Design Journal & Prototype | Complete Set of Post links for Design Journaling

To all 'N' and 'O' Level D&T Students, 

If you do find my blog and reading this now, you could be wondering how you should begin. I know this because I have already received a few emails from students asking from what do to with the 'N' and 'O' Level theme, what project they should do related to the theme, how to start, etc. 

If you are reading this now and have the same questions just mentioned, may I suggest you scroll further down this post and click on point #2  Theme: Definition + Exploration & Study. This will give you an idea how to begin your project with the theme that you have received before you email me for help.

It is important to tackle coursework in a consistent manner with a deliberate conviction to do quality work. 

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A) Being consistent means to keep up to the planned schedule. 

B) And quality? We have quality when we repeat the evaluation and improvement process, with or without help, until we believe that further attempts at improvement are not worth the effort. At this time, we believe we have done what deserves to be called quality.

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Know the design process inside out. Have the conviction to identify and solve real problems. Good problems need not be complicated. Good solution need not be difficult or complex to realise. Begin with a good and realistic Project Schedule and stick to it. Get your teacher's help, consider their suggestions for you.

This year I've decided to layout all previous links to complete your Design Journal, rather than updating them along the way like in 2014. This post you are looking at now is an updated version that was last posted on 3rd October 2014. 

Without further ado, the following are links extracted from within this blog that might be helpful for starting and ending your project:

Project Starters and Essentials

1)   PROJECT SCHEDULE and Design Activities, and 

2)   Theme: Definition + Exploration & Study

Design Need and Opportunity

3) Understanding Design Needs (Cheat Sheet HERE).

4) Understanding Design Outcomes

5) Understanding Design Needs & Opportunities and How to Write Them

6) Research Outlining and Research Techniques

7) Design Brief

8) Design Considerations and Constraints (or Limitations)

9) Design Specifications

Idea Generation and Development

10) Idea generation and Idea Generation Techniques

11) Concept Development (or Refinement) and General Making Processes

Presentation Boards and (Towards) Realisation

12) Working Drawings

13) Production Schedule

14) Presentation Drawings and Presentation Boards

15) Realisation and General Making Processes

Note that some of the links may take you to a lower secondary write-up on the same topic. However the ideas within are not far from the techniques you need to be competent in when you do a graduating class coursework. For other helps, visit the labels on the right hand side. Or simply type in the 'search' bar. You'll find it on the top right. If all else fails, email me.

All the best.

mrdanielsos.

D&T Awards 2013 Invitation for Submission

Dear Students,

Many of you have worked hard and well with me through this year. And I am sure you are proud of the works you produced. So why not take a little step forward and submit yours for D&T Awards 2013?

The following is an excerpt from an email sent to me:

"I would like to invite you to enter your lower and upper secondary pupils' D&T projects from this year for D&T Awards 2013.  The submission requires a write-up of not more than 100 words and images/videos that show well the intent of the project."

Other details required/instructions for submission  can be found in the 'Contact Daniel Lim'  heading above or here: http://db.tt/TheySW0C

The timeline for the award is as follows:

• 2013 Feb 25 to 27        Window period for submission
• 2013 Mar 5                   Announcement of shortlisted entries
• 2013 Mar 18                 Pitching session for shortlisted entries
• 2013 Jun 5                    Awards presentation ceremony cum exhibition

Informal After-School Hour Revision & Consultations

The session is opened to all 'N' or 'O' Level D&T Students 2012
You can start to gather your own study group (around 4-5 people) and make an afternoon appointment with me for a 2-3 hrs D&T informal revision and/or consultation session.

'Informal' means the format can be very serious do-past-year-paper type, or just talking over topics in a discussion format. The latter should be quite fun.

Important:
Please make your appointment at least a day in advance for me to plan my time as well as to avoid disappointment. There is no limit to the number of times of consultations.

How to make an appointment:
1) Via Facebook
2) Via email : mrdanielsos@yahoo.com.sg
3) Look for me at my office.

Coursework PRELIM 2012 Grading Submission Brief



Note:

1. First date represents Journal component ONLY. Second date represents Presentation Board components ONLY.
2. Presentation Board contents hand-in only. No need to be on full board.
3. D.Day = Deadline for Official Submission by 1800hrs. Late submissions will not be entertained.
4. "B.O.Y.P." = "Bring your Own Props" means you will bring along your 'props' to be submitted together with your product. e.g. Toothpick Holder Design: Bring some toothpicks and put them in.
5. Tips: Hand-in completed work one week before D.Day.

D&T Coursework & Theory Plan for July and August 2012

'N' Level Deadline : Term 3 Week 8    : MONDAY   : 13 August 2012

'O' Level Deadline : Term 3 Week 10  : TUESDAY  : 28 August 2012

Part A: Design & Technology Theory

1. All Subject Contact Time (SCT) periods will be used for theory practice. 
2. Bring all your past year questions.
3. Priority will be given for students with questions and I will address those questions during SCT. 
4. You may ask or discuss questions on any topic ranging from design to technology. 
5. Questions can be coming from past year papers, or any topics that require clarification or to be elaborated, etc.
6. If I receive no questions, then we will attempt the questions from past year papers in sequence.

