GCSE Coursework2019

GCSE top tips to success• Meet deadlines set, use the Power Point to identify when each section is due.

• Fill each page fully- no white space. Use a font size of 12.

• Act on feedback given.

• Attend catch up sessions regularly and don’t leave tasks to the last minute. Little and often is a much better option. Catch up sessions run weekly from September and you can opt to attend them through the broader curriculum programme.

• KIS- keep it simple. A well-designed product which functions well with a high level of finish will gain more marks than a complex, non-functioning and poorly finished product.

• Talk with the end user regularly and choose somebody close to hand who is willing to give you time and feedback. An iterative approach to the project is essential. Design decisions should be based on client feedback.

• Come to lessons with a plan of what you want to achieve plus an alternative if you can’t use machinery as planned. Remember we have only one of some technical equipment.

• Have the correct equipment. A camera or tablet may be useful to record and evidence your work. This will save you having to share the department’s cameras.

Contextual Challenges

• Theme 1 Primary schools

• (a) How can products be used to teach children in Reception or infants about different cultures?

• (b) How can products be used to make playtime in the primary school playground more interactive and fun?

• Theme 2 Hotels

• (a) How can products be used to create a relaxing environment?

• (b) How can products be used to promote and support special occasions or events?

• Theme 3 Supermarkets

• (a) How can products be used to encourage customers to eat healthily?

• (b) How can products be used to encourage the donation of food items to food banks in stores?

• Choose one context to investigate.

Useful guides

• Bitesize GCSE-Edexcel-Design and technology-NEA project skills

Investigating, Designing, Making and evaluating.

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zvg4d2p

• http://www.technologystudent.com/

• Book- Design and Technology Edexcel GCSE(9-1) – Pages 313 to 336

Investigation of needs

To get started you will need to:

• Choose a context and identify a problem to solve (Issued by your teacher).

• Mind map the context.

• Analyse the task- who, where, why, when and how.

• Observe someone performing a task (Page 315)

• Identify the users requirements (Page 315)

• Interview a user or group (Page 316)

• Deadline- end of June. The following pages are high level exemplar pages which will help you to produce your own work on your chosen theme.

Contextual challenge chosen: How can products be used to improve the experience of people attending a festival

Client or user group:Neil & Brand Events staff who organise and run many events including: pub in the park, handmaid fare and carfest

Identification of design possibilities: (table)

Idea

(more information on page 2,design possibilities)

Chosen possibility:Bunting storage system

Assessment of user:Needs:A functioning bunting storage system for the majority of the compony bunting that travels around the country to many different events and festivals. It will need to replace the current buckets that hold the bunting Wants:A bunting storage system that is light weight and easy to be carried preferably based on a wheel system so can be rolled and unrolledeasily

Prototype requirements (in response to the contextual challenge):Form: needs to be compact, easy to use, look ‘neat and organised’, strong and durable Function: allow quick access to the bunting so more can be put up quickly to allow a better experience for those preparing. Giving more time to improve the experience of those attending. Will also be cleared up more quickly and kept neater, again giving more time for the next show to prepare and make the site look and feel nicer for those attending

Full analysis of problem: (table)

Image 1: some of the red, white and blue bunting

Image 3: an image of a small proportion of the bunting needed to store

Image 2: an image of me demonstrating the current method of storing the bunting

What I need to know

Why I need to know it How I am going to findit out

Form/function orclients needs/wants

Interacting objects So I can design my project to fit where it needs to go etc.

Measure it when I am working at the festivalis working and have free time

Function and client needs

Clients views So I can create a project the client likes and is happy with

Email the client with a form to fill with hisviews

Form and function and client wants

Relevant anthropocentric data

So that my design and product can be easy to manoeuvre

Measuring clients Hands etc.

Function and needs

Any successful features in existing products

So I Can base my design on these to create a functioningsystem

Research online about relevant products that my client approves of

Form and function and wants

Idea Positives Negatives

Tool box All crew need a tool box

Could only make one and not major problem

Bunting storage system

Clients chosen idea bunting always tangled

Too much bunting

Key organiser Keys always being lost for buggy's and plant

Would need to be changed every year

Wheelchair accessible ramp

Help wheelchair accessible attendants

Not client specific

Photo of Client

researchDesign possibilities

Process of production:To find out what my client wanted I sent him the following email:

From his answers to this together we worked out which was his and my favourite and decided considering all different difficulties which idea I should base my project on.

The original ideas both my client and I had from the email I sent are on the left we believed all ideas had pros and cons but the one we finally decided on was the bunting storage system.

