Design & Technology : Product Design

WHY STUDY PRODUCT DESIGN?

Learning about product design at A level strengthens learners’ critical thinking and problem solving skills within a creative environment, enabling them to develop and make prototypes/products that solve real-world problems, considering their own and others’ needs, wants, aspirations and values.

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OCR’s A Level qualification requires learners to identify market needs and opportunities for new products, initiate and develop design solutions, and make and test prototypes/products. Learners should acquire subject knowledge in design and technology, including how a product can be developed through the stages of prototyping, realisation and commercial manufacture.

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This qualification will excite and engage learners with contemporary topics covering the breadth of this dynamic and evolving subject. It will create empathetic learners who have the ability to confidently critique products, situations and society in every walk of their lives now

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COURSE CONTENT

There is distinct content for the exam and non-exam assessment, but this is held together through nine topic areas that shape all components and give clarity, these are:

1. Identifying requirements

2. Learning from existing products and practice

3. Implications of wider issues

4. Design thinking and communication

5. Material considerations

6. Technical understanding

7. Manufacturing processes and techniques

8. Viability of design solutions

9. Health and safety

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HOW THIS MIGHT INFLUENCE YOUR FUTURE

Learners will build their skills in thinking and designing to support the requirements that they will need to demonstrate when progressing to higher education or industry.

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OCR’s A Level in Product Design enables learners to take every opportunity to integrate and apply their understanding and knowledge from other subject areas studied during Key Stage 4, with a particular focus on science and mathematics, and those subjects they are studying alongside A Level Product Design. This qualification offers the opportunity to apply learners’ wider learning through creativity and innovation.

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• www.studylondon.ac.uk/courses/subject-guides/design#ref8

• www.rca.ac.uk/study/schools/school-of-design

• www.lsdmlondon.com

• www.lfdesignschool.co.uk

• www.aaschool.ac.uk

• www.uca.ac.uk

• www.csm.arts.ac.uk

• www.baj.ac.uk

• www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/london-college-of-communication/about-lcc/design-school 

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