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Year 11

Innovation

I can use a range of strategies to create design ideas which avoid design fixation.

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New
New
Year 11

Innovation

I can use a range of strategies to create design ideas which avoid design fixation.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Link copied to clipboard

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A wide range of design strategies can be used to avoid design fixation.
  2. Design decisions are made throughout the iterative journey.

Keywords

  • Design strategy - a method of generating ideas

  • Iterative - refining and improving

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

  • Design decisions - a deliberate choice to meet a requirement or solve a problem

  • Design fixation - consider only one possible solution

Common misconception

Three design ideas are enough to avoid design fixation.

There are many ways to generate design ideas that avoid design fixation and produce a range of successful ideas that pupils can develop on their iterative journey.


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

Remind pupils to say how and why they generated the ideas. Many of the strategies need to be attributed to who or what generated them. Pupils must draw their own conclusions and justify their design decisions, as it is their own individual iterative design journey.
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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the steps of an iterative design process in the correct order.
1 - develop a design idea
2 - gather feedback
3 - test the revised idea
4 - make improvements
Q2.
A design decision is a __________ choice made to meet a requirement or solve a problem.
random
Correct answer: deliberate
accidental
Q3.
Design __________ happens when a designer focuses too early on one idea.
Correct answer: fixation
specification
decision
Q4.
Which of these helps generate ideas at the beginning of a design project?
choosing a colour scheme
drawing one detailed design
Correct answer: using a mind map or mood board
building the final model
Q5.
What is the purpose of using different design strategies?
to finish the project faster
to add more colour to your design
Correct answer: to find the best idea by exploring many options
to avoid working with other people
Q6.
Which of the following helps avoid design fixation?
sticking to your first idea
sketching only one version
Correct answer: exploring a wide range of design strategies
focusing on decoration early on

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a design strategy?
a finished drawing of a product
Correct answer: a method for generating and developing ideas
a list of materials
a way to sell a product
Q2.
The process helps designers improve their ideas through testing and refinement.
Correct Answer: iterative
Q3.
Match the keyword to its definition
Correct Answer:design fixation,focusing on only one idea

focusing on only one idea

Correct Answer:design decision,a deliberate choice made to solve a problem

a deliberate choice made to solve a problem

Correct Answer:design requirement,something needed or wanted for the product to succeed

something needed or wanted for the product to succeed

Correct Answer:design strategy,a method used to develop creative ideas

a method used to develop creative ideas

Q4.
Put the steps in order for developing a design idea.
1 - use a strategy to explore multiple ideas
2 - select and develop one idea
3 - refine and test the idea
4 - evaluate the decision against the requirement
Q5.
Match the strategy to its description.
Correct Answer:mood board,collects images and materials to inspire design

collects images and materials to inspire design

Correct Answer:sketching variations,draws multiple versions of an idea

draws multiple versions of an idea

Correct Answer:user interviews,gathers opinions and needs from potential users

gathers opinions and needs from potential users

Correct Answer:mind mapping,organises ideas around a central theme

organises ideas around a central theme

Q6.
Order the design process actions
1 - use strategies to generate ideas
2 - avoid early fixation by exploring options
3 - test and refine selected ideas
4 - record decisions and reflect