Part of Lesson Plan: Defining the Problem & Creating a Design Statement

Activity Overview / Details

Now, it is time to get a little more detailed. I explain that before a designer begins coming up with solutions to an overall problem, he/she needs to get more specific about the goals that they have in mind. 

I begin by showing a sample design statement (attached below) which includes an image of the resulting product.  I talk about the types of things a designer may ask to determine the specific goals for his design (such as what materials to use, who the enduser will be, appearance, size, weight, cost, functions, etc.). This might be the document that a designer uses to present an idea to their boss about what kind of invention they would like to work on next.