Developing a Design Brief

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Augustus Taylor
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1 minutes Program Synopsis Students are introduced to the skills used in design processes, design theory and the work of designers. They will see how two designers research, experiment, and communicate creative design ideas and solutions. They will gain an understanding of the responsible selection and safe use of materials, tools and techniques. Students are introduced to the impact of innovation and emerging technologies on the individual, society and the environment, they will learn the importance of evaluating their own and others design activities. You may download and print one copy of these teacher notes from our website for your reference. Further copying or printing must be For more information please visit or contact customer service at or on

2 Teacher Notes: Brian Johnson B.Ed, Grad Dip Ed. Introduction The program follows the design and production of two different products. For each product the designers outline what is happening in each stage of the design process and the importance of each stage. The program looks at the design and development of the Syco XT which is a safe extreme exercise swing. Michael Hill the CEO of Syco XT, who had the initial idea, and co-inventor Alan Colk, who has an engineering and tool making background, are both interviewed and offer important insights into the design process. The program looks at the design and development of the D-TEK which is a water gathering/pumping/carrying/filtering/storing system which is contained in one simple and (almost completely) locally manufacturable unit. The program interviews Liam O Brien who is completing a double degree in Industrial Design and International Studies (majoring in Italian) at the UTS. D-Tek is his final year project. Program Rationale The aim of the program is to introduce students to the design process so that they will be able to design, produce and evaluate quality solutions that respond to identified opportunities and needs. It introduces students to the need to justify solutions and to responsibly, safely and creatively use and select materials, tools and techniques. Program Timeline 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:17 Design Brief 00:06:12 Research and Investigation 00:10:33 Idea Development 00:15:40 Production 00:21:53 Evaluation 00:25:27 Credits 00:26:13 End Program Internet Resources

3 Program Worksheet Before the Program 1. Explain what you think the following terms mean: a) Ergonomics b) Aesthetics c) Prototype d) Brainstorming - 3 -

4 2. What steps would you go through if you had to design a water carrier to transport water from a school tap to the classroom so that all students could have a drink? 3. Describe a product that you consider to be well designed. List the features of the product that make it a good design. 4. What does a designer do? - 4 -

5 During the Program 1. Complete the following sentence: Creating a new product. 2. Identify the two products that are shown in the program. 3. What does Liam O Brien do? 4. What did Liam Obrien create? 5. What is the D-TEK designed to do? 6. Why does the D-TEK contain a pump? 7. How is the water changed from polluted water to potable water? 8. What were the four basic principals that Liam O Brien followed when designing the D-TEK? - 5 -

6 9. Describe what the Syko XT is. 10. What constraints did Michael Hill and Alan Colk have to consider? 11. Why is research and investigation an important part of the design process? 12. What sources can you use to find out information? 13. Describe how brain storming can be used as part of the design process. 14. How could you benefit from building a prototype, or an example model? 15. Identify two ways that Liam O Brien documented his work? How was this documentation useful? - 6 -

7 16. How long did it take to produce the Syko XT? 17. What type of instructions did Liam O Brien make? Why? 18. Describe three safety issues Michael Hill and Alan Colk had to consider? 19. What environmental impact considerations did Liam O Brien, Michael Hill and Alan Colk make? 20. What did Michael Hill discover when they started marketing their product? 21. What are the six questions you can use to evaluate your product? 22. What were the two types of evaluation they used for their products? - 7 -

8 After the Program 1. Brain storm the design of an exercise machine you feel could be popular with teenagers. 2. Design a back pack you could use to carry a towel, swimming costume, sunscreen, drinks and food to the school swimming carnival. 3. In a group of 3-4 students design a perfume bottle and marketing campaign for a new teenage perfume. 4. Design and produce a jewellery piece that would be popular with teenagers

9 Suggested Student Responses During the Program 1. Complete the following sentence: Creating a new product creating a new product takes a long time and a lot of hard work. 2. Identify the two products that are shown in the program. Syco XT D-TEK 3. What does Liam O Brien do? Liam O Brien is an industrial designer. 4. What did Liam O Brien create? Liam O Brien created a special kind of backpack. 5. What is the D-TEK designed to do? The D-TEK helps assist people in transportation, purification and pumping water in developing countries. It is designed to assist women and young children to carry water over long distances, sometimes up to 6 kilometers. 6. Why does the D-TEK contain a pump? The D-TEK contains a pump that makes it easy to fill with water, even from a difficult to reach source like a creek or shallow well. 7. How is the water changed from polluted water to potable water? The water is gravity-fed to a filter and purified, so that when people arrive back at their village, they have fresh water. 8. What were the four basic principals that Liam O Brien followed when designing the D-TEK? Analyzing the needs and problems of the situation. Here, the problem is the lack of clean, accessible water for people in Cambodia. Looking for an opportunity for improvement Providing a useful solution Working within the constraints of the situation 9. Describe what the Syko XT is. The Syco XT is a three-dimensional swing. It lets you practice skateboarding or surfing maneuvers in safety. 10. What constraints did Michael Hill and Alan Colk have to consider? The main constraints were the range of movements that the human body can make and how to make their device usable by any person with ease and safety. 11. Why is research and investigation an important part of the design process? You need to check whether someone has already developed a similar idea. 12. What sources can you use to find out information? There are plenty of sources you can use to find out information, including libraries, the internet, conducting surveys

10 13. Describe how brain storming can be used as part of the design process. Brain storming can be helpful in getting started, recording and categorizing your ideas. Write/draw any idea or notion down, and then when you ve run out of ideas you go over what you have and see if any are useful and can be further developed. 14. How could you benefit from building a prototype, or an example model? You can actually see it in real life, you can hold it, you can test the ergonomics, and have a real life view of how the product would work 15. Identify two ways that Liam O Brien documented his work? How was this documentation useful? A visual diary and a digital camera, you can use it then as documentation to go back and evaluate your design 16. How long did it take to produce the Syko XT? 5 years 17. What type of instructions did Liam O Brien make? Why? For Liam, it was important to make visual instructions, because most people in rural Cambodia are illiterate. 18. Describe three safety issues Michael Hill and Alan Colk had to consider? The free-standing frame was computer modeled on space grass and to Australian Standards, so that has been certified safe to 120 kilos They developed a perimeter fence around the swing, and then strung a net up, so even small kids who go underneath the bar are not going to be able to access underneath the net. Once harnessed in, the person could actually pass out and wouldn t fall off. 19. What environmental impact considerations did Liam O Brien, Michael Hill and Alan Colk make? Liam O Brien made the D-TEK from renewable materials that can be repaired. Michael Hill and Alan Colk used steel, which can be recycled, for the majority of their work and this meant their numerous prototypes didn t just end up in the bin. 20. What did Michael Hill discover when they started marketing their product? The Syco XT is now being targeted at gymnasiums - a different set of users to the surfies they initially intended. 21. What are the six questions you can use to evaluate your product? Have I been successful? Does the product do what the design brief said it would do? Is it functional and useful? Is it easy to use? How about the ergonomics - would it strain your body? How does it look? 22. What were the two types of evaluation they used for their products? Self evaluation Group evaluations

Inventions & Innovations

Inventions & Innovations Course Description In this course, students learn all about invention and innovation. They will have opportunities to study the history of inventions and innovations, including