Lesson video

Hello am Mr. Donnelley, one of the design technology teachers here for Oak Academy.

This unit is all about designing a product for a para-triathlete.

I've learned loads in planning and researching for this lesson.

I think you're going to really enjoy it.

And this unit of work starts right at the beginning of the design process.

We're going to do some research, write a design specification and I'll help you take it right the way through to design a final product.

I hope you really enjoy it.

During this lesson there are three things that we're going to do.

The first one is we're going to plan how to write a design specification.

The second thing that we're going to do is consider the very important role of a client when designing.

And the third thing we're going to do is look at how to use a specification As always with my lessons, you will need some plain paper to draw on and preferably a pencil to draw with.

You don't have those things, pause the video, go and get them, come back and we'll crack on.

To take part in the lesson it would be great if you understood the meaning of some of these words before we get going.

The first one is a specification.

You might have bought something based upon understanding the specification.

It's not only a list of points and a design that uses these to develop a product.

The next term is client needs.

Now put the other word up as well because the two really go together.

Client needs and clients wants this may sound self-explanatory.

But when a designer is designing something for a client it's really difficult to please everyone that you designed for and make sure that your client gets everything that they want.

So a designer has to split this into things that a client needs and things that a client wants.

So the three terms specification is a set list of criteria that has been developed to make sure that a designer, designs the correct product.

The next word was client need.

These are the essential aspects of the product that will make it successful.

And the client wants, these are highly desirable features that would make the client happy with the product that you design.

So we're going to start by looking at design specifications.

Some people find it very daunting to write a design specification because they don't know where to begin.

With the collection of six words at the bottom of the screen.

It seems clear that we need some purpose and a client to focus on.

If we've got these as a starting point, writing a specification might be a little bit easier.

There are many ways to write a design specification.

If you've watched one of my other lessons, you might've heard me use an acronym called FACE.

Now an acronym is a word that we all know such as FACE and each letter FAC and E all stand for another word Function that's what does the product do? Aesthetics What does it look like? C is for the clients or the customer and E is environmental impact.

So if we were writing a simple design and specification we might have four points; function, aesthetics, client, environment.

This is a complex project where we're going to design a product for para-triathlete.

The six words at the bottom, we'll come back to them throughout the lesson but they're really important to keep us focused.

Besides FACE and those six words from the previous slide and another acronym that is well used, maybe one of my favourites is Access FM.

There are eight words within the eight boxes and the acronym Access FM helps us remember them.

So to use this to write the design specification, we can focus on the aesthetics.

What does it look like? The cost? This is not just the cost of the materials and how to make a product.

It's ongoing costs to replace parts and maintenance.

The C is who is the client E the environment S is the size of the product The other S is safety aspects function and then materials.

If we can focus on having answers for those eight points or considerations we're halfway there to being able to formulate a really good usable design specification that will lead to producing measurable points.

So to break down the specification, I'll chat about some of the words and then allow you to pause the video to have a think yourself.

So the first one is who is the client? Our clients is going to be a para-triathlete when the products be used? It's possible that the para-triathlete doesn't actually want or need a product related to the sport that they take part in.

It could be something to do with your everyday life.

Where might the product be used? How might the product be used? You remember it might not be related to sports.

It could be any activity during the day.

Why is the product needed? For me This is the most important there's got to be a need for the product for it to be successful.

And then lastly, what's already available on the market that fulfils the needs for the want.

Pause the video now and have a think.

The statement here reads there is just one way to write a design specification.

Do you agree with that by saying yes Or do you disagree by saying no? At the shout-out yes or no.

I'll commit to a word and I'll reveal it now.

No.

The points that you write for a design specification can come from anywhere.

As long as they are valid they can come from multiple sources.

Let's have a go with the next one.

You should not have more than 10 points to your design specification.

Do you think that's true or false? So shout-out true or false or if you don't feel like shouting just commit to an answer will we reveal it now? It's false The more complex the product, the more specification points that product will need.

So this is our client a para-triathlete.

If you're wondering what activities a para-triathlete takes part in, I'll show you now.

So a power triathlete has to swim 750 metres.

They cycle for 25 kilometres.

And then there is a race either in a wheelchair or running for five kilometres.

Now pause the video and just have a think about that task.

Swimming, Running, and cycling.

So pause the video and try to empathise and gain some sort of understanding of the monumental task and achievement involved in being a para-triathlete and taking part in those three activities.

So here I've set out how I would plan a mind map.

The next slide will introduce you to a task and then the slide after that shows my example.

So you know that we're going to design something for a para-triathlete and I'd like you to consider the why, the how, the what, the where, and the when.

once you get to the next slide pause the slide read the content on the task sheet and then following that would be my example.

But here's our task.

You're going to start to plan your specification.

The previous slide shows how to set out the page and all I'd like you to do is to investigate the answers to the questions so that you can start to plan your own specification.

So maybe go back home slide to see the tittles of each bubble on the mind map have a go yourself and then move on a slide from this one to see my example.

So here's my example.

I've got para-triathlete in the middle and then the bubbles I've got bound outside.

Why, how, what, where, and when.