Once we had decided on an idea we then moved on to how he wanted everything to look and function…

Possibility: tool box

Why: every crew member needs the necessary tools to take out on site, they also go out in many different sized vehicles.

Positives: very important for all crew and helps organisation can be all kept together.

Negatives: over 30 needed and needed to fit buggy's and plant that are all different sizes so would need different sized boxes.

Client views: ‘is important but have got temporary ones that are in use so not urgent especially as relevant event is only twice a year’

Justification to contextual challenge: it helps to improve efficiency of the set up and would lead to more time spent on the aesthetics and safety on site and at the event

Possibility: bunting storage system

Why: as all bunting gets tangled and is a problem that takes somebody all day to sort out and there is no current system in place.

Positives: would really help to speed up the process of the build of the event if untangling and potentially measuring the bunting that is key to the aesthetics of the festival.

Negatives: needs to be moved to many different events over the event season and there is over 2km of bunting.

Client views: ‘would be very useful and would not take as many work hours meaning more jobs can be done.’

Justification to contextual challenge: it helps to improve efficiency of the set up and would lead to more time spent on the aesthetics and safety on site and at the event

Possibility: key organiser

Why: keys always getting lost needs a board that will separate all and label each number separately.

Positives: will make keys much easier to keep track of and help keep the office organised also make it clear who has got what key so they don’t get lost.

Negatives: key numbers and slots would need to be changed easily and has to fit a range of keys in as many slots as 100.

Client views: ‘is not urgently important and therefore we could benefit from another tool/project.’

Justification to contextual challenge: It helps the build to work smoothly without any loss of keys, meaning more money can be spent on products for the event or festival

Possibility: wheelchair ramp

Why: many steps on site that can bedifficult for some wheelchair accessible visitors to get up.

Positives: would possibly speed up congestion on site and make the festival experience for those in wheelchairs more enjoyable.

Negatives: are not many steps on site that have steps that are able to ramp as show is very wheelchair accessible.

Client views: ‘the company tries to make the site as accessible for all, also is not an urgent, significant problem and we could benefit more from another product.’

Justification to contextual challenge: it would directly help the people at the festival who have wheelchair needs and help them to have a better experience.

Why bunting solution is so needed

On the site at many of the festivals that require the bunting there is always a day or two taken for 1 or 2 workers, this will lead to more time being spent on this and less on the rest of the safety and aesthetic jobs which can and has lead to problems such as laceration's in the past,

There are no solutions currently in place to deal with the bunting and how it is stored and manoeuvring when loading and unloading, this leads to persistent tangling and other similar problems, this again affects workers time and motivation.

The bunting is currently kept in two large bins and this causes problems such as tangling, even if it is loaded very well, this tangling is caused because of how loosely strained it is kept and also how the movement of the crate can be bumpy and cause further tangling.

As many people are tasked with the job, there are many different effective methods that can get confused with each other and cause less productivity and potential conflict, for example if someone packed up the bunting very neatly and then the next person to offload it dumped it on the floor and started from there.

What this teaches me, I will need to create a fast and simple solution that is easy to use and interpret , it should also be effective in what it does and not take longer then around 6 hrs to load, it should be easy to use by one person with instructions on a visible location .

Interviewing the client.

‘I would really like a collector that can be stored easily and efficiently, with many different boxes on top.’ - function

‘It would be brilliant if it could keep all the bunting on it'-function

‘The company would really benefit from a product that can measure the product as this can take over 2 days for a worker and we can not afford to lose this amount of time’ –function

‘I want something that go out to where it is needed and collect and offload the right amount that is needed at the right point, weather this is done through the design or a process I don’t mind’ -function

‘It doesn’t need to look too aesthetically pleasing as it is not going to be seen by any punters’ -form

‘It also needs to survive all the weather and cannot let weather influence its performance, weather can be so influential to the speed of the set up or break down’ -function

Process of production:I wanted to analyse further what the problem was so I went through with the client and we came up with many different points, this helped me to further my analysis of this project and what it would solve and why it was so needed

I also interviewed the client to find out what kinds of specifications he wanted to achieve.

-I learnt from this that function is clearly most important for the client

First design brief: I will need to create a product that can measure and store 2km or more of bunting, it will need to increase the efficacy of the job, the product will have to decrease time and effort spent on the bunting in order to create more time for other jobs that will enhance the experience for punters at the festival it will have to be weatherproof and be able to store boxes on top of it.

A photo of my client who I interviewed

An image of an example of the tangling problem

Photo of client

ResearchCollect as much information about the problem you intend solving as you can. This must be completed over the summer holidays.

