This mini-lesson covers Identifying Requirements for OCR A-level Product Design: design context and briefs, primary and secondary research, ergonomics and anthropometrics, and writing a measurable specification.
You will separate research types, apply percentiles, and calculate an adjustment range. Press Start to begin.
Context & brief
Design context and the brief
Good design starts by identifying a genuine need in a real context for real users and clients.
A design brief is a short statement of the problem and what is required — open enough to allow creative solutions.
A design specification comes later: a list of measurable criteria the solution must meet.
Stakeholders: consider everyone affected — primary users, clients, manufacturers, retailers and those who maintain or dispose of the product.
Quick check
Brief or specification?
?How does a design brief differ from a design specification?
Research
Research and user needs
Requirements are grounded in evidence:
Primary research — first-hand data you collect (interviews, questionnaires, observation, user trials).
Secondary research — existing sources (reports, standards, product reviews, data sets).
Market research establishes who the users are, competitor products and price points.
Human factors
Ergonomics and anthropometrics
Products must fit their users:
Ergonomics — designing for comfort, safety and efficiency of use.
Anthropometrics — measured human body data used through percentiles.
Reach dimensions (a control, a shelf) use the 5th percentile so the smallest users can reach.
Clearance dimensions (doorways, gaps) use the 95th percentile so the largest users fit.
Adjustability covers the 5th-to-95th percentile range where one size cannot suit all.
Quick check
Which percentile for reach?
?A wall-mounted control must be reachable by almost all users. Which percentile should set its maximum height?
Sort it
Sort the requirements evidence
Tap an item, then the group it belongs to.
🔎 Primary research
📚 Secondary research
📏 Human-factors data
Quick check
A measurable criterion
?Which specification point is written well, because it is measurable?
Specification
Writing the design specification
A strong specification sets measurable, justified criteria under headings such as:
Function and performance — what it must do, and how well.
Ergonomics — sizes and forces for the target users.
Materials and components, cost/target price, sustainability and aesthetics.
Justify each point against your research — examiners reward criteria that trace back to a real need.
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 — adjustment range
1An adjustable monitor arm must serve users from the 5th percentile seated eye height of 680 mm to the 95th percentile of 830 mm. Calculate the adjustment range required.