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  • Design and Technology - H004-H006, H404-H406

AS and A Level Design and Technology - H004-H006, H404-H406

Design and Technology - H004-H006, H404-H406

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  • Specification at a glance
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Specification at a glance

  • A Level

  • AS Level

Assessment overview

There are three endorsed titles within this qualification.

  • Design and Technology: Design Engineering (H404)
  • Design and Technology: Fashion and Textiles (H405)
  • Design and Technology: Product Design (H406)

The assessment structure is the same for all:

Component Marks Duration Weighting insert text

Principles of ... (01)

80 1 hour 30 mins 26.7%

Problem solving in ... (02)

70 1 hour 45 mins 23.3%

Iterative design project (03/04)

100* Approx. 65 hours 50% Non-exam assessment

* Weighted up to 150 marks

Content overview

There is distinct content for each of the endorsed titles. Much of this content takes an endorsed approach to underlying core principles of design and technology. The examined content is assessed in components 01 and 02. The content for component 03/04, the iterative design project, is more generic but specific application will be determined by the focus of the endorsed title selected:

  • Design Engineering (H004) focuses on engineered and electronic products/systems with their analysis in respect of:
    • Function, operation, components and materials
    • The selection and use of the above in commercially viable products and/or systems.
  • Fashion and Textiles (H005) focuses on a range of different fashion and textiles products, along with their applications and analysis, in respect of:
    • Materials, components, process and trends and their selection and use
    • The selection and use of the above in industrial and commercially viable products and practices.
  • Product Design (H006) focuses on consumer products and applications and their analysis in respect of:
    • Materials, components, process and their selection and uses in products and/or systems
    • The selection and use of the above in industrial commercially viable products and practices.

The content covers the following topic areas:

  • Identifying requirements
  • Learning from existing products and practice
  • Implications of wider issues
  • Design thinking and communication
  • Material and component considerations
  • Technical understanding
  • Manufacturing processes and techniques
  • Viability of design solutions
  • Health and safety.

For a number of these principles, mathematical and/or scientific knowledge is also required; this is indicated in the specifications.

Component 01: Principles of...

Students:

  • Analyse existing products
  • Demonstrate applied mathematical skills
  • Demonstrate their technical knowledge of materials, product functionality, manufacturing processes and techniques
  • Undertake case studies to demonstrate their understanding of wider social, moral and environmental issues that impact on the design and manufacturing industries.

Component 02: Problem solving in...

Students:

  • Apply their knowledge, understanding and skills of designing and manufacturing prototypes and products to given situations and problems
  • Demonstrate their higher thinking skills to solve problems and evaluate situations and suitability of design solutions.

Component 03/04: Iterative design project

Central to this non-examined assessment is the requirement for students to understand and apply processes of iterative designing in their design and technology practice: exploring needs, creating solutions and evaluating how well the needs have been met.

Students identify an engaging and challenging context of their own choice that offers design opportunity or problem to respond to in the development of a design solution. They create a chronological portfolio of evidence in real-time as they design, make and evaluate the project according to the iterative processes of explore, create and evaluate.

Download A Level specification

Assessment overview

There are three endorsed titles within this qualification.

  • Design and Technology: Design Engineering (H004)
  • Design and Technology: Fashion and Textiles (H005)
  • Design and Technology: Product Design (H006)

The assessment structure is the same for all:

ComponentMarksDurationWeightinginsert text

Principles of ... (01)

901 hour 45 mins50%

Product development (02/03)

90Approx. 45 hours50%Non-exam assessment

Content overview

There is distinct content for each of endorsed titles, covering underlying core principles of design and technology. The examined content is assessed in components 01. The content for the product development, component 02/03, is more generic but specific application will be determined by the focus of the endorsed title selected:

  • Design Engineering (H004) focuses engineered and electronic products and systems in respect of:
    • Function, operation, components and materials
    • The selection and uses of the above in commercially viable products and/or systems.
  • Fashion and Textiles (H005) focuses on a range of different fashion and textiles products, along with their applications and analysis, in respect of:
    • Materials, components, process and trends, and their selection and use
    • The selection and use of the above in industrial and commercially viable products and practices.
  • Product Design (H006) focuses on consumer products and applications, and their analysis in respect of:
    • Materials, components, process and their selection and uses in products and/or systems
    • The selection and use of the above in industrial and commercially viable products and practices.

The content covers the following topic areas:

  • Identifying requirements
  • Learning from existing products and practice
  • Implications of wider issues
  • Design thinking and communication
  • Material and component considerations
  • Technical understanding
  • Manufacturing processes and techniques
  • Viability of design solutions
  • Health and safety.

For a number of these principles, mathematical and/or scientific knowledge is also required; this is indicated in the specifications.

Component 01: Principles of...

Students:

  • Analyse existing products
  • Demonstrate applied mathematical skills
  • Apply their technical knowledge and understanding of materials, product functionality, manufacturing processes and techniques
  • Undertake case studies to enable them to demonstrate their understanding of design thinking and wider social, moral and environmental issues that impact on the design and manufacturing industries
  • Demonstrate their ability to solve problems.

Component 02/03: Product development

Students demonstrate their ability to critically analyse a current product in relation to a given context and propose realistic improvements or adaptations in response to the needs of stakeholders. They design and develop further iterations of it, enabling them to fully appreciate how the life-cycle of a product is reviewed, developed and extended for the relevant marketplace to their endorsed title.

Students demonstrate their understanding of the importance of an iterative design approach:

  • ‘Explore’ needs
  • ‘Create’ solutions that demonstrate how the needs can be met
  • ‘Evaluate’ how well the needs have been met.
Download AS Level specification
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