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What is the first thing a designer needs to identify before creating a solution?
The problem or need.
What is the purpose of a design specification?
Answer:
To establish clear criteria that the final solution should meet.
Question: What is a problem statement?
Answer: A clear description of the problem that needs to be solved.
Question: Who is the target audience?
Answer: The specific group of people who will use or benefit from the solution.
Question: What is the purpose of research in the Design Cycle?
To understand the problem, users, context, and possible solutions before designing.
What is the difference between primary and secondary research?
Primary research is information you collect yourself, such as interviews, surveys, or observations. Secondary research comes from existing sources, such as websites, books, and articles.
True or False: A designer should create only one idea before choosing a final design.
False. Designers should generate and explore multiple ideas before selecting/developing a solution
Question: Give one example of a method you could use to collect primary research.
Answer: A survey, interview, observation, experiment, or questionnaire.
Question: Which is primary research: reading an article about children’s playgrounds or interviewing children about their playground?
Answer: Interviewing children.
Question: Why should a designer research existing products?
Answer: To understand what already exists, identify strengths and weaknesses, and find opportunities for improvement.
A student writes: “Teenagers need better backpacks.” Why is this not a strong problem statement?
It is too broad and vague. It doesn’t clearly identify the specific problem, users, context, or needs.
Which is a better design specification?
A. “The product should look nice.”
B. “The product should use recycled materials and weigh less than 500 g.”
B
Question: A student is designing a chair for elderly people. Name two things they should investigate about the users.
Answer: Possible answers: comfort, mobility, physical needs, height, strength, safety, accessibility, preferences.
Question: What is the difference between describing and analyzing an existing product?
Answer: Describing tells us what the product is like. Analyzing explains why its features are successful or unsuccessful and how they relate to the user’s needs.
Question: Why is it important to use reliable sources when researching?
Answer: To make sure the information is accurate, trustworthy, and supported by evidence.
You are designing a lunch container for students. Which would be primary research?
A. Reading an article about school lunches
B. Watching a YouTube review of lunch containers
C. Surveying students about what they dislike about their lunch containers
D. Reading a company’s product description
Surveying students
Why is it useful to annotate a design?
Annotations explain how the design works, what materials/components are needed, dimensions, features, and design decisions.
Question: A student writes: *“I searched Google and found information about plastic pollution.” Why is this weak evidence of research?
Answer: It doesn’t identify specific sources or information, and simply searching Google does not demonstrate meaningful research or analysis.
Question: A student surveys only their two best friends and uses their answers to represent the entire school. What is the problem with this research?
Answer: The sample is too small and potentially biased, so the results may not represent the target users accurately.
Question: A student finds an existing water bottle that is popular but has a leaking lid. How could this information help them?
Answer: It could help identify an opportunity for improvement and lead to a design specification addressing the lid’s functionality.
A designer researches five existing products but only describes what each product looks like. What important part of analysis is missing?
They need to analyze the products — explaining their strengths, weaknesses, features, materials, function, users, and how these could influence their own design.
A student chooses their final design because “it is my favorite.” Why is this weak justification?
The choice should be justified using the design specifications and evidence, not simply personal preference.
Question: A student says, *“My target audience is everyone.” Why is this a weak target audience?
Answer: It is too broad. Different users have different needs, so the designer should identify a specific and relevant user group.
Question: You are designing a school backpack. Your research shows that students carry heavy books, frequently lose small items, and walk long distances. Give three possible design requirements based on this research.
Answer: Possible answers:
Question: Why should research findings influence your design rather than simply being included to “fill the page”?
Answer: Because research should provide evidence that informs design decisions and helps ensure the solution actually responds to the user’s problem.