attempt the missed questions

Rehearse drawing conventions (line types, dimensioning, projection layout, circuit symbols) until each is produced accurately without reference

Finalise a one-page formula and definition sheet for mechanisms, structures and electrical calculations