Note: 

• 5NA SCT : Term 3 : Week 1 to Term 3 Week 7 : Friday,  2pm to 5pm.
• 4NA SCT : Term 3 : Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10         : Monday 2.30 to 3.30pm.

Part B: Coursework

1. All official classroom session will be used for completion of the three Presentation Boards and fine-tuning of your design journal ONLY. 
2. If have not completed your product for some reasons you can only do it after school.
3. All drawings in pencil drawn to scale according to standard drawing convention. All drawings inked in black once confirmed by teacher.
4. Complete your Working Drawings and Presentation Board components in the workshop (with the help of the Instructors when I am not around)

Term 3 Week 1 & 2

1. 1 x Part Lists (in Orthographic + Dimensions for every part)
2. 1 x Isometric Drawing (no dimension + no label) - Showing Overall Product, i.e. everything in. e.g. if study desk, then draw the desk together with the drawers)
3. 1 x Isometric Drawing  (no dimension + no label) - Showing Individual sub-Parts. e.g. if study desk, then the desk without the drawers + and another set drawers only).
4. 1 x Isometric Drawing (+ Part Numbering) - Showing Overall Product, i.e. everything in. e.g. if study desk, then draw the desk together with the drawers)
5. 1 x Isometric Drawing  (+ Part Numberingl) - Showing Individual sub-Parts. e.g. if study desk, then the desk without the drawers + and another set drawers only).
6. 1 x Material List

Term 3 Week 3 & 4

1. 1 x Orthographic Projection + Dimensions (Showing Overall Product, i.e. everything in. e.g. if study desk, then draw the desk together with the drawers)
2. 1 x Orthographic Projection + dimensions (Showing Individual sub-Parts. e.g. if study desk, then the desk without the drawers + and another set  drawers only).

Term 3 Week 5

Using the Isometric drawing drawn in week 1:

1. 1 x Exploded View(s)
2. 1 x Presentation drawing in contextual use

Term 3 Week 6

1. 1 x Presentation drawing in contextual use complete with rendering

Term 3 Week 7

1. Fine-tune Design Situation, Design Brief, Design Specifications
2. Presentation Boards Complete.
3. Product Prototype Fine-Tune and Complete.

Note: 

1. I will not be in school during Term 3 Week 2 & 3. 
2. During these two weeks, all students to follow plan above in the workshop.

D&T June Holiday to August 2012 Coursework Assignments

Every point below is IMPORTANT:

D&T JUNE Week 3 & 4 2012 Coursework:

1. Come to the workshop during Week 3 and 4 of the June Holidays ONLY if you are touching up your coursework, otherwise stay at home.
2. For working drawings, you must study your textbook on how to do each of them correctly before you start yours. That includes how to draw different types of lines (e.g. difference between dimension lines and product lines, etc., how draw to scale, how to dimension correctly, etc.
3. Come back to school in July with the various types of drawings required in a working drawing completed. I’ll then give you feedbacks on your works to guide you towards submission standards. In some cases you will need minor changes. In other cases you may need to re-do. That depends.
4. Update and stand-by your material list somewhere in your design journal. Do not bother to decorate it! You will eventually need to produce another one with just the right size for you to insert in your Presentation Board.
5. Complete one A3 size Presentation Drawing (draw in contextual use).
6. Do not ink your drawings yet. You will only ink them when the school begins in July and after I have seen your drawings. Inked drawings will be used for photocopying and scaling, etc.
7. All drawing guide lines must be light and soft to facilitate erasing in case of mistakes. Always use guidelines to draw your project.

D&T JULY to mid-AUGUST 2012 Coursework In-Class:

1. 2012 July – Completion of all Working Drawing + Presentation Drawing components for Presentation Boards.
2. 2012 August – Design Journal Component (P&M, Research, I&D) Touch-Up + Written Theory (Design +3 × Technologies)

D&T JULY to mid-AUGUST 2012 Coursework After-Class:

1. 2012 July – Product Prototype Completion + Touch-ups.
2. 2012 July to August – Design Journal Components + Presentation Boards Components Touch-Ups.

Reflections for the June 2012 Holiday 2 Weeks D&T x'TRA Sessions + Week 3 & 4 "SUPER-x'TRA"

June 2012 Week 3 and Week 4 "SUPER-x'TRA" D&T Session Attendance Sheet

I used to have more time in June to enjoy more of going out for afternoon coffee with a book. Or coffee and sketching everything from new product designs, or of any stuffs I can see. Look out for cool design stores I can bring my students to visit in the future. To find new hardware places my students could go. Or coffee again to think about D&T, to reflect on the processes, to think about how I can teach it better, to think about how I can help my students to understand and learn better, more fun, more cool, more interesting, more innovative, more satisfying. Or to fiddle on my iPad on new ideas for teaching, new mind-maps on design which I can share with my students when I see them. Explore new softwares or apps which I can use to teach. Explore new websites I can include alongside with the many I already have in my design blog. Or do street or nature photography etc...


