Task A3 | ​Existing products 

🔎 What? 
 
❗Why? 
 
Analyze a group of similar products that inspire a solution to  You are trying to figure out what makes related products a 
the problem.  success (or not) and you are trying to come up with ideas for 
  your own project.  
 

⚙H
​ ow? 

Inspiration board 
● Choose ​a product idea from this list - ​Choice of Upcycled Product 
● Create​ a Pinterest board of a range of products (at least 25) that are an inspiration to your specific project.  
● Present​ a screenshot of (a large part of) your Pinterest board in your design folder. Include the title and the 
hyperlinked source of your Pinterest board. 
● ​ hen creating your inspiration board, choose products that are ​different from each other​. If the 
Consider also​ -​ W
products are very similar, you will gain only limited knowledge and inspiration for your own project, because most 
products will lead to the same conclusions. It is likely that your inspiration will not only come from products that are 
similar to what you have in mind. Quite different products may have features that inspire you as well. 
● Review​ the ​high-level example​ and the rubric (below) to ensure you have enough detail. 
● Choose and j​ ustify​ which project plan will be the foundation for your project. You will incorporate elements from other 
projects, but choose 1 that best represents what you want to make. 

Inspiration Board of​: ... Ideas 

 
Source: kys, Lauren h
​ ttps://www.pinterest.com/laky2025/lauren-design-1/​ “ Pinterest board. Feb 2020 
 

PMI analysis​ | Plus, Minus, Interesting 

The command term a ​ nalyze​ is defined as​:  
 
“Break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure​.” 
 
In this task, this means conducting a PMI analysis for the products you identified in your inspiration board. 
 
Tips for analysis: 
● Evidence that you looked closely at the site of the pin. 
● Identified properties of the products (size, shape, style, functional effectiveness, appropriate for fabric, 
appropriate for your skill level, appropriateness for the client). 
● Bullet points but full sentences. 
● Explain why it is a strength/challenge/interesting point 
 

Analyze​ strengths (​plus​) of the products. In your analysis,]lysis clearly identifies and explains specific 
⊕  features that make the product successful. 

● (Fig 2) M
​ ade from 100% polyester woven fabric (2) 

This is good because it means that the quality of the bag is very good. So it is 
more durable and lasts longer. 

● (Fig 2) W
​ ide, soft drawcord that’s easy on your shoulders (2) 

This is good so u can put a lot of stuff and it will not hurt your shoulders. You 
can carry it for a long time. This is good for me because we have cotton T-shirts 
that we can make straps out of and they will be soft on your shoulders. 

● (Fig 2) ​Durable quality metal grommets (2) 

It won’t break easily. You can put a lot of things and if there is something sharp 
the bad won’t rip. Cotton is usually pretty durable so my bag isn’t gonna rip 
super easily. And it will be super soft. 

● (Fig 2) L
​ ong-lasting printed design on both front and back (2) 
This is good because it means your bag can look nice for a long time. Rather 
than getting a new bag because it was falling apart on the outside. 
My cotton shirt has a striped design on it. 
 
 

Analyze​ weaknesses (​minus​) of the products. In your analysis clearly identify and explain specific features 
⊖  that make the product less successful. 

● (Fig 2) The size of the bag is very small.  

This is bad because you can’t fit much stuff and that isn’t very functional. My 
cotton T-shirt isn’t very big so it might be very small and not fit very much stuff.  
 
● (fig 2) The pattern on this bed is not very nice.  
This is bad because some people might not want the bag because of the colour 
and pattern of it. My cotton shirt is grey with white stripes so it might be very 
boring. 
 
 
 ● (Fig 2) The fabric is itchy  
This is bad because it would be annoying to carry around for a long time. My 
cotton T-shirt is good because it is not itchy and it will not be annoying to carry 
around. 
 
