Lesson video

Hello there.

My name is Mrs. Dhami.

Thank you for joining me for your Design and technology lesson today.

Now, the big question for today is how do we and why do we continue testing throughout our iterative journey? So we're going to explore a few techniques together, and then look at how we can use those results to refine and improve our design to make it the most successful it can be.

So, hard hats on.

Let's get cracking.

Our outcome for today is we will be able to use further testing and feedback methods to make informed refinements to our designs.

We have a few ground rules for today.

We need to be able to listen to others.

"It is okay to disagree with each other, but we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond.

When disagreeing, challenge the statement, not the person." We need to respect each other's privacy.

"We can discuss examples, but do not use names or descriptions that identify anyone, including ourselves." We must today have no judgment.

"We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without fear of being judged." And lastly, we can choose our level of participation.

"Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or join a discussion.

We never put anyone on the spot." We have five keywords for our lesson today.

Testing, which is when we try out a design to check its performance.

Feedback, which is information from primary users or stakeholders about how well something works.

Refinements, which are targeted improvements that make a design more effective.

Iterate, which is the process of refining and improving a design.

And lastly, design decision, which is a deliberate choice to meet a requirement or solve a problem.

We have two learning cycles for our lesson today.

We have why continue testing, and then using feedback to improve inclusivity.

So, let's get started with why continue testing.

Let's remind ourselves the theme of this unit is inclusive design, focusing in on mental health and wellbeing.

So continued testing is important throughout the whole iterative journey.

For example, during design ideas, during the iterative design development, during manufacture, and after manufacture.

In this unit, testing will focus highly on inclusivity and user needs.

Continued testing is required throughout the iterative journey to ensure that successful design decisions are made for refinements and a successful design solution is developed.

Let's take a little look at this in a bit more of a diagram form.

So we have testing and feedback and as we say, that leads to you making design decisions.

But that doesn't happen just the once, it happens multiple times.

We test, get feedback.

We make design decisions.

We test.

We get feedback.

We make more design decisions, and that continues through.

And only once we've been through that cycle many, many times do we develop a successful design solution.

So, please don't give up folks.

It's absolutely fine to find things that aren't working, but to then put them right multiple times.

So, what will testing identify? Testing and feedback will identify strengths that we must emphasize and really sell in our designs, but it will also identify design problems. Now, the design problems are those bits which are basically opportunities to be solved.

And you might solve them in numerous ways, and we'll go into more of those later on.

This therefore leads to lots and lots of design decisions as you are solving them.

And as I said on the last slide, this process happens multiple times.

It's not a one-off.

It can happen as many times as required.

There is not a limit.

Further testing checks include functionality.

Does it consistently work? Comfort and ergonomics.

Does it fit and feel right for users? Inclusivity.

Can a wide range of people use it or is it limited to only a few? And user perception.

Does it feel intuitive, calming, or engaging? You might perceive it in one way, but how do other people perceive it? So, each cycle of testing brings designers closer to meeting real user needs and also your design requirements that you will have defined earlier on in the project.

Sofia says, "Testing is only carried out once the design solution has been manufactured." Is this statement true or is it false? Have a little think.

Come back to me when you've made your decision.

Well done if you got false.

And why is that? Continued testing is required throughout the iterative journey to ensure that successful design decisions are made and a successful design solution is developed.

Feedback is essential to identify both the strengths and design problems. Designers expect to find design problems in their prototypes so that they can keep iterating, refining, to produce a more successful product, service, or environment.

And I think that's one of the big things that set us back or hold us back in schools is that we think whatever we design has to be perfect first time.

No, it doesn't.

It's an iterative journey, where we continually test and we continually develop it into a much better design solution.

So, don't be afraid if you find faults.

We are going to explore a few techniques for testing throughout your iterative journey in this unit.

Now, you are not limited to the techniques we share.

There are more, and you can use those other techniques should you wish.

Some will be right for your design requirements, your design brief, and your primary user, whereas others might not be.

And that's okay 'cause we're all working on different projects.

Now as we go through these different techniques and as you start testing, you might identify strengths, weaknesses, and you may make design design decisions at any point when you are testing.

Please remember to record these strengths, weaknesses, and design decisions through annotations, notes, or in charts.

It's a great idea to ask your primary users, your stakeholders and experts, for their opinions on your iterations.

So, how could you do this? Well, you could do some interviews.

You could take some polls.

You could observe some people using your design solution or in a particular scenario or you could get focus groups together and ask lots of people at one time.

So, why is this a good idea? Well, it's a good idea for gaining opinions, for identifying inclusivity, and accessibility considerations.

