MYP Design Year 1 · Unit 2 · Lesson 13

Redesign an Everyday Object for a User

L13 · 01

Prioritizing Research

Good designers decide what they need to know first — not just what they could research.

Student Materials

Priority lens

1

ESSENTIALWithout this information, useful ideas would be mostly guessing.

2

IMPORTANTThis evidence will improve a meaningful design decision.

3

LATERInteresting, but less important before early ideas.

Learning Focus

Criterion A.ii

L13 · 02

Today’s formal task: state and prioritize the main points of research needed.

PRIORITIZEPut research in order of importance and make the order clear.

YEAR 1 EXPECTATION

You are not writing a huge research plan. Identify the main things you need to know and show which ones matter most.

Mini-Lesson

Research priority changes design quality

L13 · 03

Research list

Color · history · price · shape · user · size · material · trends

Prioritized research

1. User difficulty
2. Required dimensions
3. Useful material / grip properties
4. Preferences that matter later

Three Priority Questions

Use this filter

L13 · 04

Will this affect function?

Could the answer change whether the product works?

Will this affect the user?

Could the answer change comfort, access, fit, or usability?

Do I need it before ideas?

Would I be guessing without it?

Workshop

Research Ranking

L13 · 05

Workshop

Rank a sample project before ranking your own.

Sample project

Redesign a small carrying grip for a student who frequently carries a bottle with other classroom items.

STEP 01

Sort

Essential · important · later.

STEP 02

Rank

Put the top four in order.

STEP 03

Defend

Explain why #1 matters before ideas.

Formal A.ii

Your research priorities

L13 · 06

Now prioritize the main research points for your own challenge.

Priority ≠ amount of writing. Priority = which information is most important for making a useful design decision.

Exit Audit

Could someone follow your priorities?

L13 · 07

Check your top priority.

“I need to know _______ first because without it I would be guessing about _______.”

Next lesson

Students investigate ergonomics through grip, reach, measurement, comfort, and user fit.

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