6.3 - Criterion C: Creating the Solution
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Understanding the Planning Process
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Today, we will discuss why itβs crucial to have a structured plan before jumping into prototype development. Can anyone tell me what they think a logical plan might include?
I think it should list all the steps we need to do.
Great start! A logical plan should also justify the resources you choose. For example, if you're 3D printing your model, why would you select that method over hand crafting?
Maybe because 3D printing is faster and can create complex shapes easily?
Exactly! Remember, effective planning may also prevent setbacks later. A helpful acronym here is P.A.R.T. which stands for Plan, Assemble, Review, and Test. Make sure to apply it! Any questions?
What if we encounter problems during assembly?
Thatβs an excellent point! Itβs important to document any changes along the way and justify why they were made. This shows our ability to adapt and problem-solve. Letβs recap: a logical plan is essential for guiding your work and mitigating risks!
Demonstrating Technical Skills
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Now that weβve established our plans, letβs talk about the technical skills weβll need. Why are precision and aesthetics important in prototype creation?
If we donβt make it precise, it won't function properly, right?
Exactly! Precision ensures parts fit well together. Consider your audience; an aesthetically pleasing design can impact user perception positively. Can anyone share what tools we might need for the physical model?
3D printer and maybe some paints or finishing tools?
Correct! And remember, your digital prototype should be intuitive. It should reflect the same clarity in design. A memory aid for this concept is 'C.L.A.R.I.T.Y.'βClean, Logical, Accessible, Responsive, Intuitive, Testable, and Yoursβkeeping these in mind will enhance your designs. Any clarifications before we proceed?
Documenting Adaptations and Challenges
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An important part of creating your model is documenting any changes made. Why is it vital to keep track of these adaptations during the prototyping phase?
So we can explain our design choices later?
Exactly! If you face a design challenge, noting how you addressed it demonstrates critical thinking. What are some examples of challenges you might encounter?
Maybe parts donβt fit, or the electronics fail?
Right! Documenting these moments not only aids you in constructing a better prototype next time but also might inspire future designs. A good mnemonic to remember is 'D.O.C.U.M.E.N.T.'βDescribe, Observe, Change, Understand, Monitor, Evaluate, Note, Track. This helps remind you to keep detailed records. Letβs summarize: keeping a record shows your improvement and understanding.
Integrating Physical and Digital Prototypes
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Finally, letβs discuss the integration of your physical and digital prototypes. Why is showing both together important?
It shows how they work together as a complete product!
Absolutely! You need to convey how both elements contribute to a seamless user experience. Can anyone give an example of how they might demonstrate this integration?
We can show how pressing a button on the physical model can represent an action on the digital interface.
Great example! When you present, explain the functionality, the design choices, and how user feedback influenced changes. A helpful story that ties this all together could be the 'User Journey' which illustrates the pathway the user will experience from your prototypes. To wrap up: effective communication of integration solidifies your design's impact.
Introduction & Overview
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Quick Overview
Standard
Within this section, students learn how to plan and construct a non-functional prototype of their interactive home device, focusing on the sequence of steps, resource justification, and technical skills. Emphasis is placed on documentation and adapting to challenges during the creation process.
Detailed
Criterion C: Creating the Solution
This section delves into the practical aspects of product design, specifically how students can create their interactive home device prototypes. It guides students through the process of building both a physical model and a digital interface, emphasizing a logical plan that details the necessary steps and justifications for resource choices.
Key Elements of the Creation Process:
- Constructing a Logical Plan: Students are required to create a systematic roadmap outlining the sequence of their development tasks. This should include detailed descriptions of each step and the materials or tools needed, ensuring they approach their design project effectively and efficiently.
- Technical Skills Demonstration: Students are expected to showcase their technical proficiency during construction. This includes maintaining precision in 3D printing, assembling parts neatly, and achieving an aesthetically pleasing finish in the physical model. Additionally, students must create a digital prototype that is user-friendly and visually coherent.
- Adaptive Problem-Solving: As students work through their plans, they must document any changes made to their original design due to challenges faced, whether from technical limitations or user feedback. Rationalizing these adjustments helps illustrate creatively adaptive thinking in response to practical constraints.
