Edexcel A-level Design & Technology: Product Design (9DT0) · Information Handling, Modelling and Forward Planning
Mini-Lesson
Information Handling, Modelling and Forward Planning
This mini-lesson covers Information Handling, Modelling and Forward Planning: iterative and user-centred design, modelling and prototyping, and planning tools such as Gantt charts and the critical path.
You will compare modelling methods, read a Gantt chart, and calculate a drawing scale. Press Start to begin.
Design strategies
Iterative and user-centred design
Two strategies underpin modern designing:
Iterative design — a repeating loop of explore, create and evaluate; each prototype is tested and improved, so the design converges on a good solution rather than being fixed at the start.
User-centred design (UCD) — the needs, abilities and feedback of real users drive every decision, tested through trials and interviews.
Why iterate? Early testing exposes problems while changes are still cheap, reducing costly failures later.
Quick check
Which strategy?
?A team builds a rough model, tests it with users, improves it, and repeats this several times before finalising. Which design strategy is this?
Modelling
Modelling and prototyping
Models test ideas cheaply before committing to manufacture:
Physical models — card, foam board and blue foam for quick form studies.
CAD models — accurate 3D geometry, rendering and simulation.
Prototypes — looks-like models test appearance; works-like models test function; a full prototype tests both.
3D-printed parts give fast, accurate physical prototypes from CAD.
Quick check
Why model early?
?Why do designers build low-cost card and foam models early in a project?
Forward planning
Forward planning tools
Projects are planned and tracked with:
Gantt charts — horizontal bars showing when each task starts, finishes and overlaps across a timeline.
Critical path — the longest chain of dependent tasks; it sets the minimum project time, and any delay on it delays the whole project.
Flow charts — map a sequence of operations and decisions, often with feedback for quality control.
Sort it
Sort the tools and terms
Tap an item, then the group it belongs to.
🧠 Design strategy
🧩 Modelling method
🗓️ Planning tool
Quick check
Gantt vs critical path
?How do a Gantt chart and the critical path differ?
Information
Handling information and research
Good decisions rest on good information:
Primary research — first-hand data you gather (surveys, interviews, user trials, measurements).
Secondary research — existing sources (standards, data sets, product analysis, reports).
Findings feed a design specification of measurable requirements the product must meet.
Match it
Match each term to its meaning
Tap an item on the left, then its match on the right.
Term
Meaning
Calculate
Your turn — drawing scale
1A working drawing is at 1:5 scale. A component is 400 mm long in reality. How long should it be drawn on the paper?
mm
Hint: at 1:5 the drawing is one fifth of real size, so 400 ÷ 5.
Recap
The big ideas to know
Strategies: iterative (make-test-improve) and user-centred design
Modelling: card/foam, CAD, 3D-printed; looks-like vs works-like prototypes