Design+Cycle

__**THE DESIGN CYCLE**__ This page is here to introduce the design cycle and what is required at each stage of the design cycle and why it is needed. YOU MUST BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE DESIGN CYCLE. Your application of the design cycle is what is assessed in technology.

The design cycle is a means of solving problems. It is a cycle because as our technology, knowledge and experience improve, we continually find new ans better ways to solve the same problem. So the cycle is used over and over again.

The stages of the design cycle are given in order below.

At this stage we need to: At this stage you will This is the stage where you will plan how you will produce your product. In your plan, you will need to include: This is the stage when you make your product. You will need to follow your plan to produce your chosen design AND the product must be a good product.
 * INVESTIGATE **
 * 1) Identify and explain what the problem we are trying to solve is
 * 2) Find, analyse and evaluate a broad range of information from different sources ( This is research into the problem, resources that may help us solve the problem, how others have solved the same problem in the past or present)
 * 3) State what you are going to do about the problem. This is called a Design Brief
 * 4) Based on your research and your design brief you need to specify SPECIFIC things that your solution must have or must be in order to be successful. This is called a Product Specification
 * 5) Design tests which you can use when you have finished your product. these tests should be done is such a way that they will indicate if your product is a success or not. NB. These tests should be based on your Specification since the things in your specification are important to the success of the product.
 * DESIGN **
 * 1) Produce different designs for your product. These designs should be imaginative and show creative interpretation of the specification and the design brief (Think out of the box).
 * 2) Analyse each of your designs based on the product specification.
 * 3) Choose the design you will follow
 * 4) Explain why you chose the design you chose.
 * PLAN **
 * 1) A timeline showing when you will do what
 * 2) A detailed set of logical steps showing how the product will be created
 * 3) A the resources you will need to produce your product.
 * CREATE **

You should make a note of the changes you made to the plan and the chosen design while making your product and why you made them. At this stage you will evaluate your product.
 * EVALUATE **
 * 1) First you should carry out the tests you designed in the investigate stage.
 * 2) Then you will analyse the results of these tests.
 * 3) You will go back to your specification and evaluate your product based on YOUR specification and the results of your tests.
 * 4) You will suggest improvements you would make to the product and the process used to produce it if you were to do everything again.


 * ATTITUDES IN TECHNOLGY **

You will be continuously assessed in how you approach the subject in two areas.
 * Personal engagement (motivation, independence, general, positive attitude) (do you have to be reminded to do every thing, detained, do you miss deadlines)
 * Attitudes towards safety, cooperation and respect for others (Do you drink in class, where do you put your bag, do you walk around unnecessarily, work well with your classmates or do you disturb them?)