To get started you should:

• Investigate existing products and analyse them (Page 316).

• Disassemble a similar product and record how it works, materials, sizes (page 317).

• Collect ergonomic and anthropometric data from your client group (Page 316).

• Materials and components which could be suitable (Page 318).

• Joining methods, mechanisms.

• Sizes and weights of interacting objects (Page 318).

• Aesthetics- designers, colours, patterns, textures (Page 318).

• Laws that may be relevant that must be considered in the design (Page 318).

• Social, moral and ethical considerations.

• Environmental considerations- 6 R’s, sustainability (Page 318).

• Deadline- Start of Michaelmas term. This is worth 8 marks with the investigation. The following pages are high level exemplar pages which will help you to produce your own work on your chosen theme.

Interacting objects: focus: bunting

Interacting objects : focus: storage of product

Process of production:To find out the length of the bunting I potentially had to store in my product I had to measure it all myself. (my process is on the right)

Once I had measured the bunting I learnt that it would be very hard to create a storage system big enough to fit all the bunting in especially as I learnt that 1000 more meters had been ordered

As I realised the scale of the project I discussed with my client and we decided that my project should either be a quick way to store the bunting or a storage system for a small section or type.

Cont.The product will be stored in a container, it will need to be strong and compact ideally so that it can take the weight of anything above it and doesn't take up too much space, as it will be needed to go to multiple events over the summer.

How I measured 800meters of bunting :

During the set up of carfest north I travelled up to work with my dad and I did some work to help with the event

Throughout around 2 of the days I would go out to the crate and untangle and measure the company owned bunting that travels around most of the events (not all of the bunting on site

The current storage system for the bunting was the ‘bunting bin’ and because this method of storing is not very effective it was extremely tangled.1. I went out with the following equipment:

1. Pen & Paper2. Sharp scissors3. Two electrical poles4. A measuring wheel

2. With the measuring wheel I measured the two electrical poles about 5 meters apart

3. Then I untangled the individual lengths of bunting 4. (if there was a piece too tangled I would cut it using

the scissors and if the lengths where too short I would tie them onto another piece)

5. Then with each individual length I walked them round the poles and took down the measurement on the paper

6. Finally I found the overall length of the bunting and some different categories.

An image of the equipment that I used when measuring the bunting

All the notes I took about the process of the bunting including some client views

An image displaying the two electrical poles I used at 5m apart to measure the length of the bunting

This is the final typed up version of all the bunting that was able to be measured at the time since then more bunting has been ordered but by the clients wants this is all the bunting he needs to be kept in the storage system:

Process of production:In order to see how much bunting the client had I put all my results on to this spread sheet, this was beneficial to me as I would know how much bunting there was.

this was also beneficial to a lot of the crew as they used this information to see weather they had too much or too little and also to delegate out what could go where.

Using the information that I produced they went on to buy another 1000m of bunting as they realised they did not have enough.

After this survey was taken there was an order for 1km more of bunting all in lengths of 20 meters

Relevant anthropometric data

Process of production:To find the relevant anthropometric data I measured my clients hand and took down the recordings that are on the right

I know that not only my client would be using the product, as the product I am making is going to be used by many different members of crew. therefore I cannot make it specific to one person

In order to create a product that would fit more then one person I researched ideas and products that can be used by multiple people.

After considering the research and discussing with m client I have decided that the grip of the handles should be cylinder and around 100 long and 30 in diameter as shown by the example shape below.

As this solution to small handles/grips explains, I found that a hand is more comfortable when its grip is not too small; as the hand can get cramps from being too closed under any weight. Also if a grip is too small I know that it can be difficult to keep hold of as the pressure is only on one point and not spread.

The shape of the image above is meant to be the ‘perfect grip’ shape. although It will be difficult to recreate this I can take a few points that the shape has no sharp points this means that the user does not get injured from the product also it is a cylinder shape meaning it is easier to hold on to

I researched through many different sources as to what sizes the average uk person was as this would help me to create a product that can be used easily by all those who need to on site, I also measured my client in order to find his size as he is around average height and size for someone who is working at the festival. one size I came back to was the size with hands Flat in front which was 1300mm

Successful features on existing products

Process of production:To make sure my product was both aesthetically pleasing and worked normally, I realised I needed to research a few different ideas.

From the ideas I found I picked apart all the positives and negatives and highlighted the ones that I could incorporate into my design

The main points I should think to include is; the bunting being pulled tight, I need somewhere to keep the end of the bunting, to have a stand, aesthetically pleasing, to make it compact enough to be stored but not too small, not to be made out of a brittle material.

