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Understanding the IB Design Technology syllabus offers valuable insight into the skills and knowledge you'll gain during the course. Join us as we break down the key elements of the syllabus to help you better understand what lies ahead in your journey!
IB Design Technology Syllabus + Topics
The IB Design Technology syllabus is organized into three lenses: Design in theory, Design in practice, and Design in context. These lenses cover everything from the fundamentals of human factors to complex production systems.
Theme A: Design in theory
For the first theme, students study the theoretical understandings that underpin the course, including additional demanding material for HL students.
Topic A1: People
Ergonomics – Students explore the relationship between people and the products they use, focusing on anthropometrics, physiology, and psychology to improve design efficiency and safety.
Topic A2: Process
User-centred research methods – This area covers understanding end-user needs and limitations through multidisciplinary teams and methods like field research and interviews.
Prototyping techniques – Learners examine low- and high-fidelity prototyping, including the use of CAD, digital humans, and various 3D printing techniques like SLA and FDM.
Topic A3: Product
Material classification and properties – Students evaluate materials based on their physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, as well as smart and biodegradable materials.
Introduction to structural, mechanical, and electronic systems (HL only) – HL students dive deep into the components of structures, mechanical motion and advantage, and the principles of analogue and digital electronic systems.
Topic A4: Production (HL only)
Manufacturing techniques – HL students study diverse techniques including additive (4D and 5D printing), subtractive, forming, and joining processes.
Theme B: Design in practice
The second theme focuses on the practical application of theoretical knowledge through hands-on design activities.
Topic B1: People
User-centred design – Students apply research to create personae, perform task analyses, and use usability objectives to identify design improvements.
Topic B2: Process
The design process – This covers the five stages of design thinking: empathize, define, ideate and model, design a solution, and present a solution.
Modelling and prototyping – Learners construct 2D and 3D models, utilizing CAD and physical prototypes to gather feedback and refine their designs.
Topic B3: Product
Material selection – Students justify material choices based on properties, aesthetics, cost, and sustainability.
Systems application and selection (HL only) – HL students calculate Young's Modulus for structures, determine mechanical advantage and gear ratios, and build circuits using microcontrollers and sensors.
Topic B4: Production (HL only)
Production systems – HL students evaluate different systems, such as craft, automated, and computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM), across various scales of production.
Theme C: Design in context
The final theme connects theory and practice to real-world global and local contexts.
Topic C1: People
Responsibility and inclusion – Students discuss the designer's ethical duty regarding safety, obsolescence, and inclusive design for extremes.
Beyond usability (HL only) – HL students explore frameworks like the four-pleasure framework and the ACT model to trigger positive emotional responses.
Topic C2: Process
Sustainability and circular economy – Learners examine the triple bottom line and strategies for closed-loop systems, including design for disassembly and longevity.
Topic C3: Product
Analysis and evaluation – All students use tools like SWOT analysis and constructive discontent to identify product weaknesses.
Life-cycle analysis (HL only) – HL students perform cradle-to-grave assessments of a product's total environmental impact.
Topic C4: Production (HL only)
Design for manufacture strategies – HL students focus on specific strategies for process, assembly, and disassembly to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
We hope you found this post helpful in learning more about the IB Design Technology syllabus. For more useful materials associated with the IB, check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
Understanding the IB Design Technology syllabus offers valuable insight into the skills and knowledge you'll gain during the course. Join us as we break down the key elements of the syllabus to help you better understand what lies ahead in your journey!
IB Design Technology Syllabus + Topics
The IB Design Technology syllabus is organized into three lenses: Design in theory, Design in practice, and Design in context. These lenses cover everything from the fundamentals of human factors to complex production systems.
Theme A: Design in theory
For the first theme, students study the theoretical understandings that underpin the course, including additional demanding material for HL students.
Topic A1: People
Ergonomics – Students explore the relationship between people and the products they use, focusing on anthropometrics, physiology, and psychology to improve design efficiency and safety.
Topic A2: Process
User-centred research methods – This area covers understanding end-user needs and limitations through multidisciplinary teams and methods like field research and interviews.
Prototyping techniques – Learners examine low- and high-fidelity prototyping, including the use of CAD, digital humans, and various 3D printing techniques like SLA and FDM.
Topic A3: Product
Material classification and properties – Students evaluate materials based on their physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, as well as smart and biodegradable materials.
Introduction to structural, mechanical, and electronic systems (HL only) – HL students dive deep into the components of structures, mechanical motion and advantage, and the principles of analogue and digital electronic systems.
Topic A4: Production (HL only)
Manufacturing techniques – HL students study diverse techniques including additive (4D and 5D printing), subtractive, forming, and joining processes.
Theme B: Design in practice
The second theme focuses on the practical application of theoretical knowledge through hands-on design activities.
Topic B1: People
User-centred design – Students apply research to create personae, perform task analyses, and use usability objectives to identify design improvements.
Topic B2: Process
The design process – This covers the five stages of design thinking: empathize, define, ideate and model, design a solution, and present a solution.
Modelling and prototyping – Learners construct 2D and 3D models, utilizing CAD and physical prototypes to gather feedback and refine their designs.
Topic B3: Product
Material selection – Students justify material choices based on properties, aesthetics, cost, and sustainability.
Systems application and selection (HL only) – HL students calculate Young's Modulus for structures, determine mechanical advantage and gear ratios, and build circuits using microcontrollers and sensors.
Topic B4: Production (HL only)
Production systems – HL students evaluate different systems, such as craft, automated, and computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM), across various scales of production.
Theme C: Design in context
The final theme connects theory and practice to real-world global and local contexts.
Topic C1: People
Responsibility and inclusion – Students discuss the designer's ethical duty regarding safety, obsolescence, and inclusive design for extremes.
Beyond usability (HL only) – HL students explore frameworks like the four-pleasure framework and the ACT model to trigger positive emotional responses.
Topic C2: Process
Sustainability and circular economy – Learners examine the triple bottom line and strategies for closed-loop systems, including design for disassembly and longevity.
Topic C3: Product
Analysis and evaluation – All students use tools like SWOT analysis and constructive discontent to identify product weaknesses.
Life-cycle analysis (HL only) – HL students perform cradle-to-grave assessments of a product's total environmental impact.
Topic C4: Production (HL only)
Design for manufacture strategies – HL students focus on specific strategies for process, assembly, and disassembly to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
We hope you found this post helpful in learning more about the IB Design Technology syllabus. For more useful materials associated with the IB, check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
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