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Strategies for designing and making

Strategies employed in design and technology

Making notes for planning projectsStrategies are ways of thinking, planning and acting when you wish to design and make something useful.

Sometimes, things just seem to happen; ideas arise and you snap them up. You may just decide to make something without giving it much thought and everything works out fine.

But, more often, you achieve good results as a consequence of following some patterns of thought and activity.

The following suggested strategies are not intended to be prescriptive, or all-inclusive, but may help you to spark off your own ideas, and it may help you to realise that there are well developed methods for looking ahead, for investigating and thinking, for solving problems, and for planning how to make things.

1. Outlook: strategies for looking ahead

Anticipating pollution when designing for high speed

  • Looking ahead
  • Using foresight
  • Perceiving opportunities
  • Seeing what needs to be done, created or put right
  • Anticipating failure, collapse or faulty performance.


Visualising a totally new product More information on strategies for looking ahead is available from the Automatic rooftop tent project from Heaton Manor School.





2. Research: strategies for investigating


Both George Stephenson and Humphrey Davy researched a asafety lamp for miners

  • Investigating using scientific methods
  • Examining needs, real and apparent
  • ing resources
  • Studying feasibility.





Researching prevention of deep vein thrombosis More information on strategies for investigating is available from the Vibraflow project to help prevent deep vein thrombosis.






3. Ideas: strategies for thinking

The idea for a hovercraft was completely original and extremely practical

  • Finding and generating ideas
  • Thinking in different ways
  • Triggering fresh ideas
  • Recognising sources of ideas
  • Passing ideas on to others.


Ideas from nature More information on strategies for thinking is available from the Bollards project.







4. Problems: strategies for finding answers

Should you hang it up, or prop it up?

  • Using both fundamental and practical approaches to solving problems in product design
  • Employing general and specific methods and techniques.



How to steer a walking vehicle More information on strategies for finding answers is available from the Daisy the Cow project from Bolton School.






5. Planning: strategies for getting organised

Houses and shops are sometimes planned as a single project

  • Identifying necessary tasks
  • Planning sequences of activities
  • Planning to safeguard the environment
  • Designing for production and for safety.



Making best use of renewable energy sourcesMore information on strategies for getting organised is available from the Exclusive project from Greenpower 2002.






6. Testing: strategies for trying things out

Craftsmanship - the accuracy in production of the designed dimensions

  • Testing and evaluating possible materials and components
  • Trying out prototypes and production items
  • Evaluating the success and value of the end product
  • Costing time and processes.



Testing methods for steel handlingMore information on strategies for trying things out is available from the Steel production line guide project from the 2004 Engineering Education Scheme, Wales.





7. Material: strategies for making

Finding, handling and processing of all kinds of materials

  • Selecting materials and components against tested criteria
  • Extracting and handling raw materials
  • Processing materials using hand craft and machine methods
  • Finishing and presenting finished products.

Well finished productsMore information on strategies for trying things out is available from the Mountain bike brake project.

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