Design and Applied Technology Basics: Design Process and Materials
FoundationThis lesson introduces the design cycle — identifying needs, research and specification, idea generation, prototyping, testing, and evaluation and improvement — as the core framework designers use to turn everyday needs into workable products.
- The design cycle has six stages — identifying needs, research and specification, idea generation, prototyping, testing, evaluation and improvement — and can loop back on itself.
- Identifying needs means separating genuine needs from wants and defining the target users.
- A design specification lists required functions, size, materials and safety, and serves as the yardstick for evaluation.
文體小知識：科技知識說明文——介紹設計循環六個階段的次序與要點，並說明腦震盪、腦圖、原型等思考工具的用法。
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1Design is the process of turning ideas into useful products, and the design cycle is the thinking map behind that process. It begins with identifying a need, then moves through research and specification, idea generation, prototyping and testing, and finally evaluation and improvement. It is a loop that can be revisited at any stage, not a one-way line, and designers often return to earlier stages after testing.
2Every design starts with identifying a need. Designers observe daily life, notice users' difficulties and expectations, and distinguish a genuine need from a mere want. Research follows, gathering user opinions and studying existing products; the need is then written up as a clear design specification covering function, size, materials and safety requirements, which guides all the work that comes after.
3Two common tools for generating ideas are brainstorming and the mind map. Brainstorming aims to produce many ideas in a short time; its rules are to delay judgement, favour quantity, and build freely on other people's suggestions. A mind map grows outward from a central topic, organising scattered associations into a network. Designers then record ideas as quick freehand sketches and select the strongest concepts to develop.
4A prototype turns an idea into something touchable and workable, often made from easy-to-work materials such as card or foam board, or produced with rapid forming technologies like 3D printing. Testing reveals problems early, while evaluation checks the prototype against the specification item by item and points to improvements. Products mature through these repeated cycles, one refinement at a time.
1Summary 重點摘要
This lesson introduces the design cycle — identifying needs, research and specification, idea generation, prototyping, testing, and evaluation and improvement — as the core framework designers use to turn everyday needs into workable products.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The design thinking process from identifying needs to evaluation and improvement, which can loop back on itself.
A genuine gap or requirement of users that design aims to satisfy.
A list stating the required functions, size, materials and safety of a product.
An idea-generation method that defers judgement to produce many ideas quickly.
A diagram that branches outward from a central topic to organise associations.
A quick freehand drawing used to record and communicate ideas.
A model built from an idea to test and verify the concept.
The stage of operating a prototype to check whether it performs as required.
Judging a design against the specification item by item to find improvements.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Understanding design and the design cycleDesign is purposeful creation: designers first understand human needs, then apply knowledge of technology and materials to create products that solve problems. The design cycle divides the process into six stages — identifying needs, research and specification, idea generation, prototyping, testing, and evaluation and improvement — and any stage can be revisited. For example, when a designer notices that elderly people struggle to twist off bottle caps, the whole cycle begins from this need and ends with an easy-grip cap.
- Step 2: Identifying needs and usersIdentifying the need is the starting point. Through observation, interviews and questionnaires, designers learn about users' difficulties and expectations, and distinguish a need from a want: a need concerns a problem that must be solved, while a want is merely a bonus. The target users must also be defined clearly. For example, sports users need a one-handed, leak-proof bottle, while young children need a light bottle made of safe materials — different users lead to different design priorities.
- Step 3: Research and the design specificationResearch covers collecting user opinions, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of existing products, and checking safety expectations, so that the specification is grounded in evidence. A design specification is a clear list of targets, typically covering function, size and weight, materials, safety, appearance and cost. Take a folding fan as an example: its specification might state that it folds into a pocket-sized form, has a guarded blade and opens with one hand; every idea is later checked against these items.
- Step 4: Generating ideas — brainstorming and mind mapsIdea generation values quantity before quality. Brainstorming delays judgement, encourages free association and welcomes building on other people's ideas, aiming to accumulate as many possibilities as possible in a short time. A mind map branches outward from a central topic to sort the results into categories. For example, brainstorming around an easy-grip bottle cap may produce a longer lever, a non-slip rubber texture and a cap-opener tool; all are noted down before selection begins.
- Step 5: Prototyping and rapid formingA prototype turns a two-dimensional idea into a three-dimensional object, and its purpose is fast verification rather than fine finish. Beginners often use easy-to-work materials such as card, foam board or wood strips, cut and joined by hand, while rapid technologies like 3D printing can produce complex parts directly from a computer model. For example, an easy-grip cap prototype may first be blocked out in card to test the grip, then 3D printed in a form that actually fits the bottle neck.
- Step 6: Testing, evaluation and improvementTesting means operating the prototype and observing whether it meets the specification, while evaluation compares the results with the specification item by item, records the gaps and analyses their causes. These findings drive the next round of changes — revising the idea or even the specification — so the design keeps improving through the cycle. For example, if trials show that the lever comes loose, the designer analyses the joint, modifies the design and builds another prototype for further testing until it passes.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Worked example: The school tuck shop is crowded at lunchtime. Students carrying a drink in one hand and food in the other often knock their drinks over. Using the design cycle, explain how to design a product that helps students carry drinks safely.
- Identify the need and users: the problem is that one-handed carrying causes spills; users are the whole student body, so the product must be light, stable and easy to clean.
- Research and specification: observe the tuck shop environment and set targets such as holding a common paper cup steadily, clipping onto a schoolbag and using waterproof materials.
- Idea generation: brainstorm a hooked cup holder, a magnetic coaster and a folding tray; record them as sketches and shortlist against the specification.
- Prototype and test: build the cup holder in card, walk with a loaded paper cup, and record any tilting or slipping.
- Evaluate and improve: check against the specification item by item; widen the hook support if it wobbles, then retest until it passes.
- Answer: Answer in the order of the cycle: state the need and users first, then list the specification, describe idea generation and selection, and close with prototyping, testing and evaluation. Marks lie in keeping every stage tied to the specification and showing the spirit of repeated improvement, not merely describing a finished product.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What is the first stage of the design cycle?
Q2Name two key rules of brainstorming.
Q3What items does a design specification usually cover?
Q4What is the main purpose of a prototype?
Q5What should the design be checked against during evaluation?
8Recap Recap
- The design cycle has six stages — identifying needs, research and specification, idea generation, prototyping, testing, evaluation and improvement — and can loop back on itself.
- Identifying needs means separating genuine needs from wants and defining the target users.
- A design specification lists required functions, size, materials and safety, and serves as the yardstick for evaluation.
- Brainstorming defers judgement and favours quantity; mind maps organise associations; sketches record ideas.
- Prototypes favour fast verification using card or 3D printing; testing and evaluation check the design against the specification item by item to drive improvement.