GCSE DT NEA product ideas?

Talk to your client!

I'll paste what I advised on another thread:

I don't think I can give you any specific ideas for the NEA but I can give you some tips as to how to think of some unique ideas yourself:

- For your first design iterations go as imaginative and whacky as you can, even if you think the idea is stupid or not technically feasible (obviously don't design a spaceship or something but you get what I mean)
- Talk to your teacher: if they have a good level of experience they will have guided hundreds of NEAs throughout their teaching careers already and will know what will and won't work. Also, they are the ones that give you the final grade for the NEA so making them feel like they had some sort of valuable input into the project may lead to a slightly better mark
- Research other related products online - it may get you to think about what is and isn't a good idea and can help to reduce design fixation
- Don't overcomplicate it: trust me by the time manufacturing time rolls around you will start wondering why it takes you a whole lesson to mitre a few pieces of timber

I got 100% on my coursework so if you want any more advice I'm happy to help.


Also, I advise not having a fake client as clients can often introduce another interesting perspective which you had not initially considered. And it makes your job easier because you don't have to make stuff up.

I'll paste what I advised on another thread:

I don't think I can give you any specific ideas for the NEA but I can give you some tips as to how to think of some unique ideas yourself:

- For your first design iterations go as imaginative and whacky as you can, even if you think the idea is stupid or not technically feasible (obviously don't design a spaceship or something but you get what I mean)
- Talk to your teacher: if they have a good level of experience they will have guided hundreds of NEAs throughout their teaching careers already and will know what will and won't work. Also, they are the ones that give you the final grade for the NEA so making them feel like they had some sort of valuable input into the project may lead to a slightly better mark
- Research other related products online - it may get you to think about what is and isn't a good idea and can help to reduce design fixation
- Don't overcomplicate it: trust me by the time manufacturing time rolls around you will start wondering why it takes you a whole lesson to mitre a few pieces of timber

I got 100% on my coursework so if you want any more advice I'm happy to help.


Also, I advise not having a fake client as clients can often introduce another interesting perspective which you had not initially considered. And it makes your job easier because you don't have to make stuff up.