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Year 10

Form versus function fruit juicers

I can evaluate the form and function of existing products.

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New
New
Year 10

Form versus function fruit juicers

I can evaluate the form and function of existing products.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Different factors influence the form of products, including functionality, purpose, materials and aesthetics.
  2. Different factors influence the function of products, including, user needs and wants, intended use and materials.
  3. Good design combines both form and function.

Keywords

  • Function - the purpose of a product

  • Good design - combines function and form

  • Form - a particular shape, linked to aesthetics

  • Subjective - a view based on personal opinion

  • User - who you are designing for

Common misconception

It is often believed that focusing on form means sacrificing function, and vice versa. The assumption is that a product can't be both beautiful and functional.

Good design brings together both form and function. The form of a product can enhance the function of a product by making it more enjoyable to use.


To help you plan your year 10 design and technology lesson on: Form versus function fruit juicers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This lesson is a great opportunity for the teacher to share a 'handling collection' of products for the students to try out and compare function and form. For example, a range of lemon squeezers, pizza cutters, sandwich boxes, children's bottles etc.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

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Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision required

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to the meaning:
Correct Answer:form,A particular shape, linked to aesthetics.
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A particular shape, linked to aesthetics.

Correct Answer:user,Who you are designing for.
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Who you are designing for.

Correct Answer:context,The situation within which something exists or happens.
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The situation within which something exists or happens.

Correct Answer:ergonomics ,How comfortable a product is to use.
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How comfortable a product is to use.

Q2.
What does the term 'function' relate to?
the colour of the product
Correct answer: the purpose or job the product is designed to do
the price of the product
the size of the product
Q3.
Which type of data is best for understanding a user's emotional response to a product?
quantitative data
Correct answer: qualitative data
statistical data
historical data
Q4.
Which of the following is an example of quantitative data in product testing?
customer feedback on comfort
Correct answer: survey responses about preferred colours
Correct answer: measurements of product dimensions
descriptions of user experiences
Q5.
When analysing a product, it is important to consider the successful features and those that could be...
Correct Answer: improved, made better
Q6.
When evaluating a design by making an informed and justified decision, it is important to:
Correct answer: analyse the product
Correct answer: consider the user
manufacture in a variety of materials
come up with a new design

6 Questions

Q1.
can be defined as the purpose of a product.
Correct Answer: Function
Q2.
can be defined as the appearance and shape of a product.
Correct Answer: Form
Q3.
Why is it important to consider the user in design?
to make the product more expensive
Correct answer: to ensure the product is visually appealing
Correct answer: to make sure the product is functional and meets user needs
to follow current fashions
Q4.
The term ‘beauty’ can be classified as...
the only way a product a should look
Correct answer: based on personal opinion
based on the opinion of the designer
Correct answer: subjective
Q5.
Which do the following focus more on, form or function?
Correct Answer:form,designing a chair that looks elegant but is uncomfortable to sit on
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designing a chair that looks elegant but is uncomfortable to sit on

Correct Answer:form,creating a website that is visually stunning but difficult to navigate
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creating a website that is visually stunning but difficult to navigate

Correct Answer:function,developing a phone with a simple design but excellent battery life
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developing a phone with a simple design but excellent battery life

Correct Answer:form,painting a bike with vibrant colours without considering its weight
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painting a bike with vibrant colours without considering its weight

Correct Answer:function,designing a plain lemon squeezer that catches all the pips effectively
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designing a plain lemon squeezer that catches all the pips effectively

Q6.
A product that reflects a balance of function and form is often referred to as an example of...
Correct Answer: good design