Design strategies and communicating ideas · GCSE Design and Technology

Design strategies

User-centred design keeps the user's needs at the centre of every decision, often testing ideas with them.
Iterative design repeats a cycle of designing, making, testing and improving.
The systems approach breaks a product into inputs, processes and outputs.
Collaboration means working with others, such as clients, experts or other designers.
Design fixation is sticking to the first idea; strategies like sketching many ideas and taking inspiration from nature help avoid it.

Freehand sketching is quick for exploring ideas.
Isometric drawing shows a 3D object with vertical lines and lines at 30 degrees.
Oblique drawing shows the front face flat, with depth lines at 45 degrees.
Perspective drawing (one-point or two-point) uses vanishing points to look realistic.
Orthographic projection shows accurate front, side (end) and plan views, with dimensions, for manufacture. In the UK, third angle projection is usual.
Exploded drawings show how parts fit together. System and schematic diagrams show how circuits or systems work.

Annotation explains ideas, materials, sizes and how they meet the specification.
CAD produces accurate 2D and 3D drawings and renderings that can be changed easily and shared.
Models (in card, foam or with CAD) test proportions and function before making the final product.

Isometric drawing: A 3D drawing with lines at 30 degrees to the horizontal.
Oblique drawing: A 3D drawing with a flat front view and depth lines at 45 degrees.
Orthographic projection: Accurate front, side and plan views of an object for manufacture.
Exploded drawing: A drawing showing how parts fit together.
Annotation: Notes added to drawings to explain ideas.
User-centred design: Designing around the needs of the user.
Design fixation: Sticking to the first idea instead of exploring others.