B: Strand 1

Command Terms:

• Develop is to improve incrementally, elaborate or expand in detail. Or Evolve to a more advanced state.
• State is to give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or calculation

How to Complete this strand:

To write a good specification is not easy. The specifications are the success criteria for your product. A clear list of "things" it must "do" or it must "be". We will use these specifications later in the design process, first when we are generating ideas (our ideas must meet the success criteria listed in the specification). Then we also use the them when we evaluate the success of our solution. Therefore they are in important stage in the design process.

When writing a specification, students should consider including details addressing the following aspects.

• Aesthetics: Consider appearance, style, color, shape/form, texture, pattern, finish, layout.
• Cost: Is there a maximum cost? Is this a material cost/time cost/selling cost?
• Customer: Who it is for? What is the target user’s age, gender, socio-economic background?
• Environmental Considerations: Where will the solution be used? How will the design directly or indirectly affect the environment?
• Function: What it must do? What is its purpose? Where will the product be stored? How easily can it be used/maintained?
• Manufacturing: What resources are available? Are there limitations as to how this can be created? How much time is needed to create the design?
• Materials: What materials are available? What properties do the materials need to have?
• Size: Are there any specific sizes that need to be considered? What “human factors” need to be considered? What anthropometric data needs to be considered?

Good specifications are SPECIFIC! They outlines requirements that are directly related to the problem or product. Bad specifications are vague and generic (they could apply to any problem or product). The following Table demonstrates poor and good examples of design specifications. Remember that these should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and testable.

Tips on Writing Specifications