Design opportunities
I can identify a broad range of design opportunities when investigating a context.
Design opportunities
I can identify a broad range of design opportunities when investigating a context.
Link copied to clipboard
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Contexts can be investigated using keywords, mind maps or user journeys.
- Context keywords can be further explored to give a personal perspective.
- Context investigations can identify a range of design opportunities or problems to solve.
Keywords
Context - the situation within which something exists or happens
Design opportunity - a gap, or a need where a new or improved product would be beneficial
Iterative - refining and improving
Design fixation - consider only one possible solution
Common misconception
Pupils often think they they need to know what they are designing and making straight away.
Pupils need to explore the context fully first to identify lots of possible design problems to solve before narrowing it down.
To help you plan your year 11 design and technology lesson on: Design opportunities, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 design and technology lesson on: Design opportunities, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 design and technology lessons from the Iterative Design Principles unit, dive into the full secondary design and technology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Content guidance
- Risk assessment required - equipment
- Risk assessment required - outdoor learning
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Starter quiz
6 Questions
the situation within which something exists or happens
a gap, or a need where a new or improved product would be beneficial
refining and improving
consider only one possible solution