| Lesson Plan |
| Grade: |
Date: 25/02/2026 |
| Subject: Design and Technology |
| Lesson Topic: The importance of identifying and satisfying consumer needs, to provide a product that customers will buy. |
Learning Objective/s:
- Describe why understanding consumer needs is critical for product success.
- Identify and evaluate at least three research methods for gathering consumer data.
- Translate consumer needs into functional, aesthetic, ergonomic, economic, and environmental specifications.
- Analyse how satisfying consumer needs influences market demand and profitability.
- Apply the consumer‑needs identification process to a simple product concept.
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Materials Needed:
- Projector and screen
- Whiteboard and markers
- Printed worksheet with the portable blender case study
- Sample consumer survey template
- Laptops/tablets for group analysis
- Sticky notes and coloured pens
- Rubric handout for specification review
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Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: “What product would you buy today and why?” to highlight how personal needs drive purchase decisions. Connect this to previous lessons on product design, reminding students that every design starts with the consumer. Explain that today’s success criteria are to identify consumer needs, translate them into clear specifications, and justify how meeting those needs adds commercial value.
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Lesson Structure:
- Do‑now (5') – Think‑pair‑share on a favourite product and the need it satisfies.
- Mini‑lecture (10') – Overview of why consumer needs matter and common research methods (surveys, focus groups, observation, feedback, competitor analysis).
- Group activity (15') – Analyse a provided survey dataset for the portable blender; identify top three consumer needs.
- Specification task (10') – Using a template, convert the identified needs into functional, aesthetic, ergonomic, economic, and environmental requirements.
- Peer review (10') – Groups present their specifications; classmates give feedback using the rubric.
- Whole‑class discussion (5') – Link satisfied needs to commercial outcomes such as increased demand and premium pricing.
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Conclusion:
Recap the link between consumer research, specification development, and market success. Students complete an exit ticket stating one new insight about how consumer needs shape product design. For homework, each student selects a household product, researches its target market, and outlines the key consumer needs it addresses.
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