So for example, can a wide range of people use it? And for also getting moral or social considerations.

Just remember, if you do do one of these lovely examples, please record the strengths, the weaknesses, and if it sparks off a design decision, record that too.

The great thing about iterations is that you often get lots and lots of prototypes.

Now, prototypes are brilliant because it gives people something physical to be able to look at.

So, it's great for trying out solutions.

Is it intuitive to the user? You could ask your primary user, your stakeholder and your experts for their opinions with these two.

And it also helps you to identify ergonomic or inclusivity considerations, because you're actually touching something physical and looking at how that works.

As I said before, remember when you do this, record the strengths, record the weaknesses, and record any design decisions it sparks off, otherwise you might forget them.

Visual inspections are a great idea for identifying early flaws in your developments.

Also for aesthetic checks, but also for instant feedback.

It's a great one for all sorts of prototypes, no matter what they are made of.

Remember to record the strengths, the weaknesses, and your design decisions.

During iteration, you can test your prototypes by taking measurements.

Now that might be the weight of something, the strength of something, the space it fits within, a switching point in an electronic circuit, a volume of liquid.

It might be anything that your particular solution is meant for.

Now, it's great because it provides objective data and it also avoids guesswork.

Just remember to record it using photos, using pictures.

Record those strengths, weaknesses, and those design decisions that you might make.

Physical prototypes often mean that you can test out the functionality of them.

So for example, testing a range of different size lids with this product.

Now, you might though not be able to make a full-sized model of your design solution.

And if that's the case, that is absolutely fine.

You could use things such as ergonomics or if you can see in that picture in the middle with the one with the green chair, you can see that a little wire person has been made to test out that product.

Now obviously, it doesn't have to be a physical product too.

It might be something, some coding that you have developed.

So, you might be able to test that on the computers instead.

So, it's great because it tests to see whether it actually works as intended.

It also gives you a chance to get your primary user, your stakeholder and your expert opinions again.

And it also gives you usability considerations.

Just remember, you've got it.

Record the strengths, weaknesses, and any design decisions that it sparks off.

True or false? I cannot test my prototype as it is a scale version.

Is this statement true or is it false and why? Give that answer.

Have a think.

Come back to me when you've made your decision.

Well done if you got false.

And why is that? Scale prototypes can be tested using a variety of methods, such as using ergonomes and primary user stakeholder and expert feedback.

Safety tests are an important part of testing, especially when we get a bit further down the line with our testing.

So, safety tests are a good idea to ensure the product or solution does not pose any threats.

It also ensures that you are being compliant with any regulations.

That could be to do with all sorts of things.

That could be to do with the type of material or the type of fabric that you use.

That could be to do with the compatibility with products already that are trying to keep people or children safe.

So, have a little think.

Everybody's project will be different, but it's important that we make our design solutions safe.

You've got it by now.

Record the strengths, the weaknesses, and any sparked design decisions.

Experiments are a great way to recreate the conditions that your design solution might face.

So for example, if it contains a liquid, does it or could it or will it spill? If it's to be used outside, will it survive the elements? And simulations.

That could be circuit simulations or static stress simulations that you do on a computer.

And lastly, you can see in that picture on the bottom right, that is the product that is on the top right, but that is folded up and popped into a school bag.

Now for me, that's a huge test of durability 'cause I know how much your bags get knocked around, get kicked, get put underneath tables.

If it can survive the inside of a school bag, I think it's pretty durable.

Great test there.

A great experiment.

And as we all know, record the strengths, record the weaknesses, and record those design decisions which spark off from the testing.

Quality checks are also likely to be needed throughout the iteration and development of your designs.

So examples include have you got the desired surface finish? Is the functionality working? Does it meet the health and safety requirements? Does it meet the manufacturing specification? And there are all sorts of things to use to check quality, such as running your finger along the edge to see whether that surface finish is right, measuring your product to ensure that the tolerances are absolutely perfect, using multimeters and electronic things to check the functionality.

And then obviously, checking to see whether parts actually fit together.

I know in my classroom, we do a lot of that, especially with 3D printed parts.

There's quite a few iterations when we are making 3D printed parts join together.

So record the strengths, record the weaknesses, and record those wonderful design decisions that you make to improve your product.

Time for a quick check-in.

To ensure the reliability of your testing, you could a, stick to one method of testing, b, gather feedback from a range of primary users and stakeholders, c, test and using similar conditions as to the intended use or d, repeat experiments and record results? Have a think, work out the answers, and come back to me when you've made your decisions.

Well done if you got b, c, and d.