Product disassembly

Process of production:In order too gain further knowledge on how to design and build my project. But because bunting storage systems are not very easy things to find, I decided I could look on disassemble a product that sores similar equipment to bunting such as rope or hose pipe,

I took away the positives for my product design and tried to notice and remove any negatives for my design

The handle moves with the wheel that collects bunting so it can be loaded and unloaded stationary , this adds another good function. But with it sticking out it can cause functional and health and safety problems

The wheels are separate to any other function and this means that it is moved without anything else being moved or affected this allows for easy movement.

The handle is higher then the rest of the product this means it uses a class levers in order to lower the effort for the user. It is also at a comfortable size for the user and at a nice height of 1meter

The part of the product that collected the hose, the part where it was collected is much smaller then the outer wheel, this means it can take much thicker parts allowing there to be many layers. Also It is not one metal sheet, meaning it is lighter weight.

The product had many positives and a few negatives:

Positives:Carry large amount of thick hoseEasy to use Can fit in a trailer

Negatives :It is very heavy Odd shape hard to store

I will try to keep as many positives in order to improve the depth of design, I will also try to eradicate the negatives for my design to ‘learn from the mistakes’ of the other designer

Client views/ideas

Process of production:In order to find out what my client wanted me to include/incorporate into my design I sent him some emails and spoke with him. This would be more detailed then the previous ideas he had created

To display the information I received I used a table and added to it every point and decided with him if it was vital or preferable.

From this information I decided that I must include a space for a whiteboard and also that storing all 2km of bunting was not vital but still preferable. the ideas of the client will should help influence my design and overall project.

An example of one of the emails I sent to my client In order to further my knowledge about what the client needed/wanted.

what my client wants/needs How important it is How/if I can use it in my project

To store 2km of bunting with out tangling Important but ok if not all the bunting is held Try to make sure it have enough space on my project for all the bunting so add to my designs

Be based on a rotary motion idea Not vital, but preferable Base my design and product on this idea using ideas from objects such as a hose pipe reel

Have a space for a white board or equivalent Suggestion not important; only if all else is done to a high standard

Try to get everything done well and quickly so I can add on suggestions like this for the benefit of my client

Be compact and able to withstand some 20kg ormore weight.

One of the most Important as cannot break otherwise will be useless

Make the project out of strong materials that are also durable and will not break

Measure to a high degree of accuracy the bunting on the machine

Important for reference and future uses Make there be a scale on the product given by information e.g.. Every 5 spins = 8meters of bunting

Design Brief and Specification

• Design Brief

To start the project off you will need to write a short statement that identifies what you plan to do , for whom, where it will be used and reasons why you have chosen to follow this route. Your investigation and research should inform this statement. (Page 318)

• Specification

This is one of the most important pages in your design folder as it will be used throughout all the design sections to refer to in relation to the success or failure of your designs. It is a list of design requirements from your research that are realistic, technical and measurable and justified. It should consider function and performance, customer/user, form/aesthetics, cost/scale of production, environment/sustainability, safety precaution, size, materials and components (Page 318 to 321).

Deadline- 13th September. This is worth 8 marks.

design brief and specification:

categories My bunting storage system must Justification How I will test it

Safety Not have any outlying sharp edges that could put the user at risk

Injury could cause a loss of productive time that could be spent improving the festival for punters

Review final prototype to see if it is safe for edges

Not fall over on lots of different surfaces and angles if ground and track

So that it doesn’t break and cause sharper edges or fall on top of workers

Do relevant calculations to find centre of mass and where it will be stable

Size Be compact size that can hold boxes on top of that are different shapes and sizes

So that it doesn’t take up much space in the crate, and it can have space for other products and wont increase time spent moving around the crate to avoid it.

Put boxes on top and check balance on final product

Be able to carry at least 20kg on top of it at any one point

To decrease the effect on storage space the product has on space in the crate.

Test with 20kg weight

Final design brief:to design and build an easy to use prototype that collects and stores bunting, it should be able to tell the amount of bunting being kept on the product at any one time with references on the bunting and the product, through the use of a developed system and whiteboard. It should be easy to use and learn to use by both one and two people. The product should be compacted but have strength to hold weight that is common in the crates. The prototype should be safe for use as there cannot be any time wasted for workers as the product would not be doing its job. The design should be based on a rotary idea as this is what the client has specified. The product should be made out of weatherproof materials and an external finish should be applied in order to achieve this, in depth research should be carried out to make the prototype as good as possible.

