Section C: Generating & Developing Ideas
GCSE — 2.2.1 NEA Guide
Overview
30 marks — AO2 (Assessment Objective 2: Design, make, evaluate and communicate)
This is the largest section and the heart of your NEA. You must show an iterative design process — generating ideas, testing and evaluating them, and refining towards a final detailed proposal. Aim for 8–10 pages.
What to include — page by page
Page 7: Design strategy
Before generating ideas, briefly explain the design approach you will use.
Choose one or more of the following and explain how you will apply it:
- Collaboration (Double Diamond): Discover → Define → Develop → Deliver
- User-centred design: Contexts → Requirements → Design Solutions → Evaluate → Iteration
- Systems thinking: considering how all parts of a design interact as a whole
Explain why this strategy suits your project and how it will help you avoid design fixation (getting stuck on one idea too early).
Pages 8–10: Initial ideas
Generate a broad, diverse range of initial ideas — aim for at least 6–8 different concepts.
For each idea:
- Sketch it in 2D and/or 3D (freehand annotated sketches are expected here)
- Add annotations explaining: materials, how it works, dimensions, key features
- Consider and comment on social, moral and economic factors where relevant
- Show variety — different forms, materials, mechanisms or construction methods
Avoid design fixation: Do not draw slight variations of the same idea. Show genuinely different approaches.
Use a range of techniques:
- Freehand annotated sketches
- Exploded diagrams
- System or schematic diagrams (for products with mechanisms or electronics)
- Notes and written commentary
At the end of this section, compare your initial ideas against your specification and select one (or elements of several) to develop further. Justify your choice.
Pages 11–12: Development
Take your chosen idea and develop it through at least two or three iterations.
Each iteration should:
- Show a refined version of the previous design
- Explain what changed and why (based on testing, user feedback, or specification check)
- Include modelling evidence — photos of card or foam models, or 3D printed test pieces
- Show user or peer feedback and how you responded to it
The iterative process: Design → Make a quick model → Test → Get feedback → Refine → Repeat.
Development pages should show the design getting progressively better and more resolved, not just different.
Page 13: Social, moral and economic considerations
Dedicate a section to showing you have considered the wider impact of your design.
- Social — who will use this product? Are there any groups who might be excluded or affected?
- Moral — are any materials or manufacturing processes ethically questionable? (e.g. supply chains, worker conditions)
- Economic — what is the likely retail cost? What scale of production would be needed? Is it affordable for your target user?
- Environmental — what is the ecological footprint of your materials and processes? Have you considered the Six Rs?
Link these considerations to changes you have made (or would make) to your design.
Pages 14–16: Final detailed proposal
Your final proposal must give enough information for someone else to make your product. Include:
- Working drawings — orthographic (front, side, top) with all dimensions clearly labelled
- Exploded diagram or assembly diagram showing how parts fit together
- Materials list — specify exact materials, sizes/thicknesses, and quantities
- Finishes and surface treatments — specify what finish will be applied, where and why
- Manufacturing method — explain how each part will be made
- Justification — explain how your final proposal meets every point on your specification
Tip: Your final proposal should address all points in your specification. If any are not fully met, explain what further development would be needed.
Marking criteria
| Band | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 24–30 | Range of design strategies applied; iterative process used; broad, complex and diverse initial ideas; social/moral/economic factors considered and applied; clear testing and refinement; comprehensive final proposal with materials, dimensions, finishes and processes; sophisticated communication |
| 3 | 16–23 | Range of strategies and iterative process; broad initial ideas; factors considered; effective testing and refinement; proposal with relevant detail addressing main spec points; good communication |
| 2 | 8–15 | Some strategies; iterative process applied; range of basic ideas; some factors identified; some testing; proposal with some detail; satisfactory communication |
| 1 | 1–7 | Limited undeveloped ideas; factors noted but not applied; little testing; superficial proposal; limited communication |
Checklist for Band 4
- Design strategy named and explained
- At least 6–8 genuinely different initial ideas, all annotated
- Ideas include 2D and 3D sketches, exploded or schematic diagrams
- Social, moral and economic factors identified and applied to design decisions
- At least 2–3 iterations of the chosen design, with evidence of testing and feedback
- Modelling evidence photographed and included
- Final proposal includes working drawings with dimensions
- Materials, finishes and manufacturing methods all specified
- Final proposal checked against all specification points