the situation within which something exists or happens

a gap or a need where a new or improved product would be beneficial

a visual way to organise ideas around a main topic using connected branches

Explore the context and avoid fixation

Design and technology

Disassemble flat pack furniture

Standardised components

Life cycle assessment of flat pack furniture

Define a brief from design opportunities: communal areas

Sketch modelling: communal areas

Iterate with modelling: communal areas

Design development with CAD: communal areas

Iterate with CAD: communal areas

Design for manufacture: communal areas

CAM: communal areas

Specialist tools and equipment for manufacture: communal areas

Specialist techniques and processes for manufacture: communal areas

Quality assurance when manufacturing: communal areas

Surface treatments and finishes: communal areas

Commercial viability: communal areas

Market testing: communal areas

Digital Media Presentation: communal areas

Pupils will use disassembly to investigate an existing piece of flat-pack furniture, including material sources. They will use this information to inform designs. Pupils will focus on user-centred design to create and develop ideas and then plan the manufacturer for a product.

Iterative design: Student Living

to look into something carefully to find out the truth or facts

taking something apart to see how it works

furniture that comes in pieces for easy transport and is assembled at home

parts made to a set size and design for easy use and compatibility

the process of making large quantities of identical products quickly and efficiently

connectors used to easily assemble and disassemble furniture without special tools

using resources wisely so future generations can also meet their needs

creating products that are sustainable, ethical, and user-friendly

life cycle assessment; assesses the environmental impact at every stage of a product’s lifecycle

focusing so heavily on one idea that creativity and problem-solving become limited

a statement which explains what you are going to design and manufacture

quick, freehand drawing of ideas or concepts, often as a rough outline

the process of creating physical or digital representations of design ideas to visualise and test them

improving and building on design ideas to make them better

process of refining and improving a design

to think about what you did and suggest any changes or improvements

the creation of digital 3D representations of objects or designs

trying something out to see if it works well

making changes or adjustments to improve or alter a design

the process of making products from raw materials using machines or labour

restrictions that shape a design solution

thermopolymer material used by 3D printers to create objects

the material does not need additional finishing processes after it has been produced

a machine that uses a focused laser beam to cut or etch designs into various materials

the process of positioning items on sheet material efficiently to minimise waste

joining materials together using sticky substances

a component which joins materials together

a polymer material which can be heated, formed, reheated and reformed repeatedly

the force that resists motion when two surfaces come into contact with one another

ensuring the production process prevents mistakes and maintains quality

checks made on a product before, during and after its production so it meets quality and safety standards

the acceptable range of variation in a product's dimensions

a processed material requiring no additional finishing

a substance added to something else to improve or alter it

a process that adds surface treatment to improve how a material looks, feels, or performs

the likelihood of a product being successful in its target market and making a profit

the money a business earns after paying all its costs

the specific group of people a product is designed and sold for

to judge how a product meets the chosen criteria

trying out a product with the target market and users to see how well it works and whether they like it

a cycle of creating, testing, and improving a design until it meets the user’s needs

any content created, stored, or shared using digital technology

Iterative design: Student Living

communal areas context

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These lessons will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.