"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
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.
Conceptual design is the very first phase of design, in
which drawings or solid models
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.
Constructional- Production plans, flow
diagrams
CREATING NEW FOODS
THE PRODUCT DEVELOPER'S GUIDE
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Mary D. Earle and Richard L.
Earle
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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.
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| Karen Huo, Year 11 WGHS |
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| 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.
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| 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
