Identifying and defining design problems

Start with the problem

This page brings together mind maps about identifying and defining design problems. A useful starting point is Problem Identification, which asks who will use a product, what is being designed, where and when it will be used, and why it is needed. Follow those questions through the map to see how they help describe a problem.

Then look at DT - Problem Analysis. It includes user and performance requirements alongside function, materials, safety and sustainability. Comparing the maps can help you move from questions about a product to aspects that need attention in its design.

Explore ways to define problems

Defining problems introduces interpretation and synthesis as ways to define a problem. Its branches include patterns, causes, consequences and aspects that can be altered. After reading it, return to the questions in Problem Identification and consider which details might help explain the problem more clearly.

Understanding and Defining Problems includes observation, conversation and communication with people. Compare its approach with the questions about product users in Problem Identification. You can note where the maps focus on similar concerns and where they offer different ways to investigate them.

Use the maps together

There are no quizzes listed on this page, so use the mind maps to check your understanding. Read a branch, look away and try to explain it in your own words. Then return to the map to see what you missed. Compare branches across maps rather than treating a single map as a complete answer.

Place the topic in the unit

Identifying and defining design problems is a section of The Design Process unit in Design and technology. The maps offer different starting points for that section, from asking who a product is for to examining requirements and causes. Choose another map from the page and compare its approach with one you have studied.