This mini-lesson covers the Effects of Technological Developments: how new technology reshapes products, manufacturing, employment, society and the environment.
You will weigh miniaturisation, automation, e-waste and the maker movement, and calculate an efficiency gain. Press Start to begin.
New technology
How technology changes products
New technologies constantly reshape what and how we design:
Miniaturisation — electronics shrink, so products become smaller, portable and multi-functional (a phone replaces camera, map and torch).
New materials — composites, smart and modern materials enable lighter, stronger, responsive products.
Connectivity (IoT) — products link to networks and each other (smart heating, wearables).
Digital manufacture — CAD/CAM, CNC and 3D printing shorten the path from idea to product.
Quick check
Many gadgets in one
?A single smartphone now replaces a camera, torch, map and music player. Which technological development most directly explains this?
Making & jobs
Effects on manufacturing and jobs
Technology changes how and where things are made:
Automation and robotics raise output and consistency but reduce low-skill roles, while creating demand for reskilling in programming and maintenance.
Global supply chains allow offshoring to cheaper locations; some firms reshore as automation cuts labour cost advantages.
Mass customisation — flexible digital manufacture lets firms tailor products without losing efficiency.
Deskilling vs upskilling: automation can remove craft skills from some jobs while demanding higher technical skills in others.
Quick check
Robots and jobs
?A factory installs robot welders. Which is the most balanced statement of the effect on employment?
Society & environment
Social and environmental effects
Technological change brings benefits and costs:
Positive: greater accessibility (assistive tech), remote working, energy-efficient devices such as LED lighting, and better information.
Negative: growing electronic waste (e-waste), higher energy and resource demand, and shorter product lifespans through fast fashion and obsolescence.
Evaluate, do not just list: examiners expect you to weigh social, economic and environmental impacts against each other.
Sort it
Sort the effects
Tap an effect, then the domain it mainly belongs to.
👥 Social effect
💷 Economic effect
🌍 Environmental effect
Quick check
The waste problem
?Rapid upgrade cycles for phones and laptops create a fast-growing waste problem. What is this called, and why does it matter?
Digital & maker
Digital manufacture and the maker movement
Cheaper digital tools have democratised making:
3D printing and desktop CNC let individuals and small firms prototype and produce.
The maker movement, open-source design and crowdfunding let new products reach market without large factories.
Mass customisation tailors products to individuals at near mass-production cost.
Match it
Match each development to its main effect
Tap an item on the left, then its match on the right.
Development
Main effect
Calculate
Your turn — efficiency gain
1An LED lamp draws 8 W to replace a 60 W filament bulb. Percentage reduction = (old - new) ÷ old x 100. Calculate the percentage reduction in power, to 1 decimal place.
%
Hint: (60 - 8) ÷ 60 x 100.
Recap
The big ideas to know
New tech: miniaturisation, new materials, IoT connectivity, digital manufacture