Crit A siii  Analysing  Existing Solutions

Existing Solutions- you must analyse at least 4 different products.

Analyse a range of existing products that inspire a solution to the problem

Table 14

Objective A strand 3

There may be a wide range of products that solve similar problems to the one assigned to students. Before beginning to develop a specification and designs, students need to identify existing products that solve a similar problem, could partially solve their problem or could give them ideas on how to solve their problem. Students will need to employ a range of strategies to analyse these products, such as:

• • identification of and interaction with similar products when out shopping

  • attribute listing of existing products

  • SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats)

  • functional analysis

  • aesthetic analysis

  • graphical disassembly analysis

  • performance testing of products

  • evaluation of past student projects

  • secondary research through product reviews on consumer websites, buying guides or magazines

  • summary of customer reviews on commercial websites.

Note: Methods could include analysis of a graphic or analysis through sketching of parts. 

Example of existing Logo analysis 

Adapted from https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=m_8_techn_tsm_1406_1_e&part=3&chapter=4

FROM THE TOPICS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS YOU DEVELOPED IN YOUR "RESEARCH PLAN", YOU NOW HAVE TO INVESTIGATE THEM IN DETAIL.

RESEARCH EXPLAINED: 

·       This section is where you put in all the information you will need to help you solve the “design situation”.

·       Researching any topic will generally follow these guidelines:

O    explain what the research topic is about.

O    describe what it is used for

O    describe how it works, or how it is used

O    describe anything that you think is good about it

O    describe anything that is bad about it

O    describe what you like about it

O    describe what you do not like about it

O    express any other opinions you have about it, in particular about how and why it is used

O    most importantly refer back to the design situation and describe how or why this research will help you solve this problem 

Do not forget to cite any work that you use that is not your own words

Below are a few suggested examples of how you can lay out your research:

The overall layout of the page is completely up to you, but please remember that this subject is called “design”, try and make your page look nice.

“A picture paints a thousand words” – wherever possible incorporate visuals into your research. These can be images; screenshots from videos, scan’s taken from books, journal’s etc.

Another poster HERE Analysis sentence starters