The+design+process

Key Issues for Design Activities Key issues for managing student design activities are:
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul1a.gif width="20" height="20"]] || Ensure that the problem is well understood. That is the purpose of the design brief. The brief should state the problem clearly, state any special conditions related to solving it, state what the solution should accomplish, and what the students are expected to do (what they are accountable for) ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul1a.gif width="20" height="20"]] || Ensure they understand team versus individual work ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul1a.gif width="20" height="20"]] || Ensure they maintain a portfolio. The portfolio needs to have a record of things done, all work done including drafts and developmental stuff, a record of decisions made and the reasons for making them. The portfolio normally uses the steps of the design process as its main headings. ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul1a.gif width="20" height="20"]] || The major steps of the design process serve to focus on tasks that need to be done. || [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul2a.gif width="12" height="12"]] || The brief sets the task and conditions. ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul2a.gif width="12" height="12"]] ||  Investigation and research finds information about similar problems and finds out what resources are availble. ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul2a.gif width="12" height="12"]] ||  Identifying solutions is a brainstorming activity to determine the possible ways this problem can be solved. Note that this has nothing to do with how it will be done. It is a way of generating a lot of ideas very quickly. ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul2a.gif width="12" height="12"]] ||  Picking the best solution means just that - evaluate the ideas and pick the best one. Developing the solution is the most work. This is where the details are worked out and how to do it has to be decided. The solution is created, built, made, etc. ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul2a.gif width="12" height="12"]] ||  Testing the solution is a trial to see if it works. ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul2a.gif width="12" height="12"]] ||  Reporting is a way of sharing what happened with the rest of the class ||


 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul1a.gif width="20" height="20"]] || A solution must be developed. No solution means that the design activity was not done. ||
 * [[image:_themes/construc/urbbul1a.gif width="20" height="20"]] || The team should present a report to the class. The report is a form of closure. It helps them think about what they did and why, and is a means of focusing on the big picture of the design process. ||
 * || Evaluation should be based on the portfolio, the solution and the report. ||

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