Design Ideas

Use a range of communication techniques e.g. 2D and 3D drawings, SketchUp, cut and paste, photography. If you struggle to draw an idea due to its complexity, make a model using compliant materials or plasticine may be more appropriate. Ideas should be original and interesting. Use a design movement or designer, theme, biomimicry (copying nature), sculptures, architecture to inspire your thoughts and ideas. To get top marks your design will need a lot of annotation. Always respond to the design brief, specification, research and feedback from your customer. (Page 323 and 324).

Deadline- 27th September. This section is worth 8 marks.

Review of Initial Ideas

• To take your best ideas forward to be developed it is essential that you review them with feedback from your user and critically analyse them against your design brief and specification. It is a good strategy to traffic light each design against the specification. Red meaning it does not meet the criteria, amber- partially and green meaning it does. This will highlight areas of each design which require modifications and improvements in the development process. (Page 324). Try and review your work continually throughout the design process to get top marks.

• Deadline- 4th October. This section is worth 8 marks.

Development of design ideasDoes your design respond correctly to your design brief?

What design requirements from your specification does your design not meet? (traffic light)

What do you need to do/find out to enable all the requirements to be met?

Could you merge successful features from other design ideas?

How will it work? Mechanisms, electronics, smart materials.

Joining, assembly methods. What components do you need to design around?

Specific materials?

How will it be made? Processes. Will you need to produce a former, mold or a fixture/jig, templates or computer aided drawings to laser cut.

Aesthetics- shape/form (use the scared acronym), patterns, colour and texture.

Ergonomics and anthropometric data.

Sustainability and health and safety considerations.

Make models (10 plus) and test them against the specification. Make improvements and retest.

Technical drawings- orthographic, isometric, exploded, cross sectional, assembly.

Cutting lists and costing of the product is required. (Pages 325 and 326)

Deadline- 8th November. This section is worth 12 marks.

Review of chosen design

• Once you have fully developed your design idea and have taken into account user feedback, you will have finalised your design. It is essential that you produce a final drawing with all your design decisions and analyse it against your specification. Throughout the whole of the project but particularly the ideas and development stage of the project you need to review each page and get feedback comments from your client/user. List the pro’s and con’s of the designs/developments you have made. Include this table regularly throughout your coursework.

• There is no deadline for this section as it is ongoing throughout your coursework. This section is worth 6 marks.

Pro’s Con’s Client feedback Response/Direction to take

Making- selection of materials

Marks will be gained for using the correct materials for the product in regard to its use and properties. It is advised that you show appropriate selection of materials in your research, ideas and development annotation. Prior to making the product, produce a page dedicated to the materials you have chosen for the product giving reasons and justification for their selection. Use photos taken in your development of experiments you carried out to test materials. You will also be awarded marks for calculating how much material you require to produce your product. A cutting list would be an ideal way to show you have considered this and a costing sheet to show you have considered the economics aspect of the material selection. (Page 329-332).

Deadline- 15th November. This section is worth 8 marks.

Making-skills and processes

To achieve the highest mark you must:

• Produce a prototype/product which fully demonstrates competent making skills.• Fully consider selection of fixtures, components and fittings.

• Demonstrate competent use of tools, equipment and techniques.

• Demonstrate a sustained high degree of safe working practice.

• The product should use a range of materials and processes that are challenging and the product should be finished to a high level. (Pages 329-332).

Deadline 14th February. This section is worth 16 marks.

Making- quality and accuracy

The prototype/product should:

Be fully functioning and meet the end users needs in relation to a demanding design problem.

Fully meets the design specification.

Show a sound understanding of the need for accuracy.

When making the product you must produce a photo diary evidencing you measuring and checking your product as it develops e.g. using a try square to check for squareness, measuring using a Vernier caliper or the use of a template or drilling jig. (Pages 329-332).

Deadline- 14th February. This section is worth 12 marks.

Evaluation

• You should be evaluating your work throughout the design folder. However once the prototype/product is completed you need to take it to the end user and test it out in situ. E.g. a portable storage unit for a bicycle should be fixed to a bike by the end user and tested out to see if it functions well and is aesthetically pleasing.

• Analyse/test and evaluate your product against your specification. The specification will have measurable criteria e.g. size, weight, should hold ten etc.

• Observe your end user using the product and analyse its effectiveness.

• After testing the product suggest how it could be modified or improved. (Pages 334 to 335).

• Evaluate how sustainable it is by carrying out a life cycle analysis (Page 61).

• Final project deadline 28th February.