You have a careful read of the points that I've made.

I've decided that I'm going to design something for para-triathletes that's related to eating and drinking whilst on the go.

So nothing related to sport, simply related to eating and drinking whilst on the move.

So you may be asking yourself what's the most important consideration when writing the design specifications? Have a think? What do you think is the most important thing? The most important thing for you to consider? I'll show you.

It is the client.

In this case, we're going to design a custom made product for para-triathlete but because it's custom made it's got to be designed for one person not something which is off the shelf, which we'll do for the majority of people.

This is a custom designed product.

It's really important that you get to understand that the needs and the wants of that particular client.

So that what you design will be perfect.

So with this task and the lesson in general, you'll get to a point where you need to learn some more about the clients and the task before you can continue.

Writing designS specification is a record of all that you've learned.

So the first thing you need to do is learn what is the impairment of the athletes? What type of product might be developed.

Will the product be related to sport or not? So power triathletes do not just take part in sport.

They'll go about their normal day to day activities and might want to products related to that.

What's it like to be a para-triathlete? What is a day in the life look like? I'm sure if you research this on the internet, you'll be able to find out.

Choose the product needs to be custom made and what existing products are there that already solve the problem? So this is our task.

You've got to write down a list of all the things that you think you need to know and plan before you can carry on writing your specification.

So as you start to think about para-triathlete you will form questions in your mind that you need answers to.

write these down on a sheet of paper and then start to investigate the answers.

So if you to go back a slide, some of those questions that will help.

Write down the answers once you've done some research and that will help inform your design specification.

So by now you should have written down a list of all the things that you think you need to learn and you should have tried to find sort of the answers to those questions.

This slide should prompt some thoughts to help you decide on a product that you're going to design.

The first question I have is what is the design need? The most successful things that are designed, fulfil a need and solve a problem.

The second question is what is there that already solves that problem? So what things are the existing products that you could look at? Third question, how would your client manage with the product? So if you think of a product that's specific for para-triathlete how do you think they'd manage using it? Fourth question, what is the main function of the product? What are the specific needs of the client and what are the wants of the client? So if you've got something in mind, go through these questions and try to think if that helps narrow down the choice.

This slide shows a selection of photos that should help by prompting some thoughts.

Take a moment to look through each of the photos and see if this can help you identify a need for a product that would need to be designed and manufactured specifically for one person to use.

Move on with this lesson.

You now need to commit to an actual product that you're going to design.

If you've not thought of one yet, go back a few slides repeat some of the activities until a need of redesign of an everyday product comes to light.

Now you're going to start to write your design specification.

Remember this is lesson one of the unit.

There'll be time to go and redo the specification and add to it as you progress with further lessons.

The lessons do continue to design the product that we're working on today.

But the specification is the first real page that we'll need for future lessons.

It's really important to try to get this right but you know that you can go and redo parts of the work and add it to the specification as you learn more.

Most specifications start with my product.

Most and then there are some bullet points or numbered points that help.

So an example would be my product must my client would like my client wants and then you finish off with that opening statement with the point that fulfils the need for your product.

In a minute you'll see the task page and then after that there's an example that I don't try to help you.

So I've already mentioned that if you don't get all the points correct on this specification you can go back up to them and amend it as you learn more throughout the unit.

So pause the video, read the slide on the screen really well.

This video is clear on what it is that you've got to do.

You're going to start to write your specification about the product that you want to design for our para-triathletes.

I've done one on the slide that follows.

So you can look at it if you need some help, but my product might be different than the one that you thought of.

So whatever you thought of you start off by thinking mine product must and then write down three or four points to get you going.

You could use some of the strategies that I've talked about in the lesson.

So Access FM would be one that I would use and use that acronym to try to focus the points to the product that you're going to redesign.

So pause the video now have a good read of this slide.

And then in a few minutes, have a look at them all.

One that I have done as my example.

So this is my example.

It is very simple, straightforward, and I've used Access FM to write down some of the points.

I would say that this was an initial start for the aesthetics I written my coffee cup must be black and that's to match the gym gear and equipment that my para-triathlete has.

You could write more points just for one aesthetics, you might write it is black, that it's shiny.

It's got a soft grip rubber.

And even though soft grip rubber could be a function.

It also looks different than the glossy.

So any points to do with the way something looks could be included with aesthetics, then you might have three or four points for each aspects of this slide.

So here you can see I've used Access FM.

I've got specific points.

If you copy this style you won't go far long.

You can have multiple points as I've said You don't need to think I only need five, 10, 20 points.

There is no limit, but the more points you include the easier it is to get going with design work later on.

We're just going to revisit the key words from the start of the lesson, just to ensure that you've learned them during the lesson.

So the first point is a specification.

You should know that this now is a list of points, set criteria that a designer can use to make sure that what they design is exact for their clients.

Client needs.

These are the things that the client needs for the product to work.

So there's a difference between client needs and client wants.

There are certain things that our client might want and certain things that client might need.

So the needs are essential.

The wants are desirable.

I hope you really enjoyed this lesson.

And if you have, then please share your work using the social media slide and information on the next one.

See you in the next lesson.