- Presentation of Prototypes: The final aspect involves presenting both the physical and digital prototypes. Students should demonstrate how these two elements work together cohesively to fulfill the design brief's requirements and enhance user experience.
This section serves as a critical bridge between theoretical design and practical application in product development, allowing students to engage deeply with their creations and receive feedback on their work.
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Constructing a Logical Plan
Chapter 1 of 4
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Chapter Content
C.i: Construct a logical plan detailing the sequence of steps and justified use of resources to create a non-functional physical model and a rudimentary interactive interface prototype.
Detailed Explanation:
Students will develop a meticulously organized, step-by-step plan for the practical creation phase. This plan will serve as their roadmap for bringing their concept to a tangible, albeit non-functional, state. The plan will explicitly detail:
- Sequence of Steps: A clear, chronological order of tasks, from material preparation to assembly and finishing.
- Justified Resource Use: For each step, a clear justification for the chosen resources and tools. For example:
- 3D Printing: Specifying the type of printer (e.g., FDM), material (e.g., PLA, PETG), print settings (e.g., layer height, infill), and why it's chosen for specific parts (e.g., complex geometries, rapid iteration).
- Laser Cutting: Identifying parts suitable for laser cutting (e.g., flat panels, custom button shapes), material (e.g., acrylic, plywood), and reasoning for its use (e.g., precision, speed).
- Basic Electronics Kits: If applicable for very basic interactive elements, detailing the use of components like Arduino or Raspberry Pi for wiring simple LEDs as indicators or connecting a push button to demonstrate input, purely for conceptual illustration of interaction flow.
- UI Prototyping Software: Naming the specific software (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD) and outlining the process for creating clickable screen mock-ups.
- Finishing Materials: Specifying paints, sanding tools, adhesives, etc., and why they are chosen for aesthetic or structural purposes.
- Time Allocation: A realistic estimate of the time required for each major task.
- Safety Considerations: Any necessary safety precautions for using tools and materials.
Detailed Explanation
In this chunk, students are asked to create a structured plan for building their project. This plan should outline what tasks they will do and in what order. It should also explain why they are using certain tools and materials for each task, which is important for effective project management. They should consider using 3D printing and laser cutting, explaining what settings to use and why those methods are best for their parts. Furthermore, they need to include how much time they'll need for each step and think about any safety measures they should take while working.
Examples & Analogies
Think about planning a big party. First, you figure out what food you'll serve (the 'materials') and how you'll cook it (the 'tools'). You then write down each step on when to buy groceries, prepare food, and set up the venue, just like the sequence of steps in the plan. You might choose pizza because it's easy to make and popular, just as you'd justify using 3D printing for complex designs because it's efficient. By organizing everything, you're ensuring your party goes smoothly, which is the same idea here for a successful project.
Demonstrating Technical Skills
Chapter 2 of 4
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Chapter Content
C.ii: Demonstrate excellent technical skills when constructing the physical model and creating the digital interface prototype.
Detailed Explanation:
Students will exhibit high proficiency and attention to detail in the practical execution of their design.
- Physical Model Construction:
- Precise 3D Printing: Demonstrated by accurate dimensions, minimal warping, and clean layer lines.
- Clean Assembly: Secure and neat joining of parts resulting in a robust structure.
- Aesthetic Finish: Application of finishing techniques that result in a smooth, professional appearance.
- Digital Interface Prototype Creation:
- Clear Navigation: The interactive prototype should have a logical and intuitive flow.
- Responsive Elements: Buttons, icons, and interactive areas should provide visual feedback.
- Visual Consistency: Maintaining a consistent visual style across all screens.
Detailed Explanation
This section focuses on students showcasing their technical abilities while creating both their physical and digital prototypes. When making a physical model, they need to print parts accurately with few mistakes, assemble them neatly, and ensure they look good and professional. For the digital interface, they must design it so that users can navigate easily, with clear buttons that react when pressed, and make sure the overall style is the same throughout all the screens.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you're making a model airplane. To be considered a good airplane maker, you need to make sure each piece fits together perfectly, like ensuring your 3D printed parts are the right shape and size. When you paint it, you want to use colors that match the style of real planes to make it look professional. Similarly, in your digital design, if buttons change color when clicked, users feel like theyβre really interacting with something, just as if you were flying the airplane.
