Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Taylor, and I'm really pleased you can be here to join me for our lesson today.

Our lesson today is "Iterate with Modelling: Communal Areas," and this is part of the Iterative Design Student Living unit.

The outcome: I can iterate ideas for a piece of student storage using card, foam, and other materials.

There are four key words in this lesson: developing, which is improving and building on design ideas to make them better, iteration, which is the process of refining and improving a design, analyse, which is to examine something in detail, and evaluate, to think about what you did and suggest any changes or improvements.

There are two parts to the lesson today: analysing and evaluating models and design iterations.

We are going to get started with analysing and evaluating models.

As part of the development stage of designing, iterations of models can take place.

Developing is improving and building on design ideas to make them better.

Iteration is the process of refining and improving a design.

It is important to iterate your ideas to see if you can make them better, which you usually can.

Here we have a check for understanding.

The process of refining and improving a design is called A, duplication, B, iteration, C, decoration, or D preservation? Pause the video and have a go.

Fabulous.

Let's check.

That's right, it's B, iteration.

Well done.

Analysing and evaluating design ideas can help to inform iterations.

To analyse our initial design ideas, we examine them in detail.

You can then use this analysis to evaluate.

To evaluate is when you think about what you did and suggest any changes or improvements.

There are several ways Alex could analyse and evaluate his models.

He could evaluate against the user's wants and needs.

or evaluate against the design brief.

or gather direct feedback from his user, or testing of a model.

Here we have another check for understanding.

When we examine something in detail, we A, memorise it, B, analyse it, or C, simplify it? Pause the video and have a go.

Wonderful.

Let's check.

That's right, we analyse it.

Well done.

Alex says, "I have decided to evaluate my model against my design brief as my design brief included my user's wants and needs." His design brief says, "Design a storage solution for kitchen utensils and cutlery.

The product needs to help save space and must be efficient to use.

The solution must appeal to university aged students and be able to be manufactured at an affordable price for students." What are Alex's key points from his design brief that he could evaluate his model against? Talk to the person next to you and have a think.

Great.

Alex thinks that the storage solution for kitchen utensils and cutlery, saving space, efficient to use, and appeal to university age students, and affordable, are the areas that he should evaluate his model against, taken directly from his design brief.

Do you agree? Alex can take each point in turn to evaluate his model against.

For example, "Storage solution for kitchen utensils and cookery.

Sharp knives can be stored in the slots, which is safe.

Larger utensils such as ladles could hang from the front when hooks are added.

The compartments are open and some smaller items such as teaspoons could fall down and be really difficult to retrieve." Alex does two things when evaluating his model.

He looks for the positive things about his model, saying that the "Sharp knives can be stored in the slots, which is safe, and large utensils such as ladles could hang from the front when the hooks are added." These are both positives and would work really well.

He also suggests an improvement.

"The compartments are open and some smaller items such as teaspoons could fall down and be difficult to retrieve." This is an area that he could improve.

Alex can take each point in turn and evaluate his model.

So now we look at saving space.

"This design is neat.

It'll need to be secured to the wall though, so I need to think about a suitable fixing method." And "Efficient to use:" having all the utensils ready to grab when needed will be very efficient as there are no cupboards or drawers to open." We now move to task A.

Analyse and evaluate your model using one of the following methods.

Either evaluate against your user's wants and needs, evaluate against the design brief, or gather direct feedback from your user or testing of a model.

Pause the video and good luck.

Great.

Let's have a look at some of the answers you could have come up with.

Alex decided to gather some user feedback on his design idea.

Alex's user is his cousin who is in his first year at university studying economics.

Alex organised his cousin's feedback into a mind map.

He likes the separate storage compartments.

He needs a space for bulky items like the tin opener.

It would be great if it also had a built-in light, as it would be placed under the counter, which can be dark.

He likes the mix of compartments, slots, and hooks.

The hanging rail for a towel is not needed as there are hooks in the kitchen near the sink for that, and the compartments need to be closed, so small items cannot fall through.

Well done.

Alex then says, "The separate compartments on my design are effective at organising the different types of cutlery and kitchen utensils.

The compartments are open, and this could be amended to ensure smaller items do not fall down.

The hooks are useful, but the towel rail is not needed.

I need to modify the compartments to include a space for bulky items like the tin opener." The idea of adding a light is a good one, which I will investigate further.

Well done.

We now move to the part of the lesson, design iterations led by analysis and evaluation.

Once a designer has analysed and evaluated their design, they could use this to create a list of things that can be improved or what needs to remain the same.

This list can then be used to help develop further iterations of the design.

By using the evaluation points, the designer can make informed decisions that lead to effective improvements that also meet the needs and wants of the user.

We now have a check for understanding why do we use evaluations of our designs to develop further iterations.

Is it A, to reduce the time spent on thinking, B, to finish the project faster without changes, C, to avoid receiving any feedback, or D, to make informed decisions that lead to effective improvements? Pause the video and have a go.

Great.

Let's check.

That's right, it's D, to make informed decisions that lead to effective improvements.

Well done.

Alex analysed and evaluated his model.

'The separate compartments on my design are effective at organising the different types of cutlery and kitchen utensils.

The compartments are open and this could be amended to ensure small items do not fall down.

The hooks are useful, but the towel rail is not needed.

I need to modify the compartments to include a space for bulky items like the tin opener.

The idea of adding a light is a good one which I will investigate further." What are the main points from Alex's evaluation? Discuss this with the person next to you.

What did you decide? Alex's main points from his evaluation were: separate compartments should be included as they work well, the compartments need to be enclosed so items don't fall, the hooks are useful, but the towel rail is not needed, space to hold bulky items like the tin opener is needed, and consider adding a light.

We now move to task B.

Create a list of things to improve and things to keep based on your analysis and evaluation of your model.

And part 2, make a new iteration of your design as a 3D, physical model based on that list.

And part 3, check your iteration against your list to ensure you have met all the requirements.

Pause the video and have a go.

Fantastic.

Let's have a look at some of the answers you may have come up with.

Alex compared his model to the checklist to ensure he has met all the requirements.

Separate compartments should be included as they work well.

The compartments need to be enclosed so items don't fall.

The hooks are useful, but the towel rail is not needed.

Space for bulky items like the tin opener is needed.

And, consider adding a light.

Here is Alex's developed model.

We can see the yellow inserts, which mean the compartments are no longer open, so smaller items like teaspoons would be held more securely and wouldn't be difficult to retrieve.

We can also see that there are two single hooks and one double hook added to the front.

The double hook would be more suitable for the bulky items like the tin opener, and the single hooks would be suitable for things like ladles.

Well done.

We now have a summary of our learning today.

As part of the development stage of designing, iterations of models can take place.

Iteration is the process of refining and improving a design.

It is important to iterate your ideas to see if you can make them better, which you usually can.

Analysis and evaluation can be carried out on design ideas to aid iterations.

By using the evaluation points, the designer can make informed decisions that lead to effective improvements that meet the needs and wants of the user.

Well done, and thank you for joining me today.