Design and Technologies / Levels 7 and 8 / Creating Designed Solutions / Investigating
Content description
Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas
Elaborations
considering community needs when identifying opportunities for designing, for example gardens for a community centre, cost effective food service for a sport club
experimenting with traditional and contemporary technologies when developing designs, and discovering the advantages and disadvantages of each approach
investigating emerging technologies and their potential impact on design decisions, for example flame retardant fabrics or smart materials such as self-healing materials, digital technologies and agriculture
examining, testing and evaluating a variety of suitable materials, components, tools and equipment for each design project, for example the differences between natural hardwood and plantation softwood timbers, which determine their suitability for particular uses related to durability, for example interior or exterior use
evaluating the viability of using different techniques and materials in remote, isolated areas, or less developed countries
selecting appropriate materials to acknowledge sustainability requirements by using life cycle thinking