Following the Plan
Chapter 3 of 4
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Chapter Content
C.iii: Follow the plan to create the physical model and interface prototype, meticulously recording any changes made due to design challenges, technical limitations, or user feedback, with clear justifications.
Detailed Explanation:
Students will demonstrate disciplined adherence to their planned creation process while also showing adaptability and problem-solving skills.
- Plan Adherence: Following the sequence and methods outlined in their Criterion C.i plan.
- Meticulous Recording of Changes: Documenting any deviations from the original plan due to:
- Design Challenges: Issues that arise during prototyping.
- Technical Limitations: Constraints imposed by tools or materials.
- User Feedback: Adjustments made based on informal feedback from peers.
- Clear Justifications: For every change, providing a concise explanation of why it was necessary and how it helped improve the design.
Detailed Explanation
In this section, students need to stick closely to the creation plan they developed in the first chunk while being flexible enough to adapt when things donβt go as planned. If they encounter problems, like a part that doesn't fit, they should write down what happened, how they responded, and why the changes were made. This helps to learn from their experience and improve their designs for the future.
Examples & Analogies
Think about cooking a recipe. If a critical ingredient runs out, you might need to substitute it with something else and adjust the cooking time. As you cook, youβd jot down these changes in your notebook to remember what worked well for next time. In the same way, youβd document and explain any adjustments to your design prototype, ensuring future projects benefit from your problem-solving history.
Presenting the Models
Chapter 4 of 4
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Chapter Content
C.iv: Present the non-functional physical model alongside the interactive interface prototype, showing how they would integrate to satisfy the design brief's requirements for a seamless user experience.
Detailed Explanation:
The culmination of the creation phase is a unified presentation of the two key artifacts.
- Integrated Presentation: Presenting both the physical model and the interactive interface prototype together.
- Seamless Integration Narrative: Explaining how these components would work together in real use, including:
- Physical Button to Digital Action: Demonstrating how pressing a button on the model corresponds to actions in the digital prototype.
- Supportive Physical Form: Showing how the design facilitates the digital interaction.
- Link to Design Brief Requirements: Explicitly connecting both prototypes to the problems and user needs identified at the beginning.
Detailed Explanation
This final chunk requires students to present both their physical model and the digital interface together, effectively demonstrating how each complements the other. They need to clearly explain how the physical aspects of the design, like buttons that users can press, connect with the actions on the screen of the digital prototype. This presentation should link back to the original goals set out in the design brief to show how their solution meets the needs identified.
Examples & Analogies
Consider showcasing a new smartphone. You would want to show how pressing the phone's button turns on the touchscreen and opens an app. By demonstrating the synergy between the physical buttons and the screen operations, you clearly illustrate how the entire device is designed for usability. This is similar to what students do in their presentations, showing how their prototypes work together in a smooth and user-friendly way.
Key Concepts
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Logical Planning: A systematic approach to the sequence of steps in prototype creation.
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Technical Skills: The abilities required to construct both physical and digital elements of the prototype.
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Adaptive Problem-Solving: The process of documenting and addressing challenges encountered during creation.
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Integration: The seamless connection between physical and digital prototypes for user experience.
Examples & Applications
Creating a plan that outlines each step needed to 3D print a prototype.
Documenting the adjustments made to the prototype design after noticing fitting issues.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
Before you create, plan your fate, skills to demonstrate help you coordinate.
Stories
Imagine a builder who sketches their plans, tackles each challenge with careful hands, documenting lessons, growing wise, before constructing to reach the skies.
Memory Tools
Remember 'P.A.R.T.' - Plan, Assemble, Review, and Test for successful prototyping!
Acronyms
Use 'C.L.A.R.I.T.Y.' to remember Clear, Logical, Accessible, Responsive, Intuitive, Testable, Yours for effective design.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Prototype
An early sample or model built to test a concept or process.
- 3D Printing
A process of creating three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file.
- Documentation
The detailed recording of the construction process and any adjustments made.
- Digital Interface
The visual and interactive elements of a product that users interact with digitally.
- User Experience (UX)
The overall perception and interaction a user has with a product.
Reference links
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