To ensure the reliability of your testing, you could gather feedback from a range of primary users and stakeholders rather than just one.

You could test using similar conditions as to the intended use, like we said earlier about taking your product or your design solution outside if it's to be used outside.

And lastly, repeating the experiments and recording the results.

Bit like science, isn't it? The more you do it, the more reliable your results will be.

Onto Task A, Part 1.

Why is it important to continue testing? Part 2, consider which techniques would be suitable to test your medium fidelity prototype.

You could go back and read through the techniques and select the most suitable two.

And lastly, test your medium fidelity prototype.

You could record your feedback, strengths, and weaknesses through annotations notes or in a chart.

Good luck.

Come back to me when you've had a good day.

Let's take a little look at a few answers.

So for Part 1, it is important to continue testing to ensure that successful design decisions are made for refinements and the successful design solution is developed.

Part 2, Izzy thought about which testing techniques would be suitable for her Pomodoro timer light.

And she decided to a, show her medium fidelity prototype to Alex, who is her primary user, and ask for his feedback of the design and copy test the medium fidelity prototype during revision in a few different students' bedrooms. The students being the stakeholders.

The bedrooms being of the environment.

So to then gain feedback.

Great idea, Izzy.

Part 3, Izzy carried out what she said she would do in Part 2.

So Izzy showed her medium fidelity prototype to Alex, her primary user, and asked for his feedback on the design.

She recorded his thoughts.

So, what did Alex say? He said, "I love the product.

I think this will help me to focus on the revision in set chunks of time, although I'm not too sure when the timer is on a revision or break mode.

I love the design, but I think it is a little bit too bulky." Part 3 continued, Izzy decided to test the medium fidelity prototype during revision in a few different students' bedrooms. So, the students are her stakeholders.

The bedrooms are the environment.

And she did this to gain their feedback and then recorded it as annotations around a picture of her prototype.

Let's take a little look at what her stakeholders said.

They said, "The light is not bright enough in a bedroom to see the revision material clearly." And they actually tried that out in a darkened bedroom.

They said the dust could enter the micro:bit, which is a bit of a worry.

They loved the fact that the tactile buttons are very easy to use.

They said that the base is very large and a bit blocky, taking up variable space on a desk where that space could be used for something else instead.

And it is not clear whether it is revision or rest time.

The little screen on the micro:bit does not show that well enough.

Great feedback there for easy to be able to develop her medium fidelity prototype.

Onto learning cycle two, using feedback to improve inclusivity.

Feedback collection should be structured and purposeful.

So to record strengths, recording what works and why.

Weaknesses, what doesn't work and why.

It's often useful to group the findings into themes such as function, comfort, inclusivity, and usability.

These four words are so crucial for the theme of our unit.

Time for a quick check-in which of the following best describes a key meaning of inclusivity in design and technology? Is it a, ensuring a product is affordable for all users, b, making a product accessible and usable by people of different abilities and backgrounds, c, designing a product to be lightweight and portable, or d, adding features that make a product more advanced or high tech? Have a pause.

Pause the video, reread them, make your decision, and come back to me when you've made it.

Well done if you got b, inclusivity is best described as making a product accessible and usable by people of different abilities and backgrounds.

Sam created a prototype for a social media app that promotes positive wellbeing for teenagers.

Now, that app includes strategies for relaxation, kindness badges for positive comments, and screen time reminders.

Sam, this sounds like an absolutely fabulous idea.

She then asked a variety of stakeholders to try out the prototype and categorize their feedback into function, comfort, inclusivity, and usability.

So, let's take a little look at what has stakeholders said.

So the strengths for function, they said, "It's great for sharing positive wellbeing strategies and promoting positivity." Weaknesses.

Some stakeholders struggled to be able to navigate back to the relaxation strategies that have been shared on previous days.

For comfort, the kindness badges promote positivity between users.

It's a strength.

Screen time reminders encourage users to reduce their time and another strength.

As for weaknesses, the number of likes and comments are often counted by teenagers.

This means that people then start to compare themselves to others.

Inclusivity strengths.

A variety of different people and voices in all the wellbeing strategies promote diversity and inclusivity.

However, negative comments are minimal, but they are still present.

Usability, the strengths interface works particularly well on phones.

And the screen reader is useful for some teenagers.

However, some stakeholders commented on the use of color sometimes being too loud, maybe a bit too much in the face.

Maybe those could be toned down just that bit.

Deeper analysis can help to identify patterns within feedback.

So for example, multiple users struggling with the same feature.

Let's take a little look at some of Sam's stakeholders feedback.

