Design Briefs and Better Products · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

From Studying a Product to a Design Brief

Design & Technology · Designing & Making · ages 8-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. A torch's case is made from hard plastic. Why hard plastic?

    • So it looks shiny
    • So it does not break if dropped
    • So it weighs more

  2. When you investigate a product, which three things do you find out?

    • Who it's for, how it works, what it's made from
    • The price, the color, and the brand name
    • How old it is and who invented it

  3. A fiddly zip on a lunchbox is a strength of the design.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A water bottle lid keeps coming loose in bags. What is the best criterion for a better design?

    • The lid must stay sealed when the bottle is shaken
    • The bottle should come in more colours
    • The bottle must be see-through

  5. A backpack has padded straps that stop it hurting your shoulders. Against its purpose, this is a...

    • Weakness
    • Neither, it does not matter
    • Strength

  6. You are investigating a school bag. Which question is NOT part of investigating a product?

    • Who is it made for?
    • How much did the designer get paid?
    • What is it made from?

  7. Mia investigates a rain jacket. It has a broken zip and no hood, but keeps her warm. Which is the clearest weakness to fix?

    • No hood, since rain jackets should keep your head dry
    • It is blue
    • It has long sleeves

  8. Ravi writes this criterion: 'The lunchbox should be nice.' What is wrong with it?

    • It focuses on the wrong material
    • It ignores who the product is for
    • It is too vague to test
LightMySky · lightmysky.comW1-mt_QeNClHE0EG-s1

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

From Studying a Product to a Design Brief W1-mt_QeNClHE0EG-s1

  1. So it does not break if dropped · Hard plastic protects the parts inside if the torch is dropped.
  2. Who it's for, how it works, what it's made from · Those three questions are the starting point for understanding any product.
  3. False · A fiddly zip makes the lunchbox harder to use, so it is a weakness, not a strength.
  4. The lid must stay sealed when the bottle is shaken · A good criterion fixes the exact problem you found, and can be tested.
  5. Strength · Padded straps help the backpack do its job comfortably, so that is a strength.
  6. How much did the designer get paid? · Investigating a product looks at who it's for, how it works, and what it's made from, not the designer's pay.
  7. No hood, since rain jackets should keep your head dry · A missing hood works against the jacket's purpose of keeping you dry, so it's a clear weakness to target.
  8. It is too vague to test · 'Nice' cannot be checked. A good criterion is specific, like 'must open with one hand.'
Worksheet · LightMySky