Now it's much less...

June holidays are crazy periods. Not crazy about going out for holidays or chilling out in the cafe reading or sketching though. But crazy with students after students for consultations, for specific instructions on every 'hows' you can imagine starting from explaining and demonstrating the most basic processes to the most complex; and demonstrating the most basic drawing techniques to the most complex structures.

Similar to the last three years, this first two weeks of the June holiday was spent with my students from 0800hrs to 1700hrs (with an hour lunch from 1200-1300hrs). More extensive and intensive than all the busiest school term days combined.  Now I am offering to extending the sessions into Week 3 and Week4, which I call the "SUPER x'TRA" because I see there is a need to. But I wonder if my students see the same need.


As a side note, just after you all left the workshop today, Mrs Wong asked me if both of us would take turns to come back during Week 3 and 4 to help those who need. I was so touched. And I thought these students are just so blessed...

If my students had worked more consistently. If my students had come back more regularly in the afternoon to be helped. (I had 8 full weeks of afternoon consultation schedules before June but they were hardly filled up. Even if they were booked, there were most likely, as-if, 'forced' into making a reservation because I made it a requirement for them book at least once every fortnight). If my students had listened to me, read my posts, studied and applied them diligently, there will be lots of questions that could have been resolved, there will be less mistakes they will make. If... 

Hopefully, when we arrive at July and August. There is no need to look back and say on the day of submission 'I could have spent more time. I could have been more diligent. I should have known this and that, I should have taken more initiative to...'.

Students you only have ONE life. One opportunity to do D&T. One opportunity to get the best grade. Make the best of 'NOW'. 

I hope your 2 weeks in June with me and the Instructors (Mr Lim and Mr Ho) were well spent. Do not forget to thank the instructors. Hope you did catch up with what you missed during the school term. We have all worked hard. We have all sacrificed our holidays. I just hope to see that the time and sweat that was spent will bear sweet fruits in the end. 

Week 3 and 4 June Holiday "SUPER x'TRA" sessions will be based on appointments only. I reserve all the rights to accept or reject any appointment. 

Send your request for my presence via email (mrdanielsos@yahoo.com.sg) 

or message me thought FB at least two days in advance. 

Priority for consultations will be given to the ones who made an appointment with me. 

Remember to sign in and out.

Do you have the same hope and aspiration?

D&T Field Trip 2012 to Ngee Ann City & Orchard Central

Trip #1

TUE, 13 March 2012

9 students = 7*4N2 + 2*5N1/2

Aeneas, Baowen, Nicholas, Toh Hao, Sabrina

Amalina, Farhana, Bernice, Shu Yun

Trip #2

WED, 14 March 2012

9 students = 8*3A2 + 1*5N2

Hafiz, Gubera, Haziqah, Addistia, Eileen

Wendy, Adeline, Xiu Yi, Li En

!! Please make sure you know which trip you are in. Not sure please ask !!

Meeting Place

Bukit Batok MRT Station @ 1200hrs

Field Trip Duration:

1200hrs - 1630hrs

Teacher-in-Charge:

Mr Daniel Lim

Itinerary

Ngee Ann City & Orchard Central

[How about MUJI in ION first, then...]

1st -stop: The Better Toy Store

2nd -stop: ArtFriend

3rd -stop: Books Kinokuniya

4th -stop: Takashimaya Department Store

5th -stop: Molecule Living @ Orchard Central

What to Bring:

• A little notebook to sketch or jot down notes + writing stationeries
• Some $$$ ($5-10$ is enough) as we might be stopping over Foodcourts for discussions and to chill out.
• Umbrella. We'll be walking and walking and walking.
• Lots of enthusiasm. That will make the day GREAT.

What to do, look out for and note:

@ the Better Toy Store

• Category of Toys (e.g. educational, for amusement or entertainment, etc.)
• Age Group vs. Type of Toys (e.g. functions, movements and mechanisms, size, number of parts, choice of material and color, etc.)
• Gender vs. Types of Toys (e.g. color choices, shapes and aesthetics, etc.)
• Age Group vs. Educational Toys (e.g. learning contents, level of difficulty, etc.)
• etc.

@ the Molecule Living Store

• Innovative Concepts (e.g. common stuffs turned innovative, etc.)
• Clever Concepts (e.g. different/alternative ways to achieving common functionalities, etc.)
• Clever Forms and Aesthetics (e.g. clever and meaningful adaptations of forms to functions, inspirations from nature, etc.)
• etc.

Be prepared to write reflections after the trip. =)

IMPORTANT

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, if you cannot make it on the day, please make sure you inform your friend or alert me the day before via Facebook or email.

Additional Information

For those who did not register for the field trip for some reasons, below are websites to the places we are going for your reference and research. Very good information about children toys in The Better Toy Store.

http://www.thebettertoystore.com/

http://www.moleculeliving.com/