Jun says, "I find it really difficult when my friends do not like my social media posts." Laura says, "Every time I post a new story, I keep checking every five minutes to see how many likes I get." I wonder how many of you, like myself, can empathize with that? Sam noticed a reoccurring pattern about the like feature.

Data and evidence can be used to prioritize design decisions for refinements.

So first of all, it's great to fix the critical issues first.

So for example, usability barriers or pain points.

So, Sam decided to provide an option to hide the like counts.

So to reduce anxiety and social comparison.

Great idea there, Sam.

She also said to improve navigation to previous relaxation strategies as that was a negative in the comparison chart.

And then to use AI to moderate any nasty comments.

Great ideas, Sam.

After fixing the critical issues, it's good to refine details.

So for example, form and finish.

Sam says that she's going to research color theory to find colors that promote positivity and wellbeing, rather than combinations that are perceived to be a little bit too loud.

Feedback often encourages designers to reflect.

How did this testing deepen the understanding of user needs? How my inclusivity improve with these refinements.

Sam says, "My feedback directly correlates with the inclusivity and usability of my app by ensuring that my design decisions are successful for my primary user and stakeholders." Bit of roof reflection really does put everything into perspective.

Time for a quick check-in.

True or false, testing ensures that successful design decisions are made.

What do you think? Pause the video, have a think, come back to me when you have made your decision with a reason why.

Well done if you got true.

And why is that? Testing provides feedback, which can be categorized, analyzed for patterns, and then prioritized to make positive design decisions.

These design decisions lead to refinements for an iterated, successful, and inclusive solution to the design brief.

If you are struggling with a stressor or barrier, you should speak to any of the following people, a trusted adult, a teacher, your school's SENDCO, a DSL, designated safeguarding lead.

Please don't just keep it to yourselves Onto Task B.

Part 1, group the feedback for your wellbeing product into the following categories, function, comfort, inclusivity, and usability, and identify both the strengths and the weaknesses.

Part 2, identify any patterns that you can see from your feedback.

And lastly, prioritize your design decisions and make refinements to your design.

Good luck.

Enjoy this task and come back to me when you've got some great ideas.

Part 1, Izzy sorted her feedback for her Pomodoro timer into categories.

So, let's start with function.

The strengths.

Her stakeholders loved the concept of breaking revision into manageable chunks.

Weaknesses.

They said it was not bright enough to see the revision material.

They also said dust can get inside the micro:bit and this was a concern.

Moving on to comfort.

Strengths.

The tactile buttons are easy to press.

Weaknesses.

The base is very large and blocky.

Inclusivity.

The weaknesses being it's sometimes difficult to tell whether it is it is rest or revision time.

Now, notice she hasn't put a strength for inclusivity.

That's okay.

Sometimes you might not find both a strength and weakness, but you might find one or the other.

And then, usability where those tactile buttons.

And the weaknesses, the light cannot be easily directed at revision.

Part 2, Izzy then highlighted the feedback that was repeated by both her primary users and her range of stakeholders to see if she could notice any patterns.

And she noticed three patterns.

They all said that the light was not bright enough to see the revision material.

They also said the base is very large and blocky.

And they all said it's sometimes difficult to tell whether it is rest or revision time.

This was the pattern in her feedback.

These are the critical things that she will need to try and fix.

Part 3, Izzy prioritize the feedback that have been repeated by both her primary user and stakeholders to make successful design decisions for requirements.

So, let's see those design decisions she made.

She decided to change the shape of the light for more illumination.

She decided to add a swivel mechanism so that it can be focused, the light can be focused wherever it is needed.

She's decided to amend the code to show a symbol for rest and when to begin studying again.

I like that idea.

She decided to add a dust cover for the micro:bit display.

And she decided to reduce the blocky design of the base to take up less space.

Absolutely great refinements there.

And it looks like a really interesting design, which is being developed and iterated.

Well done, Izzy.

This brings us to the end of our lesson today.

Let's summarize what we have found out.

Continued testing is required throughout the iterative journey to ensure that successful design decisions are made and a successful design solution is developed.

There are a variety of methods to test prototypes, including primary user, stakeholder, or expert feedback, functionality testing, safety testing, and visual inspections.

Whilst testing design decisions may be identified for successful iteration, just remember to record them as you go through.

Well done with all of your hard work today.

Thank you for joining me for this lesson, and I hope to see you in another one soon.

Take good care.

Bye bye bye.

If you need or require any support from any of the issues that we brought up in today's lesson, you might like to visit one of these two, NHS Live Well or the NHS website.