New
New
Year 11

Define a design brief

I can define an effective design brief.

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New
New
Year 11

Define a design brief

I can define an effective design brief.

Link copied to clipboard

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A design brief must develop from identified design opportunities.
  2. A primary user is identified.
  3. A design brief which avoids fixation is defined.

Keywords

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

  • Primary user - the main person that you are designing for

  • Stakeholders - a person, group or organisation with an interest in a project

  • Needs - the essential requirements of the person

  • Wants - something which is needed or wanted

Common misconception

Pupils tend to define a product that they wish to design and make at this point. They become fixated on a design.

Pupils need to keep their design brief open so that it does not create design fixation.


To help you plan your year 11 design and technology lesson on: Define a design brief, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to follow design opportunities that they find interesting. This is a huge project and the more interested they are, the more likely they are to stay invested throughout.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment
  • Risk assessment required - outdoor learning

Supervision

Adult supervision required

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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6 Questions

Q1.
Who is the primary user of a product?
Correct answer: the person the product is designed for
the designer who makes the product
the person selling the product
anyone who sees the product
Q2.
A outlines the design opportunity and identifies a primary user's needs and wants.
Correct Answer: design brief
Q3.
What is the difference between needs and wants?
they are the same
wants are more important
needs are always cheaper
Correct answer: needs are essential, wants are optional
Q4.
When designing an umbrella, which of the following is a user need?
made from yellow material
Correct answer: made from a waterproof material
has a flowery design
has a handle made from plastic
Q5.
When designing a rucksack, which of the following would be a user want but not a user need?
made from a waterproof material to protect items inside
Correct answer: has a specific brand logo on the front
has adjustable straps for a comfortable fit
has strong stitching to carry heavy items
Q6.
What do we call something needed to make a product successful?
Correct answer: requirement
mistake
decoration
guess

4 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following best describes a design opportunity?
a step that comes after making the final product
a way to make a design more expensive
Correct answer: a chance to solve a problem or improve a product
an extra feature added randomly
Q2.
Why is a strong design brief important?
Correct answer: It ensures the product meets its intended purpose and user needs.
It only helps the designer choose colours and materials.
It makes the product more expensive.
It allows the designer to ignore user feedback.
Q3.
Successful design briefs are ___________ and ___________.
specific
Correct answer: non-specific
irrelevant to the context
Correct answer: relevant to the context
Q4.
What is an effective way to avoid fixation when defining a design brief?
Correct answer: consider multiple design ideas before making a decision
stick with the first idea no matter what
ignore new information and feedback
follow only one solution without exploring alternatives