AQA GCSE Design & Technology Unit 1 Past Paper PDF

AQA would like you to know Within the exam you could be asked questions on: ✔ Understand how technology push and market pull affect consumer choice and employment ✔ Understand changes in job roles due to the emergence of new ways of working ✔ Be aware of changes in...

AQA would like you to know Within the exam you could be asked questions on: ✔ Understand how technology push and market pull affect consumer choice and employment ✔ Understand changes in job roles due to the emergence of new ways of working ✔ Be aware of changes in fashion and trends and how they affect designers and manufacturers ✔ Understand how new products can have both a positive and negative impact on society People Understanding the market is one of the most challenging aspects for designers and manufacturers What works for one person, will not necessarily work for another How do mobile phone companies tailor their products to best suit as many people as possible? What makes you decide to purchase a product? Is this the same for everyone? Research & Development New invention, discovery or technological change drives new product development Research and development (R&D) drives invention and discovery Companies often have their own R&D centres Those companies who are first to market with a new product often have a key advantage over their competitors Why might products with new technologies command a premium price when they are released? Technology Push New technology is often pushed on to the market, driven by research. Often consumers are not aware of the new technology or the advantages it may bring. Some products might not be very useful or necessary, others may do the job perfectly and not change for decades Compare the microwave with the electric carving knife Market Pull Consumer driven pressure causes manufacturers to continuously develop new products or add functionality to existing products How would you feel if next year’s smartphones had no greater functionality and were no smarter than at present? Do you need greater functionality? Do you expect it? Case study – Spiders Web Spider silk has greater tensile strength than steel yet it is lightweight with high elasticity. Synthetic spider silk could be the biggest advance in clothing technology since Nylon The first company to develop synthetic spider silk could be hugely profitable Several companies are working on a potential solution Is this market pull or technology push? Case study – LED Bulb LED lights were first invented in the 1960s, but it was not until the late 1990s that white light was emitted Philips Lighting dedicated its research team to developing LED bulb technology for over 20 years. In 2009, they released their first LED lightbulb Philips were subsequently awarded the US Department of Energy L Prize in 2011 establishing them as a market leader in this field The initial retail price of LED bulbs was high Is this market pull or technology push? Consumer Choice How does technology push or market pull affect consumer choice? How does the global market affect choice? How does the global market affect manufacturers? You don’t need inside knowledge to find the best deal, just a price comparison website What ethical questions might buyers have about production methods? New ways of working Automation has had a significant impact on job roles How have factory robots changed production line jobs? How have computers changed administration roles? What jobs have remained largely unaffected by technological change? Fashion and trends Evolution in the development of materials, technology and fashion has driven design trends throughout history What developments in materials and technology have contributed to the design of new types of headphone? Which of these are driven by consumers or by research? Cultural design Japanese culture is to sit on the floor at mealtimes Design of tables and chairs in Japan is therefore very different from those in the rest of the world How do cultural issues affect the way information is presented and understood? The meaning of colour Does red mean STOP, DANGER? Or WEALTH, LUCK and HAPPINESS? Case Study - £5 note The new UK £5 note contains a small amount of tallow in the polymer pellets used to make the notes Tallow is a substance derived from animal fat This has upset a large community of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, vegetarians and vegans living in the UK What are the potential consequences for the Bank of England? Designed specifically for the disabled New materials have enabled new designs of prostheses to be developed Body scanners and 3D printing technology can make more comfortable, customised sockets Lightweight and flexible materials can improve shock absorbency and freedom of movement Inclusive Design Designs may be developed to be easily used by the elderly or disabled Pedestrian crossings have been designed using audible beeps and bright colours for the partially sighted. They are positioned within easy reach of wheelchairs? How are buses designed to avoid a negative impact on elderly or disabled users? It’s a bit dated, but an excellent video! Design for different religions Textile and fashion design may be judged very differently by those of different religions Some religions require fuller coverage of skin and hair than others Some have particular grooming requirements Some require that certain materials must not be blended How might a doll be perceived by different groups? Culture and Society What does or society and culture demand? Embracing change Technologists over the millennia have embraced change, refined ideas and developed new ideas