End of KS3 Assessment Task

Design Brief

As a designer, you have been asked by a famous Garden Centre chain to produce a prototype Moisture Tester that can be manufactured in large quantities. It will be targeted at the home environment, particularly to aid elderly people look after their house plants more effectively.

The electronic components are supplied to you in kit form, but you will need to use your design and manufacture capability in order to produce a product that can be used effectively. You will be given appropriate instruction sheets to help you put the board together. No other help will be given to you for this section.

You will also be supplied with -

A pre-sized piece of MDF sheet for making a back board which could eventually be used as a mould for vacuum forming.
A ready formed plastic cover for the electronics.

Your folder which will follow the sequence of the Design Process -

1    A section on research where you will have investigated such things as similar items, the limitations of the environmental factors where you intend to use this item, alternative outputs from the unit, etc.
2    Some detailed initial ideas of possible solutions for designs of backboards.
3    A detailed development of the chosen idea.
4    A plan of how you intend to make the item within four weeks.
5    A full evaluation of the project.

GPS        March 2003

National Curriculum Attainment Target.

Level 6

Pupils draw on and use a range of sources of information, and show that they understand the form and function of familiar products.

They make models and drawings to explore and test their design thinking, discussing their ideas with users.

They produce plans that outline alternative methods of progressing and develop detailed criteria for their designs and use these to explore design proposals.

They work with a range of tools, materials, equipment, components and processes and show that they understand their characteristics.

They check their work as it develops and modify their approach in the light of progress.

They evaluate how effectively they have used information sources, using the results of their research to inform their judgements when designing and making.

They evaluate their products as they are being used, and identify ways of improving them.