Design Brief Foundations

Overview

In this first theory lesson of the 18-lesson “Design, Model and Make” unit, students are introduced to the Western Australian Design and Technologies process and project expectations. They analyse existing functional products, consider how materials and design decisions respond to user needs and sustainability, and unpack a design brief for a functional 3D-designed object.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• analyse how an existing designed product meets user needs and design requirements
• identify how materials, components, tools and processes contribute to a product’s function
• explain the purpose and key features of a design brief
• apply the values of Respect, Integrity and Excellence to design work
• begin developing design criteria for a functional 3D-designed object

Success criteria

• I can describe who a product is for and what need it addresses.
• I can explain how at least one material, component or process supports a product’s function.
• I can identify the user, purpose, constraints and requirements in a design brief.
• I can write clear design criteria, including a sustainability consideration.

Curriculum links

• Analyse needs and opportunities for designing, and investigate and select materials, systems, components, tools and equipment for designed solutions.
• Analyse how material properties and components can be combined to create functional designed solutions.
• Apply innovation and enterprise skills to generate, communicate and develop design ideas.
• Develop independent design criteria, including sustainability, to evaluate design ideas and solutions.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: What makes a product successful? Teacher displays three contrasting functional objects, such as a phone stand, reusable drink bottle and piece of jewellery, using the product comparison hook slides, and asks: “Which product is best designed, and what evidence supports your judgement?” Students make an individual judgement, then share one reason with a partner.

2. 5–15 min · Design process and expectations. Teacher uses the design process and project expectations slides to introduce the stages: investigate, define, generate, develop, make, test, evaluate and communicate. Explain that this unit will involve theory, CAD/modelling, making, testing and reflection. Connect classroom expectations to Respect (people, equipment and ideas), Integrity (honest research, safe practice and acknowledging influences) and Excellence (careful decisions, persistence and improvement). Students record one practical example of each value in their workbook.

3. 15–27 min · Analyse an existing product. Teacher models a functional analysis of one product, thinking aloud about its intended user, purpose, form, function, materials, components, manufacture, accessibility and environmental impact. Display prompts from the product analysis prompts and distribute the existing product analysis and design brief worksheet. In pairs, students analyse a selected product or teacher-provided image, recording evidence rather than unsupported opinions. Conduct a brief whole-class check, asking pairs to justify one judgement about the product’s design.

4. 27–40 min · Unpack the design brief. Teacher presents a sample brief for a functional 3D-designed object, such as: “Design and make a compact, stable phone stand for a secondary student’s study space. It must hold a phone securely, be suitable for digital modelling and manufacture, use materials responsibly and demonstrate considered form and function.” Use the design brief deconstruction slides to identify the client or user, need or opportunity, purpose, context, constraints, available technologies and expected outcome. Students highlight or label these features on the worksheet and use the exam command words reference mat to clarify the meaning of analyse, justify and evaluate.

5. 40–53 min · Develop design criteria. Teacher explains that strong criteria are specific, measurable where possible and linked to the brief. Model changing “It should look good” into “The form should be visually balanced and appropriate for a study space.” Students write at least five criteria for the sample object on the worksheet, including function, stability or safety, appearance, manufacturability and sustainability. Students then rank their criteria as essential or desirable and compare choices with another pair. Invite several students to justify one criterion and explain how it could later be tested.

6. 53–60 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher returns to the plenary and reflection slides and revisits the hook question. Students complete the worksheet exit response: “A design brief is important because…”, “One criterion I would test is…”, and “One way I will demonstrate Respect, Integrity or Excellence is…”. Collect worksheets to identify misconceptions and use responses to form pairs or groups for the next lesson.

Resources

• the complete Design Brief Foundations slide deck
• the existing product analysis and design brief worksheet
• the exam command words reference mat
• Images or physical examples of three functional designed products
• Sample design brief displayed or printed
• Student workbooks and pens
• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector or interactive display

Assessment

• Circulate during paired product analysis, checking whether students use evidence about users, function, materials and sustainability.
• Review design criteria for specificity, relevance to the brief and inclusion of sustainability; question students who cannot explain how a criterion could be tested.
• Use the final worksheet responses to assess understanding of the design process, design briefs and the school values, then address gaps at the beginning of lesson 2.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank and sentence starters such as “The intended user is…”, “This material is suitable because…” and “The design must…”.
• Offer students who need support a product with clear, familiar functions and allow verbal responses before writing; read the sample brief aloud and chunk each feature.
• Pair students strategically and provide a partially completed analysis table for students requiring additional organisation.
• Extend confident students by asking them to identify a trade-off, such as strength versus weight or appearance versus material use, and justify which priority should dominate.
• For EAL/D students, use labelled images, explicit modelling of technical vocabulary and partner rehearsal before written responses.