● (Fig 2) The strings on the bag are too long.  
This is bad for the people that are small because the bag hangs to low down 
there bad and that is annoying to walk. I can try to make my bags string shorter 
so that it doesn’t hang so low and won’t be annoying. 
Outline​ all take-aways (​interesting​) you have gained for your project by analysing the products. 
ℹ  Take-aways are Ideas that are worth remembering for later in the project. 

● One of the bags has an interesting pattern on it. This is giving me the idea to put something in the front to 
make it look nicer than just plain colours. 
● A lot of the bags have very different shapes and sizes even so that is making me think that I can do any size 
and use the rest of the fabric to make the bad moring interesting. 
● I like how the bags have different colours for the main bag part and the strings it makes the bag look more 
colourful and fun. I might use this for my bag to make it look cooler and not so boring with plain straps and a 
bag. 
● One of the bags had a cute pineapple design on it. I like this because I think I could make a boring bag very 
cute by adding fabric to make it more interesting and cute, fun and colourful. 
 
 
 
 

Choose and justify a project plan 

 
Select ​one​ of the products from your inspiration board and ​justify​ the choice for this product to design in the next 
stage of the design cycle.  
 
Your justification must address the following elements: 

Why did you choose this product over the others in your inspiration board? ​Explain how it is appropriate for: 
● your client (you) 
The client of the drawstring bag is me. I choose to do this bag because it is a big part of my fashion style. It’s 
beneficial for me because I can use it in my everyday life. I can put all my stuff in there and take it around with my 
shopping. I can also use it for my swimming stuff for school and for my pe stuff and netball things. The designs in 
the material have inspired me to create and unique drawstring bag that is trendy but useful and convenient for my 
everyday life 
● the fabric you chose 
I have chosen to use a 100% cotton shirt because it is easier and more efficient for me to use while creating my 
drawstring bag. This material is also long-lasting and not itchy so you can carry it for a long time and it won’t 
annoy you a lot. And the bag won’t rip when in use. 
 
● your skill level 
I am a beginner at sewing. I was a very little experience. I will be able to use this experience to practice and get 
my skill level up so that my bag turns out good. 
... 
 

   
A3 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 ​presents​ some  ❏ The analysis of the individual products l​ ists​ specific features as strengths 
existing products that inspire a  or weaknesses. 
solution to the problem.  ❏ The inspiration board is ​not completed​, nor a link to your source. 
❏ The choice of final product demonstrates ​limited​ analysis and thinking 
about client, fabric and skill level. 

3-4  The student ​outlines​ features  ❏ The analysis of the individual products o​ utlines​ specific features as 
of some existing products that  strengths or weaknesses and leads to some further insights regarding the 
inspire a solution to the  project. 
problem.  ❏ There are a ​limited​ number and range of products in your Pinterest Board. 
There should be at least a range of 25 products that are different from 
each other 
❏ The source is included, but ​not in, proper​ MLA format. 
❏ The choice of final product demonstrates ​basic​ analysis and thinking 
about client, fabric and skill level. 

5-6  The student ​describes​ the  ❏ The analysis of each individual product or system d​ escribes​ specific 
common features of similar  features as strengths and weaknesses and leads to meaningful insights 
products that inspire a solution  regarding the project. 
to the problem.  ❏ There is a sufficient number and range of products in your Pinterest 
Board. 
❏ The source is cited in p
​ roper​ MLA format. 
❏ The choice of final product demonstrates ​sufficient​ analysis and thinking 
about client, fabric and skill level.  

7-8  The student ​analyses​ a group  ❏ The analysis of each individual product or system e
​ xplains​ specific 
of similar products that inspire  features as strengths and weaknesses and leads to impactful further 
a solution to the problem.  insights regarding the project. 
❏ There is an e
​ xtensive​ number and range of products in your Pinterest 
Board. 
❏ The source is cited in p
​ roper​ MLA format. 
❏ The choice of final product demonstrates ​sophisticated​ analysis and 
thinking about client, fabric and skill level.