A Bite at Conceptual design?

"What does conceptual design really look like in food technology? It is not trailing recipes so what do teachers teach? Food sketching?? Sensory analysis?" 

This is a question that was posed to me by my colleague and mentor 'Lesley Pearce' as a potential topic to discuss within my blog. To be honest it was a justified question that often comes up, as unlike the other technological disciplines, in Food technology it is a little harder to collect evidence of conceptual design.

Explanatory Note 4:

    A conceptual design clearly communicates a proposed technological outcome that has the potential to address the brief.  It is a detailed description of how the outcome would look and function.  Conceptual designs can be presented using a variety of techniques which may include but are not limited to – freehand sketches; diagrams; technical drawings; scale models; computer simulations; written descriptions; details of materials, components and/or assembly instructions.

So like I do with many of my previous blogs I asked teachers what they thought. I have enclosed a response that I got from Ritu Sehji, HOD food technology at Westlake boys high school, Auckland and some student work of what evidence could look like from Louise Clouston from Westlake Girls, Auckland.

                 

    Conceptual Design in Food Technology

My take on it, by Ritu Sehji, Westlake Boys High School 

 

Concept design is subset within product development. Initial ideas must be screened before trialling and testing so resources are not wasted.

The first step is to really understand the definitions and differences between:

1.     Concept

2.     Conceptual development

3.      Design concept

4.      Conceptual design

Concept is:

-       An abstract idea

-       A plan or intention

-       An idea or invention to help sell a commodity

Concept development is a process driven by-

a set of customer needs and

target product specifications, which are then converted into

a set of conceptual designs and

potential technological solutions

A design concept is the idea behind a design.

It's how you plan on solving the design problem in front of you.

the underlying logic, thinking, and reasoning for how you'll design a product. Your concept will lead to your choices in ingredients and cooking methods etc.

In order to come up with conceptual design the following questions must be answered or investigated

 

Conceptual design is the very first phase of design, in which drawings or solid models are the dominant tools and products.

 [ Solid models in food technology would be - Disassembling existing products, Analysing material/ingredients, Trialling and testing] 

I googled images for concept design in food and food concept designs but all I found was design sketches for restaurants, appliances, kitchen tools and gadgets.

Technical and Aesthetic- how the product will perform can be explored by trialling and testing

  Constructional- Production plans, flow diagrams

http://www.nzifst.org.nz/creatingnewfoods/product_concepts2.htm

CREATING NEW FOODS THE PRODUCT DEVELOPER'S GUIDE

Mary D. Earle and Richard L. Earle

So in summary after doing some research and trying to make sense of it all, this is what I think conceptual design in food technology.

Product idea concept is developed from:

market and consumer research

technical aspects considered

product idea/concept research leads to a more detailed description of the product ideas

Idea screening

consumer focus group (30-60) Groups of 6-8 people

Needs and opportunities/wants identified

Benefits for customers/stakeholders such as basic product benefits, use benefits, psychological benefits)

 When writing product idea concepts for use in further consumer panels or consumer surveys a consumer focus group is given the product idea description which is developed into a product idea concept. Be brief and present a picture of the product, use simple language, pinpoint the kind of product, do not exaggerate, describe the product’s reason and show that it has a useful and needed advantage over existing products.

vanseodesign.com/web-design/design-concept-thoughts/

www.ata-e.com/services/conceptual

support.ptc.com/WCMS/files/43559/en/CD2069_v4.pdf

Evidence what should it look like?

Level 1/ AS91046 or 1.3
EN2: Use design ideas to produce a conceptual design for an outcome to address a brief involves:

·      generating design ideas

·      testing design ideas through functional modelling

·      using stakeholder feedback to inform decision making

·      using findings from functional modelling to select design ideas

·      producing a conceptual design for an outcome

·      determining the outcome’s potential fitness for purpose.

Use informed design ideas to produce a conceptual design for an outcome to address a brief involves:

·      creating design ideas informed by research and analysis of existing    outcomes

·      evaluating findings from functional modelling and stakeholder feedback to justify the selected design ideas.

Use refined design ideas to produce a conceptual design for an outcome to address a brief involves:

·      testing, refining and evaluating design ideas through functional modelling and ongoing research

·      justifying the potential fitness for purpose of the outcome.

So, in answer to the initial question, Testing and trialling is acceptable evidence as long as it is combined with the above examples.

 

Karen Huo, Year 11 WGHS

Alice Taylor, Year 11, WGHS

        EN6: Functional modelling is used to explore and evaluate developing design ideas.  It is undertaken to gather evidence on all aspects of the outcome including its likely technical feasibility and social acceptability.

Sketching food designs as part of a discussion around acceptability of meeting the brief is good solid evidence but only part of a portfolio of evidence.

At level 3: AS91610

EN4       The brief used for this standard must allow judgement of an outcome’s fitness for purpose in the broadest sense.  Fitness for purpose in the broadest sense relates to the outcome described by the conceptual design, as well as the practices used to develop the conceptual design.  Judgements about fitness for purpose may include:

·      considerations of the outcome’s technical and social acceptability

·      sustainability of resources used

·      ethical nature of testing practices

·      cultural appropriateness of trialling procedures

·      determination of life cycle, maintenance, ultimate disposal

·      health and safety.

The brief may be provided by the teacher or developed by the student. 

In the following piece of work, the teacher set the task for students to explore ethical issues, report it through a media presentation while also producing an example of how to get around the ethical dilemma.

Sarah Leaf, Year 13, 2013, MHS

 Obviously this piece of work was part of a much bigger portfolio that collected evidence from trialling, testing, stakeholder feedback and more. However it is a good example of what a conceptual design could look like. Not sure I would want to prepare the recipe after reading the first two pages of work, but perhaps that was the point?

Does anyone else have some examples they would like to share? Please send them through to me at n.price@auckland.ac.nz