EXPLORE
1
INITIAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE CONTEXT
The first step of the process is to go from the three contexts OCR have shared with you to an initial design brief that you have defined. To quote OCR this first section (1.1) is
'The quality of investigations (with the chosen context) into a number of potential opportunities, needs or problems which could be a suitable focus for the project' https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/531798-internal-marking-guidance.pdf
Contexts
OCR released the new contexts for 2024/25 on June 1st. These are as follows:
EITHER
1. Empty retail units
The rise in online shopping has led to a decline in the high street. Explore the role of design in reinventing the high street environment.
OR
2. Household budget
The cost of living crisis has affected households in various ways. Explore the needs of households with the view to developing money‑saving products.
OR
3. Reducing waste
We often dispose of packaging and products that we no longer need or use. Explore the role of design in creating solutions to reuse waste products or packaging.
The first step is for you to decide which two of the contexts you are most drawn to (or appeal the most). Once you have done this you should start with an initial investigation into these contexts and there are few different ways that you can do this. A common and effective way to do this is to complete a mindmap. Please watch the video below which talks you through how to go about exploring a context in detail using the mind mapping technique. You can do this using digital tools or by using paper and pen.
Mindmapping
Below are some other good mindmap examples (scroll through using the arrows):
What next?
Once you have your mindmaps you will need to use them to IDENTIFY POSSIBLE PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED...
​
​
The overall aim of this 'initial exploration' is to be at the stage to define a design brief. To get to a design brief you need a focused area or problem to solve. It is important when choosing a direction to move forward in, that you consider these two aspects (they are key to your enjoyment of the process):
​
-
whether you are interested in it personally
-
will it lend itself to a real-life problem that you can solve (is there a need?)
​
So what do you do next?
​
Once you have explored the contexts and identified some areas of interest, you then need to:
-
Narrow down your areas of interest (justifying your choices along the way)
-
Do some INITIAL RESEARCH into some of them (3 is enough)
-
Decide which problem you are most interested in solving (and consequently which context you are choosing)
Techniques for initial research...
​
You need to do further exploration and investigation into topics of interest that you have drawn out from your initial mindmapping, this can be done through a number different techniques described below, you should use a variety of these techniques or your own but you DO NOT need to do them all:
​
NEWS ARTICLES
Find relevant stories on the topic, this will prove there are issues or flag up other areas of interests or problems that you might not have been aware of.
BLOGS
Blogs and forums are excellent places to understand users needs and wants. People are usually very honest and share frustrations and solutions which can be great sources of insight.
TALK TO PEOPLE
Have conversations with people about the areas you are considering. They may have valuable insight for you.
SWOT ANALYSIS
Doing a SWOT analysis on potential directions will allow you to consider whether it is a viable option.
PRODUCTS
Investigate products that are already on the market and that are popular or particularly innovative in some way. This helps you consider commercial potential.
STATISTICAL DATA
Are you able to find any data that supports the direction you want to head in? Is there any data you discovered that gave you greater insight into an issue or area?
MINDMAPS
You might find a secondary or detailed mindmap or list of areas of ideas is useful for further exploration.
PHOTOS/VIDEOS
Use of videos and photos helps to communicate a story just as well as text (often better). Screenshot articles and then use text to pull out key findings, take a picture of you talking to someone when getting their opinion etc.
LISTS
Write a list of potential directions or design briefs, what could it look like. Explore various options.
Getting good results from Google searches...
​
We have all searched for content on Google.com but it is amazing how many tools and useful tricks there are to make your searches more effective and get you an answer/response that is a lot more useful. Here is a useful video that might help when using google to research your areas of interest.
Referencing - A 'how to' guide
Every time you add something like a picture, a statistic or information that you got online or from a book, you need to state clearly where it came from. For example:
There are many ways of doing it, the main rule is be consistent. Every time you take information from somewhere and either directly quote or copy you should make sure that you reference it. This is OK, you need to show that you have used secondary sources of information so it is a good thing to do this.
When you take anything from the internet (text, image, screenshot) you need to add a date. They frequently change or disappear so adding a date is important to explain if they have changed or are no longer available.
Exemplars
Checklist & Markscheme
-
Several unknown options were explored including refereneces
-
Learners are actively involved in exploring the content. Clear understanding of problems and opportunities.
-
Further relevant investigations after the above to confirm context including speaking with stakeholders
-
Use of data and statistics and technical information to support this section
-
Feasibility and commercial viability considered
