| Lesson Plan |
| Grade: |
Date: 25/02/2026 |
| Subject: Design and Technology |
| Lesson Topic: The impact of the following on the design of new products: scale of production (individual (one-off), batch and mass production), production processes, costs (material costs and production costs), changing customer requirements, social and cultural c |
Learning Objective/s:
- Describe how scale of production influences material choice, tooling and part count.
- Explain the constraints that different manufacturing processes place on product geometry and cost.
- Analyse how customer, social, cultural and regulatory factors affect design decisions.
- Apply a design‑decision matrix to evaluate trade‑offs for a given product brief.
|
Materials Needed:
- Projector and screen
- Printed design‑decision matrix worksheets
- Sample material swatches (ABS, aluminium, titanium)
- Images of different production processes (machining, injection moulding, 3D‑printing)
- Whiteboard and markers
- Sticky notes for group brainstorming
|
Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: “If you could design any product, would you make one unique piece or a mass‑produced item?” Use responses to highlight the importance of production scale. Review key terminology from the previous lesson (DFA, sustainability, regulatory compliance). State that by the end of the lesson students will be able to evaluate how each factor shapes a new product design.
|
Lesson Structure:
- Do‑now (5'): Students list three products they use daily and note the likely scale of production.
- Mini‑lecture (15'): Overview of scale of production, major manufacturing processes and cost implications, using projector slides.
- Group activity (20'): Teams complete a design‑decision matrix worksheet for a given brief (e.g., a portable speaker), considering all ten factors.
- Whole‑class debrief (10'): Each group presents their matrix; teacher highlights trade‑offs and common misconceptions.
- Quick quiz & exit ticket (5'): 3 multiple‑choice questions + one sentence on the most influential factor for their design.
|
Conclusion:
Recap how production scale, processes, costs, customer needs, and societal influences interrelate in product design. Students submit their exit tickets, which serve as a retrieval check. For homework, they must choose a household item and draft a brief design‑decision matrix applying today’s criteria.
|