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Using research to inform design requirements

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can analyse research to inform design requirements.

Key learning points

  1. How existing products, environments and services support wellbeing.
  2. Analysis of how existing products, environments and services can inspire design solutions.

Keywords

  • Design brief - outlines the design opportunity and identifies a primary user's needs and wants

  • Design requirements - something which is needed or wanted to make a product successful

  • Inspiration - someone or something that gives you ideas

  • Research technique - a method for finding out design requirements

  • Design fixation - consider only one possible solution

Common misconception

Research is just “copying” existing designs.

Designers critically analyse existing solutions to understand strengths/weaknesses for inspiration of new ideas.

Teacher tip

Use familiar case studies (apps, furniture, fidget tools) and deliberately show both strong and weak inclusivity examples.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What does 'empathy' mean in design?

making products look stylish
copying other designers’ work
Correct answer: imagining user experiences and challenges
reducing manufacturing costs

Q2.
User- design puts the needs and experiences of the user at the heart of the design process.

Correct Answer: centred, centre

Q3.
Which of these is an example of unempathetic design?

a website with adjustable text sizes
Correct answer: a school desk that only suits one body type
an app with calming colours and gentle reminders
headphones that reduce background noise

Q4.
Match each keyword to its definition:

Correct Answer:inclusive design,creating products and services that work for as many users as possible

creating products and services that work for as many users as possible

Correct Answer:persona,a fictional user profile showing needs, challenges, and goals

a fictional user profile showing needs, challenges, and goals

Correct Answer:diversity,recognising differences in people’s needs, priorities, and abilities

recognising differences in people’s needs, priorities, and abilities

Q5.
Designers must consider different user such as comfort, focus, and mental wellbeing.

Correct Answer: needs, need

Q6.
What does 'diversity' mean in design?

making designs more colourful and stylish
creating only one product for everyone to use in the same way
designing mainly for the average user
Correct answer: recognising that users have different needs, priorities, and abilities

6 Questions

Q1.
How can you avoid design fixation when writing a design brief?

conduct lots of research
Correct answer: be non-specific
be specific
conduct minimal research

Q2.
Match the keyword to its correct definition:

Correct Answer:design brief,outlines the design opportunity and identifies a primary user

outlines the design opportunity and identifies a primary user

Correct Answer:design requirements,something which is needed or wanted to make a product successful

something which is needed or wanted to make a product successful

Correct Answer:inspiration,someone or something that gives you ideas

someone or something that gives you ideas

Correct Answer:research technique,a method for finding out design requirements

a method for finding out design requirements

Q3.
Taking apart a product to see how it is made and the components is called a ...

An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: product disassembly, disassembly

Q4.
Which of the following is not a research technique?

product disassembly
exploring existing products
exploring the work of past and present designers
completing a shop visit
Correct answer: drawing design ideas

Q5.
Research techniques help to define ...

Correct Answer: design requirements, requirements

Q6.
Visiting a shop to look at the range of products they sell is an example of ...

a design brief
product disassembly
design requirements
Correct answer: a research technique

To help you plan your 10 design and technology lesson on: Using research to inform design requirements, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...