Design Technology

Years 12 and 13

A level Product Design

'The deadly truth about a world built for men - from stab vests to car crashes'

An interesting glance at how design throughout history has favoured gender.

The Idea Machine

This is a great way of developing your design technique, sketching speed and development of ideas.

The Big Life Fix (BBC)

Designing for a client is one of the most rewarding things about being a designer. Often, we have to think about the bigger context of target market groups, but occasionally we see there is a need in the market for bespoke or personalized products. The BBC commissioned two series of a programme called ‘The Big Life Fix, which looks at unique and complex needs of people, and try to find a workable solution.

The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

How and why simple products have developed over time, and the technological changes that led to improvements.

Institute of Making (UCL)

The Institute of Making is a multidisciplinary research club for those interested in the made world: from makers of molecules to makers of buildings, synthetic skin to spacecraft, soup to diamonds, socks to cities. Membership of and day-to-day access to the Institute is available to all UCL staff, students and the general public. One of the most useful things on the website for A-level students is the ‘Materials Library’.

Careers in Design & Technology

Design is vast. Trying to figure out if you would like to pursue a career in Design can be quite difficult. This task is to help introduce you to some of the avenues that you could explore and research, about careers in Design. Although the information below is not exhaustive, it will help you to begin to get an idea of what area of Design you are most interested in.

Reading list

The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals

Rob Thompson

ISBN: 9780500518540

Publisher: Thames and Hudson Ltd

Click here to lend from school library

Invisible Women

Caroline Criado Perez

ISBN: 978-1784741723

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Click here to lend from school library

Making It

Chris Lefteri

ISBN: 978-1786273277

Publisher: Laurence King Publishing

Click here to lend from school library

Design of Everyday Things

Don Norman

ISBN: 978-0465050659

Publisher: Basic Books

Click here to lend from school library

Cradle to Cradle

Michael Braungart & William McDonald

ISBN: 978-0099535478

Publisher: Vintage

Click here to lend from school library

Useful Links/Websites: Design

Design and technology association https://www.data.org.uk/

David and Torben for D&T https://dandtfordandt.wordpress.com/about/

Shaping Design and Technology https://dralisonhardy.com/

Talking D&T https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/talking-d-t/id1460834167

Designed for life https://www.buzzsprout.com/1225046

Fix Ed https://fixing.education/fixperts

Big Life Fix https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09g5hwf

STEM learning https://www.stem.org.uk/

Ellen McArthur Foundations https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/our-work/approach/learning

James Dyson Foundation https://www.jamesdysonfoundation.co.uk/who-we-are.html

Design Council https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/5-key-principles-missing-design-technology-education

Design Museum https://designmuseum.org/discover-design/all-stories/what-is-good-design-a-quick-look-at-dieter-rams-ten-principles

Royal Academy of Engineering https://www.raeng.org.uk/education

Rosenshines principles https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Principles-of-Insruction-Rosenshine.pdf

Useful Links/Websites: Other Information

TED talks (Design): https://www.ted.com/talks?sort=newest&topics%5B%5D=Design

UCAS (Architecture): https://www.ucas.com/explore/subjects/architecture-building-and-planning

UCAS (Design): https://www.ucas.com/explore/subjects/art-and-design

Amazon Books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=product+design&ref=nb_sb_noss

Design Podcasts to Listen to: https://www.wallpaper.com/design/best-design-podcasts

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