Design Folder Sustainable Design - Sewciety - Jane Doe (7DET8)

Criterion B: Developing Ideas 

 

B1: Design specifications 

The success criteria for your project 
 
The design specification is a measuring stick for success. You will use this when evaluating 
your design ideas, evaluating your chosen design and when reflecting on the quality of your 
finished product. The design specification also communicates your understanding of what is 
most crucially needed in your product.  
 
Tips for developing your design specification 
 
1. Use ​this example​ as a layout for your design specification. Be to the point. Keep your 
writing to a minimum. The slides can also be found h ​ ere​. 
2. The success criteria should be phrased in a way that does not unnecessarily restrict 
your design possibilities. On the contrary: ​It should make you think about 
possibilities. 
3. The success criteria should allow meaningful evaluation.  
 
Bad and better examples 
Bad  Better 

“The chair is a success if it is red.”  “The chair should have colours attractive to 
  toddlers.” 
   
- Restricts the design possibilities   - Does not restrict the colour of the design.  
(red only)   - Can be given an opinion.  
- Is a yes/no type of statement?  
 

“The table should be 80cm high.”  “The table should have a height that allows 
  all family members to comfortably1 eat 
- Restricts the design possibilities   dinner.​”  
(80cm - not 81cm or height adjustable)    
- Is a yes/no type of statement?   - Opens up to design ideas/possibilities 
- Can be given an opinion. 
 
   

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Possible qualifying adjectives for success criteria: Accurately, Adequately, Amply, Appropriately, 
Authentically, Believably, Clearly, Comfortably, Compellingly, Consistently, Convincingly, Credibly, 
Effectively, Ethically, Fairly, Reasonably, Sensibly, Significantly, Soundly, Sustainably. 

 
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Design Folder Sustainable Design - Sewciety - Jane Doe (7DET8)

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you come up with design 
specifications: 
 
● What would make the product a success for my client? Your answers are success 
criteria! 
● What would make the product a success for a wider group of end-users? Your 
answers are success criteria! 
● What would make the product as a whole a success? Your answers are success 
criteria! 
● What would make the different parts of the product a success? Your answers are 
success criteria! 
 
 
Use this template for developing your design specifications: 
 

#  My product is a  This is particularly  Some initial design ideas I have  Does it 
success if..  important for my project..  to achieve this are..  allow for 
an opinion? 

`  It can hold all the  It needs to hold all my items  Ideas to help me achieve this goal  Yes 
necessary items I intend  because when I go to ballet  would be to have some extra 
to put in my product.  class I need particular items  pockets for seperate items to be 
in order to successfully  stored. 
complete my practices.  

1  It can hold other items  I’m really used to losing  To put extra pockets for things I  yes 
things because I just put  need. 
them anywhere and I forget 
where I put them. So if I put 
important stuff in my phone 
charger holder I wouldn’t 
lose them. 

2  It can hold the phone  If the phone moves it would  Make it tight so the phone doesn’t  yes 
securely.  be harder to charge and  have much space to move  
take out 

3  The phone’s screen is  Sometimes I want to look at  Make a hole in the bottom so the  yes 
visible when charging.  the screen while charging  phone doesn’t have to charge 
but don’t want to hold it.  with the screen upside down. 
And make a hole and replace the 
hole with a clear paper the size of 
the phone. 

4  There is a place to put  I want my charger to be  Make a pocket where the charger  yes 
the charger when I’m  organized when I’m not  could go in. 
not using it  using it. 

5  Make it hang on the  Putting it upside down is  Make a hole on the top so the  yes 
top and the bottom  more comfortable but when  phone can hang from the charger 

 
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Design Folder Sustainable Design - Sewciety - Jane Doe (7DET8)

I’m using the phone I would  and put a ring on the top so you 
want it straight   can hang it from the top with a 
rod.  

6  It’s durable  It shouldn't break  Make it strong how?   yes 

 
   

 
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Design Folder Sustainable Design - Sewciety - Jane Doe (7DET8)

B1: Assessment 

Level  Descriptor  Typical features of student work 

0  The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below. 

1-2  The student ​states​ o

​ ne  ❏ The success criterion is generic. I.e. applicable to many projects. 
basic success criterion  ❏ The success criterion only covers a very small part of the 
for a solution.  product features that would lead to success. 
❏ The success criterion restricts design options unnecessarily. 
❏ The success criterion is a ‘checklist type’ statement. 

3-4  The student ​states​ a

​   ❏ The success criteria are generic. I.e. applicable to many projects. 
few​ success criteria for  ❏ The success criteria only cover part of the product features that 
the solution.  would lead to success. 
❏ A few success criteria restrict design options unnecessarily. 
❏ Some success criteria are ‘checklist type’ statements. 

5-6  The student ​develops a  ❏ Most success criteria are project-specific. 

few s​ uccess criteria for  ❏ The success criteria cover most features that would lead to 
the solution.  success. 
❏ Most success criteria are qualitative statements that allow an 
opinion and testing possibilities are considered 
❏ Most success criteria are concise and clearly phrased. 

7-8  The student ​develops​ ​a  ❏ The success criteria cover most or all features that would lead to 
list of​ s​ uccess criteria  success. 
for the solution.  ❏ All success criteria are concise and clearly phrased. 
❏ All success criteria are qualitative statements that allow an 
opinion. 
❏ The presented initial design ideas demonstrate in-depth 
research and empathy for the end-users.. 

 
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