What's covered
Key facts
Annotations are written notes added to a design drawing that explain features, materials or dimensions of the design.
A design journal (design folder) is a written and visual record of a designer's progress, decisions and testing.
A design context is the situation or environment in which a product will be used.
ACCESSFM is an analysis checklist standing for Aesthetics, Cost, Customer, Environment, Size, Safety, Function and Materials.
CAD lets designers produce fast, accurate drawings that are easy to change and reuse, without redrawing from scratch.
To evaluate a design means to check it against the specification and the needs of the user.
The design process is the sequence of steps used to take a problem through to a finished product.
Anthropometrics are measurements of the human body used to inform design.
CAD stands for computer-aided design: using computer software to create and edit design drawings.
Failed prototypes are valuable: reviewing why they failed shows what must be improved, so they should not be discarded without review.
Sample questions
A taste of the 38 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
What is an isometric drawing?
- ✓3D drawing with lines at 30° from horizontal
- •Flat 2D drawing with no depth
- •Photograph of a finished product
- •Side view of an object only
What does it mean to evaluate a design?
- ✓Check it against the specification and user needs
- •Compare it only to your own design
- •Sell it before checking quality
- •Throw it away if anything is wrong
What is the design process?
- •Buying ready-made items in a shop
- •Manufacturing identical parts at speed
- ✓Steps from problem to a finished product
- •Throwing a prototype away after testing
What is user-centred design?
- ✓Designing around the needs of the user
- •Designing for fastest production
- •Designing for the cheapest cost
- •Designing without any feedback
What is an orthographic drawing?
- •A 3D perspective sketch
- •A coloured promotional advertisement
- •An exploded diagram showing parts
- ✓Front, side, top views of an object
Why is user testing important?
- •Adds extra time to the project
- •Lets you reuse old materials
- ✓Reveals problems designers can't see
- •Saves cost of all the tools
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