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      Testing and modifications: textiles

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can test and evaluate the manufactured prototype.

      Key learning points

      1. Designers test and evaluate final prototypes against the brief and specification.
      2. Different aspects of the final prototype should be tested.
      3. It is important to justify proposed modifications.

      Keywords

      • Evaluation - checking how good something is and how to make it better

      • Design specification - describes what a product has to do

      • Destructive testing - testing that destroys the material or product

      • Non-destructive testing - testing without destroying the material or product

      • Modifications - making changes or adjustments to improve or alter a design

      Common misconception

      Once a final product is complete, no further iterations or improvements are needed.

      Designers constantly seek to improve and develop their designs and products, no product is ever perfect.

      Teacher tip

      Encourage students to think of their own tests that are personal and specific to their prototype rather than generic tests.

      Equipment

      Original design brief and specification. Final prototype.

      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 ‘iterate’ mean?

      start a design from scratch
      finalise a design without changes
      Correct answer: refine and improve a design

      Q2.
      What is the name of someone who is asked questions as part of an interview?

      Correct Answer: interviewee

      Q3.
      What type of question in an interview prompts a short, specific response?

      Correct answer: closed
      open-ended
      behavioural

      Q4.
      What type of feedback can you usually expect to get from your user on your final prototype?

      Correct answer: ergonomics
      materials
      Correct answer: aesthetics
      Correct answer: function
      technical testing

      Q5.
      Put the success criteria for gathering, analysing, evaluating and iterating into the correct order.

      1 - Consider what information you want to learn from your user.
      2 - Decide on a method of gathering feedback based on your decision.
      3 - Record your findings and analyse the information.
      4 - Evaluate your findings by organising them into www and ebi.
      5 - Use the ebi to plan and carry out future improvements and iterations.

      Q6.
      Why must feedback be analysed?

      Correct answer: to make it useful for the designer
      to replace the designer’s original ideas
      to increase the amount of feedback received

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      What can we evaluate a final prototype against?

      initial design ideas
      Correct answer: design specification
      existing product

      Q2.
      Why do designers evaluate their prototype against the design specification?

      to ignore any flaws found in the product
      to change the original design completely
      Correct answer: to ensure that the final product meets the required standards

      Q3.
      What type of testing does NOT destroy the material or product?

      Correct Answer: non-destructive testing, non-destructive, non destructive

      Q4.
      How can future modification be presented?

      Correct answer: sketching
      Correct answer: modelling
      writing another specification
      Correct answer: using CAD
      writing a letter

      To help you plan your 10 design and technology lesson on: Testing and modifications: textiles, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...