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Different kinds of writing in D&T
Introduction
Introduction
Analysis is a life skill. It is simply a fancy word to describe 'asking questions in a logical way so that we can understand something better'.
D&T is a technical subject. This is because we spend much of our time investigating, understanding how things work and how things are made. Often we want to take an existing idea and improve upon it - to 'innovate'. For this reason technologists need to be able to analyse.
A good place to start is by looking at existing objects or products. We call this a product analysis.
Looking at existing products
Looking at existing products
The YouTube video from Bridge Academy explains a little about why Product Analyses are used and how they can be useful in helping inform our own design choices.
The following links provide useful tools for carrying out a Product Analysis.
Product Analysis Discussion Videos
Product Analysis Discussion Videos
These are insightful videos by a product designer on YouTube which shows the kind of thought processes that can be taken when looking at an existing product.
Product Analysis Breakdown
Product Analysis Breakdown
This interactive tool will help you work through an analysis.
Product Analysis Poster
Product Analysis Poster
This can be printed or viewed full-screen.
Use a 'Structure Slip'
Use a 'Structure Slip'
This template will help you think about your writing when you are carrying out a product analysis. Either make an A4 copy of it in your Google Drive and edit it directly online, or simply print it and write on it in pen or pencil.
ACCESSFM 'Table Pyramid'
ACCESSFM 'Table Pyramid'
This print, cut-out & fold, pyramid can sot on the table in front of you and help guide you through the process of carrying out a product analysis.
It can also be used when doing group work with a 'DeBono Thinking Hats' pyramid to help practice your higher order thinking skills.
You can edit this pyramid in 2D Design to make your own version if you want. Just click on the link to download the file.
Use an ACCESSFM 'Mat'
(with clock for keeping track of time)Use an ACCESSFM 'Mat'
The templates below are useful for jotting down your notes about a product as you are looking at it.
You could then write this up in an extended format using the structure slip below.
You may also find it useful to use a 'thinking hats mat'. This is useful for asking 'higher order' questions. You can find it on the problems solving page here.
ACCESSFM.pdfExisting Product 'Teardown'
Existing Product 'Teardown'
This template can be used if you'd like to physically dismantle (take apart) an existing product for analysis. Click here to make an A4 copy in your own Google Drive for editing, or here for an A3 copy.
The image below will take you to a website dedicated to product teardowns so you can see how they explain them.
Product Analysis Practice Exercises
Product Analysis Practice Exercises
These are intended to help you practice how to carry out a product analysis using the techniques discussed on this help page. There are prompts to help you. The more you carry out this process, the more confident you will get when trying to 'extract and infer' information for a given (existing) product to help you with your own design work. Click here for the folder containing the A3 versions.
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