What is Product Design?
A mixture of graphical drawing, prototyping & manufacturing, GCSE Product Design encourages pupils to design and make innovative products with creativity and originality. Yr. 10 pupils will be taught a variety of practical activities, using a range of different materials and making techniques, learning and developing new skills, creating and manipulating materials.
Appreciation of the whole design and manufacturing process, considering packaging and branding of the final product are also encouraged as part of the complete design proposal, and appreciation of the advertising and promotion of products, are used to alongside the making experience.
Product Design has an incredibly broad skill base that you will acquire while studying. Everything from sketching, technical drawing, 3D modelling and ICT skills are developed as well as practical skills that are needed to make products. The wide variety of knowledge and skills taught allow Product Design to be one of the most engaging, exciting and useful subjects needed for everyday life in the real world.
Career Opportunities
Product Design complements many other subjects and acts a bridge between science and art. It can open avenues into a plethora of careers ranging from architecture, graphic design, engineering, product design, CAD operators, advertising, construction, entrepreneurial business. Ultimately, employers want creative people and problem solvers, and the development of those much sought after skills is what Product Design is all about.
The Course
In Year 11 you will complete a Controlled Assessment Task, this is a 35 hour design and make project spread over the Autumn/Winter and Spring Terms, and this is worth 50% of your overall GCSE grade. You will also be covering Product Design theory and will sit an exam at the end of Yr. 11 that will be the remaining 50% of your overall grade.
What do for further information
If you need help deciding, have questions about the course or are interested in any of the Design & Technology subjects at GCSE then ask one of your DT teachers and come along to the Open Evening to see a range of work produced by WHS pupils.
DT at Whitchurch. Creating your future.