Rationale

Designers play an important part in our daily lives. They determine the form and function of the products we use and transform ideas into drawings and plans for the creation of products that fulfil human needs and wants. Students also consider sustainability issues.

Students consider the consequences of product design choices, and develop skills to critically analyse existing products and develop their own creative solutions.

VCE Product Design and Technology offers students a range of career pathways in design in fields such as industrial, transport, service, interior and exhibition, engineering, fashion, furniture, jewellery, textile and ceramics, at both professional and vocational levels. Moreover, VCE Product Design and Technology informs sustainable behaviours and develops technical skills enabling students to present multiple solutions to everyday life situations. It contributes to developing creative problem solvers and project managers well-equipped to deal with the multi- disciplinary nature of modern workplaces.

Aims

This study enables students to:

• use design thinking and develop their understanding of product development and how these occur in a variety of contexts and environments

• apply design practice by generating and communicating multiple creative ideas, concepts and product design options using a range of techniques to develop viable solutions to problems

• explore and determine characteristics and properties of materials that make them suitable for use

• examine methods of sourcing, processing, producing and assembling materials and social, economic, ethical, legal and environmental implications

• use risk assessment to apply appropriate, efficient and safe methods of working with materials, tools, equipment and machines

• apply project management techniques of time and sequence, and choose appropriate processes

• analyse and evaluate the appropriateness of production activities and product design

• understand sustainability and the responsibility the designer has to address social,

  environmental and economic considerations when designing and creating for the needs of the broader community.

 

​Structure

The study is made up of four units:
Unit 1: Sustainable product redevelopment
Unit 2: Collaborative design
Unit 3: Applying the product design process
Unit 4: Product development and evaluation