Outcome Development and Evaluation Level 6 AS91046 (1.3) Use design ideas to produce a conceptual design for an outcome to address a brief

Key messages from the standard

This standard involves producing a conceptual design for an outcome to address a brief. The starting point is a brief. The brief may be provided by the teacher or developed by the student. The brief must include the purpose and probable attributes of the outcome. The brief must allow for a range of outcomes. If the student develops the brief it is important that the teacher checks that the brief is suitable for the development and evaluation of the conceptual design at this level. If the brief is developed by the student this may be part of a larger project where the student is assessed on brief development using AS 91044.

It is possible to use both outcome development and evaluation standards (i.e. AS 91046 and AS 91047) in one project, or equally just choose one of the two standards as a focus for assessment. If students are submitting evidence for both these standards there must be a clear ‘line in the sand’ between the two; i.e. this is the evidence of the development process up to the conceptual design stage, and then this is the evidence of the development from that point on to make the prototype.

There is no requirement within AS 91046 ('Use design ideas to produce a conceptual design for an outcome to address a brief') that students actually produce the outcome. They may go on within their practice to produce the outcome but they do not need to. As the conceptual design for an outcome is the end point in this standard it is important that students understand that a conceptual design for an outcome is more than just some design ideas presented as basic thumb nail sketches. A conceptual design should clearly communicate the proposed technological outcome in terms of how the outcome would look and function. There needs to be sufficient detail in the conceptual design to be able to evaluate the potential fitness for purpose of the outcome in relation to the brief. The conceptual design will commonly need to be presented to other stakeholders, and to be effective a range of graphical and/or visual communication techniques will need to be used.

Conceptual designs can be presented using a variety of techniques which may include but are not limited to: freehand sketches, diagrams, technical drawings, scale models, computer simulations, written descriptions, details of materials, and components and/or assembly instructions.

At achieved level students need to provide evidence of the process followed to develop a conceptual design for an outcome to address a brief, this involves:

• generating design ideas
• testing design ideas through functional modeling
• using stakeholder feedback to inform decision making
• using findings from functional modeling to select design ideas
• producing a conceptual design for an outcome
• determining the outcome’s potential fitness for purpose.

Functional modelling is required as part of the evidence of the development process. Functional modelling is used to explore and evaluate developing design ideas. Functional modelling is undertaken to gather evidence on all aspects of the outcome including its likely technical feasibility and acceptability.

Potential fitness for purpose refers to the likelihood of the outcome addressing the brief. Note: as this standard is about developing a conceptual design for an outcome, the "actual" fitness for purpose cannot be determined (as the outcome has not been made yet), and hence the term "potential" fitness for purpose is used. Feedback from stakeholders about potential fitness for purpose can be part of the evidence of potential fitness for purpose, but students should not rely on stakeholder feedback entirely for their evidence of potential fitness for purpose.  Students should provide their own analysis of the potential fitness for purpose of the proposed outcome in relation to the brief.

At merit student’s design ideas need to be informed by research and analysis of existing outcomes. Students need assistance to make this link as often students can do some research and then move on to generating design ideas without linking the two things. It is important for merit that the design ideas are informed by their research and analysis of existing outcomes. At merit there also needs to be clear evidence of evaluating the findings from functional modelling and stakeholder feedback and using this to justify the selection of particular design ideas.

At excellence there needs to be evidence of refinement of design ideas. This refinement of ideas should be clearly based on testing, functional modelling, and on-going research. Stakeholder opinion is a key part of this evaluative process. There should also be a justification of the potential fitness for purpose of the outcome.

The teacher provides opportunities for students to develop evidence for the standard by:

• ensuring that there is a brief available that includes the purpose and probable attributes of the outcome.
• assisting students to refine the brief if necessary
• assisting in the refinement of reflective and inquiry questions
• ensuring there is an environment that supports creativity and critical analysis
• assisting students to focus on the relevance of what they provide as evidence. For example there is no point submitting vast amounts of research if it is not relevant and has not been used to inform the development process.
• assisting the exploration of the physical environment, this refers to the place where the final outcome will be situated
• assisting the exploration of the social environment, this refers to those who will interact with the final outcome.
• encouraging the students to self-reflect and undertake on-going evaluation including interaction with stakeholders
• conferencing with the student and supporting them during the development process. 

Teachers and students should be familiar with Safety in Technology Education: A Guidance Manual for New Zealand Schools and the implications of the relevant sections when it comes to any practical work associated with functional modelling or testing. 

For the most up to date information, teachers should be referring to the latest version of the standards, conditions of assessment and assessment resources on TKI and the moderators reports, clarifications documents and student exemplars on the NZQA website.

Resources to support student achievement

• Achievement standard 
• Clarifications Document 
• Conditions of Assessment and assessment resource 
• Annotated Exemplars

Last updated December 8, 2021

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