Designing and Making Principles Exam Practice (AQA Paper 2 Style)

This lesson provides exam-style questions and worked answers covering the Designing and Making Principles section of AQA GCSE Design and Technology (8552), Section 3.3. These topics are tested on Paper 2: Designing and Making Principles (1 hour 30 minutes, 50 marks, 25% of GCSE).

---

How Paper 2 Is Structured

Paper 2 is divided into sections:

Section	Content	Marks
Section A	Core designing and making principles — short and medium-answer questions	~30 marks
Section B	Extended-response questions linked to a design context	~20 marks

Paper 2 requires you to apply your knowledge to unfamiliar contexts. You will be given a scenario (e.g. "A company is designing a new bicycle light") and asked to apply your understanding of investigation methods, human factors, communication techniques, design strategies and sustainability.

AQA Exam Tip: Paper 2 tests APPLICATION, not just recall. You must link your knowledge to the specific context in the question. Generic answers that do not reference the scenario will score low marks.

---

Worked Example 1: Short Answer (2 marks)

Question: State two methods of primary research a designer could use when developing a new children's water bottle.

Model Answer:

1. Questionnaire — the designer could ask parents and children about their preferences for size, colour, drinking mechanism (straw, flip-top, sport cap) and price.
2. Observation — the designer could observe children using existing water bottles in a school setting to identify problems (e.g. difficulty opening lids, spillage).

(2 marks: 1 for each valid primary research method clearly linked to the context.)

---

Worked Example 2: Medium Answer (4 marks)

Question: Explain how anthropometric data would be used when designing a new school chair for Year 7 students (aged 11–12).

Model Answer: Anthropometric data provides body measurements for specific populations. For a Year 7 school chair, the designer would use:

• Popliteal height (back of knee to floor) of the 5th percentile 11-year-old to set the minimum seat height, ensuring the smallest students can sit with their feet flat on the floor.
• Buttock-popliteal length to determine the seat depth — too deep and the seat edge will press against the back of the knees; too shallow and the student will not be properly supported.
• Shoulder width of the 95th percentile 12-year-old to set the minimum seat/back width, so the largest students fit comfortably.
• Sitting elbow height to determine the desk height relative to the seat, ensuring a comfortable writing posture.

(4 marks: 1 for each anthropometric measurement correctly linked to a specific chair dimension, with appropriate percentile reasoning.)

AQA Exam Tip: Always name the specific body measurement AND the percentile. Saying "the designer would look at body measurements" is too vague and will not score full marks.

---

Worked Example 3: Extended Response (6 marks)

Question: A small company produces handmade wooden chopping boards. They currently sell 20 boards per week and want to increase production to 200 per week. Discuss how the company could use CAD/CAM to achieve this increase.

Model Answer:

Currently, the company makes chopping boards by hand — marking out, cutting, shaping and finishing each board individually. This is suitable for 20 units per week but not for 200.

CAD (Computer-Aided Design): The company could design the chopping board in CAD software such as Fusion 360 or 2D Design. The CAD file would include precise dimensions, profiles and any decorative features. Once the design is finalised, it can be saved as a template and used to produce identical boards every time. Modifications (e.g. different sizes or shapes) can be made quickly by editing the CAD file.

CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing): The CAD file would be converted into G-code and sent to a CNC router, which would cut the board profiles from timber sheet automatically. This provides several advantages:

Factor	Hand Production (20/week)	CAD/CAM Production (200/week)
Consistency	Varies between boards	Every board is identical
Speed	Each board takes ~30 minutes to cut and shape	CNC router cuts each board in ~5 minutes
Accuracy	Depends on the maker's skill	Accurate to ±0.1 mm every time
Labour	Requires skilled craftspeople	CNC can be operated by trained (not highly skilled) workers
Initial cost	Low (hand tools already owned)	High (CNC router costs £5,000–£20,000)
Per-unit cost	High (slow, labour-intensive)	Low (fast, automated)

Recommendation: The company should invest in a CNC router driven by CAD files. While the initial cost is high, the increased speed, consistency and reduced labour cost will allow them to scale to 200 boards per week profitably. They could retain some hand-finishing (sanding, oiling) to maintain the "handmade" quality feel.

(6 marks: 2 for explaining CAD benefits, 2 for explaining CAM benefits, 2 for comparison and justified recommendation linked to the scenario.)

---

Practice Questions

Question 1 (2 marks)

Explain what is meant by "design fixation" and give one strategy a designer could use to overcome it.

Key points for your answer:

• Design fixation is when a designer becomes locked into one idea and cannot see alternatives.
• Strategies: generate many different ideas (at least 6–10 concepts), seek feedback from others, research solutions from unrelated fields, use creative techniques such as SCAMPER.

Question 2 (3 marks)

A designer is developing a new reusable coffee cup. Explain how the 6 Rs of sustainability could influence the design.

Key points for your answer:

• Reduce — minimise material use; design a thin but strong wall.
• Reuse — the cup IS designed for reuse (replacing disposable cups).
• Recycle — choose recyclable materials (e.g. stainless steel, recycled PP) and ensure different materials can be separated.
• Refuse — avoid unnecessary packaging or single-use components (e.g. no disposable lids).
• Rethink — consider a collapsible design for portability; or a deposit/return scheme.
• Repair — design a replaceable lid seal so the whole cup does not need replacing if the seal wears out.

Question 3 (4 marks)

Compare isometric drawing and orthographic projection. Explain when each would be used.

Key points for your answer:

Factor	Isometric	Orthographic
Type	3D pictorial	2D multi-view
Axes	Vertical + two at 30°	Front, side, plan views
Dimensions	True length on three axes	Fully dimensioned with tolerances
Use	Showing a product in 3D with correct proportions	Providing manufacturing information
When used	Presentation, illustration, assembly	Workshop, manufacturing, technical documentation

Question 4 (8 marks — Extended Response)

A company wants to manufacture a new range of outdoor garden furniture from recycled polymer and sustainably sourced timber. Evaluate the environmental, social and economic factors the company should consider. Justify your recommendations.

Key points for your answer:

Environmental:

• Use FSC-certified timber to prevent deforestation.
• Use recycled polymer (rHDPE) to divert plastic from landfill.
• Design for disassembly so materials can be separated and recycled at end of life.
• Choose surface treatments that are low-VOC and water-based.

Social:

• Ensure fair labour practices throughout the supply chain.
• Design furniture that is inclusive (accessible for wheelchair users, elderly people).
• Source locally where possible to support local economy and reduce transport emissions.