Section A: Identifying Design Possibilities
GCSE — 2.2.1 NEA Guide
Overview
10 marks — AO1 (Assessment Objective 1: Identify, analyse and research)
This section is your starting point. You need to show that you have thoroughly explored the context, researched existing products and users, and identified a clear design opportunity. Aim for 3–4 pages.
What to include — page by page
Page 1: Context analysis
Start by unpacking the context (theme) given to you by WJEC.
- Annotate or mind-map the context — what does it mean? What areas does it cover?
- Identify at least three possible directions you could take
- Explain why the context is relevant and what kinds of products could come from it
- Show you understand that design takes place within real-world situations that shape outcomes
Tip: Do not jump straight to a product idea. Show you have explored the full breadth of the context first.
Page 2: Primary research — designing your survey
Primary research is data you collect yourself, directly from users or the real world.
You don’t have a product yet — and that’s the point. Your survey is a tool for discovery, not confirmation. You are researching the context and your users so you can work out what to design. Never ask “would you buy my product?” — instead, explore people’s needs, habits and frustrations within the context.
A note for the Inspiration from nature context: Your survey researches the problem and the user — not nature itself. Don’t ask people about plants or animals. Pin down a real user problem first; the inspiration from nature comes later, during ideation, when you look at how the natural world has solved a similar problem (e.g. burrs → Velcro, honeycomb → lightweight strength).
Aim for 5–10 respondents. Mix closed questions (tick-box, scale or ranking — easy to turn into graphs) with one or two open questions (richer detail you can quote and analyse). Present your results as charts and comment on what they mean for your design.
A question template for any context
Adapt these four types to whatever context WJEC has given you:
- Screening — who is your user?
- Establish who they are and whether they experience a relevant problem. (e.g. “Which activities do you do outdoors regularly?”, “Do you experience any recurring problem the natural world might help solve?”)
- Behaviour — what do they currently do?
- Find out their habits and the solutions they already use. (e.g. “What product do you currently use for [task]?”, “How well does it work for you?”)
- Frustrations — where is the opportunity?
- Surface the problems your design could solve — these feed your design opportunities. (e.g. “What frustrates you most about that product or task?”, “When does it fail or let you down?”)
- Priorities — what matters to them?
- Understand what they value — this starts to shape your specification. (e.g. “Rank these by importance: durability / weight / cost / sustainability”, “How important is it that a product is made from eco-friendly materials?”)
Tip: Behaviour and frustration questions reveal your design opportunities (Page 4). Priority and preference questions begin to inform your specification (Section B). Good questions do double duty.
Example questions for each context
Inspiration from nature (identify a problem; let nature inspire the solution)
- Screening: “Which everyday tasks or activities cause you the most difficulty?”
- Behaviour: “What product do you currently use for that task, and how does it perform?”
- Frustration: “When does that product fail, break or let you down?”
- Priority: “Rank by importance: durability / weight / cost / sustainability.”
Responding to climate change (a solution for emerging environmental conditions)
- Screening: “Which changing weather conditions affect your daily life most? (heat / flooding / storms / drought)”
- Behaviour: “What do you currently do to cope with those conditions?”
- Frustration: “What doesn’t work well about your current approach?”
- Priority: “Rank by importance: cost / effectiveness / portability / environmental impact.”
Designing for future generations (ethical, multifunctional, inspiring products)
- Screening: “Which everyday products do you feel are wasteful or short-lived?”
- Behaviour: “How long do you typically keep this kind of product before replacing it?”
- Frustration: “What makes you throw a product away — and could it have lasted longer?”
- Priority: “Rank by importance: ethical sourcing / multifunctionality / repairability / appeal.”
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leading questions that push a particular answer (e.g. “Don’t you agree storage is a problem?”) — they bias your results and examiners spot them.
- Asking about a product you haven’t designed — there is no product yet.
- Presenting data without analysis — every chart needs a sentence on what it tells you about your design.
- Too many open questions — they’re hard to graph; keep most questions closed.
Other primary research methods
- Interview notes — speak to a potential client or user and record key findings
- Observations — observe how people interact with existing products or environments
- Measurements — record any relevant anthropometric data (e.g. hand sizes, reach distances)
Analyse what your primary research tells you — do not just present data, comment on what it means for your design.
Page 3: Secondary research — ACCESS FM product analysis
Secondary research is data already collected by others that you find and use.
Existing product analysis using ACCESS FM
Analyse 4 existing products that are related to your context using the ACCESS FM framework. For each product, work through all seven headings and annotate an image or photograph of the product.
| Letter | Stands for | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| A | Aesthetics | How does it look? Shape, colour, texture, style — does it appeal to the target user? |
| C | Cost | How much does it cost? Is it good value? Who can afford it? |
| C | Customer | Who is it designed for? Age, lifestyle, needs — is it right for its user? |
| E | Environment | Where is it used? How is it disposed of? Is it sustainable? |
| S | Size | What are the dimensions? Is the scale appropriate for its purpose and user? |
| S | Safety | Are there any hazards? Does it meet safety standards? |
| F | Function | What does it do? Does it do it well? What are its limitations? |
| M | Materials | What is it made from? Why were those materials chosen? How is it manufactured? |
Tip: Don’t just describe — evaluate. Say whether each aspect is successful or not, and explain why. The examiner wants your judgement, not just a list of facts.
For each product, end with a short “What this tells me” sentence — link what you found to your own design direction.
Other secondary research to include
- Relevant designers or companies — research a professional whose work relates to your context (link to the Designers content from Unit 1)
- Standards and legislation — note any relevant BSI/ISO standards or safety requirements
- Materials research — begin exploring what materials might be appropriate
Concluding your research
After your product analyses, write a short research conclusion that draws everything together — your survey findings (Page 2) and your product analyses. Answer these questions:
- What have you learned about what users need?
- What do existing products do well that you should keep in mind?
- What do existing products do poorly — where is the gap your design could fill?
- What materials, sizes or features are you starting to consider as a result?
This conclusion bridges your research and your design opportunities (Page 4). It shows the examiner that your design decisions will be evidence-based, not guesswork.
Tip: Relate everything back to your context. Ask yourself: “What does this tell me about what I should design?”
Page 4: Analysis and design opportunities
Pull your research together into clear conclusions.
- Summarise the key needs and wants of your target user
- Identify at least three design problems or opportunities arising from your research
- Explain which opportunity you will pursue and why
- Show how your chosen direction responds to real user needs, not just your personal preference
Marking criteria
| Band | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 9–10 | Thorough research clearly linked to context and professionals; detailed analysis of user needs; broad range of problems/opportunities identified |
| 3 | 6–8 | Effective research linked to context; good analysis of user needs; a range of problems/opportunities identified |
| 2 | 3–5 | Some research generally linked to context; some analysis; some problems/opportunities identified |
| 1 | 1–2 | Limited research; basic analysis; few problems/opportunities; brief not well linked to investigation |
Checklist for Band 4
- Context explored from multiple angles — not just one idea
- Primary research collected, presented visually and analysed
- 4 existing products analysed using ACCESS FM with annotations
- Each product analysis ends with a “What this tells me” sentence
- Research conclusion written — linking survey findings and product analyses
- Reference made to relevant designers or companies
- User needs and wants clearly identified
- At least three design problems or opportunities stated
- Everything is linked back to the context