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VIC · VCAAQ&A
Product Design and TechnologiesQ&A by dot point
A short Q&A bank for every VIC Product Design and Technologies syllabus dot point. Each question and answer is drawn directly from our worked dot-point page, so you can scan key concepts before opening the long-form answer.
Unit 3: Influences and designing for end-users
- developing a design brief for an end-user and writing evaluation criteria, in the form of questions, that will measure the success of the finished product2Q&A pairs
- the product design factors, including the elements and principles of design, function, purpose, context, aesthetics and end-user considerations, and how they shape and justify design decisions1Q&A pairs
- the stages of the product design process and how divergent and convergent thinking (the Double Diamond) structure investigation, generation, refinement and resolution2Q&A pairs
- the roles and responsibilities of designers and the forms of intellectual property protection (copyright, registered designs, patents and trade marks) that affect the design and production of products1Q&A pairs
- the role of the end-user and stakeholders in user-centred design, and how investigating their needs, wants, preferences and constraints drives the design brief and the product0Q&A pairs
- the economic factors (cost, budget, scale of production, market demand and viability) that constrain product design and how designers balance cost against quality and other factors1Q&A pairs
- the impact of new and emerging technologies (such as CAD, CAM, 3D printing, automation, robotics and smart materials) on the design, development and production of products1Q&A pairs
- methods for evaluating products and the role of innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurial activity and ethical considerations in judging product success1Q&A pairs
- generating, developing and refining design ideas through visualisations, design drawings and models, applying divergent then convergent thinking to move from many concepts to resolved options2Q&A pairs
- the range of factors (social, technological, economic, historical, ethical, legal, environmental, cultural and aesthetic) that influence the design, development and production of products0Q&A pairs
- selecting and justifying a preferred design option against evaluation criteria and end-user feedback, and using a proof of concept to test that the chosen design will function before production2Q&A pairs
- primary research methods such as interviews, questionnaires, observation, testing and measuring, and secondary research methods such as literature reviews and product and market analysis, used to investigate the design situation and the end-user or stakeholder4Q&A pairs
- the scales of production (one-off, batch, mass and continuous) and how the scale chosen influences materials, processes, tooling, cost, quality and design decisions1Q&A pairs
Unit 4: Producing and evaluating products
- evaluating the finished product against the evaluation criteria and end-user feedback, and judging the effectiveness and efficiency of the processes used2Q&A pairs
- the structure of the end-of-year examination and the techniques for answering its question types, including command words, case study analysis and extended responses0Q&A pairs
- the role of innovation and entrepreneurial activity in product design, distinguishing invention from innovation, and how designers and entrepreneurs bring products to market1Q&A pairs
- the characteristics and properties of materials and how testing and selection match a material to a product's functional, aesthetic and sustainability requirements3Q&A pairs
- selecting and safely applying appropriate production processes, tools and equipment (such as marking out, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing) to manufacture the product to the required standard3Q&A pairs
- establishing and applying quality measures, and using quality control and quality assurance during production to ensure the product meets the required standard2Q&A pairs
- carrying out risk assessments and applying the hierarchy of hazard control, with safe work procedures and personal protective equipment, to manage risk during production2Q&A pairs
- using a work plan to manufacture a product safely, applying appropriate processes and quality measures, and documenting modifications during production2Q&A pairs
- the purpose and methods of speculative design, using critical and imaginative thinking to explore possible, probable and preferable futures and to question the consequences of products1Q&A pairs
- the stages of the product life cycle and strategies for designing more sustainable products, including circular economy thinking1Q&A pairs