Research

Research.

Once the problem has been analysed you should start your research based on the information in your analysis. Your Research is connected and guided by your analysis work so far – Remember what your product is, where it will be used and who will use it.

This is often the hardest part as finding information that is useful can be quite difficult and it is easy to collect a lot of information much of which is no use to your project. DO NOT COLLECT INFORMATION AT RANDOM ! Only research those things you will use.

Research Plan.

You should make a table showing the areas you intend to research, where to get the information and when it is needed, also add a tick box to tick off when it is done.

All research should be limited to what is specifically connected with your project.

What to research	Where to get it	When it is needed	Done
	Internet Books Magazines CD ROMs News papers Surveys Questionnaires Interviews

Collect information on:

a) Existing products in the area you are considering – Most important, this is where you get ideas from.

b) Materials you can see have been use to make these products or you are fairly sure you will be using. Typically Plastics, hard or soft wood, Brass, Aluminium Mild steel.

c) Style examples if appropriate. Modern, Traditional, Futuristic

d) Construction techniques.

All of the pictures you have collected should be analysed and notes made about what they show and what is going to apply to your project. Note the materials used, the general shape and features of the product and where possible suggest manufacturing methods that may have been used to make it:

Typical methods include: Injection moulding plastic parts, Blow moulding hollow objects, CAD/CAM operations, Hand assembly of small complex parts.

The exam board suggest NOT doing surveys as the value is in the evaluation/analysis and this is generally done very badly – It is better to spend time improving existing products research and the analysis of those products. All surveys & questionnaires if used should be analysed using ICT (spreadsheet and charts). Do not put the response sheets in your folder only the results.

At the end of the research summarise what you have found out. This information will be used to write your specification.

Doing your research.

If at the end of any time you spend on research you have nothing put into your folder you have wasted that time. Only the research that shows evidence will gain any marks. Show your research in different ways. Drawings, Pictures including photographs you have taken, Tables, Lists.

You should collect:

• Pictures showing existing products
• Pictures showing the environment your product will be used in
• Pictures of materials
• Examples of construction techniques, pictures or drawings
• Information about materials – put these in a table
• Information about styles – pictures
• Information about suitable finishes – in a table

(Perhaps) Data from questionnaires etc. – graphs and charts. Use ICT