2025 IB DP Design technology Practice Paper with Answers

Piezoelectric materials convert mechanical energy (stress or pressure) into electrical energy, and vice versa.

Award 1 mark for the correct option B. Piezoelectric materials generate an electric charge when mechanically stressed.

Dematerialization refers to the reduction of the total material and energy throughput of any product and service, specifically reducing the weight or mass of a product.

Award 1 mark for option A. Dematerialization is the reduction of material mass in a design.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) uses a laser to sinter (fuse) powdered material layer by layer to form a solid 3D object.

Award 1 mark for option C. SLS is defined by the use of powdered material fused by a laser.

To ensure that all workers (including the shortest) can reach the emergency stop button, the designer must use the 5th percentile reach measurement.

Award 1 mark for option A. 5th percentile ensures reachability for the shortest users.

Architectural innovation modifies the configuration or linkages between existing components, while modular innovation modifies the components themselves but leaves the overall architecture intact.

Award 1 mark for option C. Architectural innovation is defined as changing the configuration/linkages between components while keeping the core components unchanged.

Omnipresence in classic design refers to a product that is ubiquitous, meaning it is found everywhere and has become a constant part of daily life across generations.

Award 1 mark for option D. Omnipresence refers to the widespread and enduring presence of the product in everyday environments.

Market pull is a scenario where product ideas are produced in response to consumer needs or market demand.

Award 1 mark for option B. Correctly defines market pull as innovation driven by customer demand or unmet market needs.

JIT minimizes inventory, which makes the production process highly vulnerable to any supply chain disruption (e.g., late deliveries, shipping delays).

Award 1 mark for option B. JIT reduces inventory buffer, increasing vulnerability to supply chain disruptions.

To accommodate 90% of the population, designers typically exclude the outer 5% on each end of the distribution curve. Therefore, the range of adjustability must span from the 5th percentile female (the lowest limit of the user population) to the 95th percentile male (the highest limit of the user population).

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct option B. Reject all other options.

Thermoplastics consist of linear polymer chains with weak intermolecular forces holding them together. When heated, these forces are easily overcome, allowing the plastic to soften, melt, and be reshaped repeatedly. Thermosetting plastics, by contrast, undergo a permanent chemical change during curing, forming strong cross-links that cannot be broken without destroying the polymer.

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct option C. Reject all other options.

Dematerialization is the reduction of the total material and energy throughput of any product and service. By reducing the mass of plastic required per bottle without compromising its utility, the manufacturer is actively reducing material consumption at the source.

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct option A. Reject all other options.

A scale model is an accurate physical representation of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object. It is highly suitable for aerodynamic wind tunnel testing because the external form is precisely replicated to scale to observe real fluid dynamics.

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct option C. Reject all other options.

During the maturity stage of the product life cycle, market penetration is at its maximum, and sales peak. However, competition from rival products becomes intense, forcing price reductions and increasing marketing costs, which causes profit margins to decline.

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct option C. Reject all other options.

The principle of 'form follows function' states that the aesthetic shape (form) of a product should be primarily determined by its intended practical purpose (function). Utility and usability take precedence, and decoration is minimized.

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct option B. Reject all other options.

Modular innovation (or component innovation) involves changing or upgrading a core component of a product while keeping the relationship between components (the overall system architecture) the same. Here, the drive system is replaced, but the overall chassis structure is retained.

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct option B. Reject all other options.

Just-in-Time (JIT) production relies on materials arriving at the assembly line exactly when they are needed. Because buffer stock and warehousing are minimized, the system is highly vulnerable to any external supply chain disruptions, transport delays, or strikes, which can halt the entire production line instantly.

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct option C. Reject all other options.

Kiln drying is a highly controlled process that utilizes heat, air circulation, and regulated humidity to dry timber rapidly and evenly. This reduces the moisture content to precise specifications much faster than air drying, which relies entirely on ambient weather conditions and takes significantly longer.

Award 1 mark for option B. Correct explanation identifies the reduction of drying time and improved control/uniformity of moisture content.

Dematerialization refers to the reduction of the total volume of materials used in the life cycle of a product. Redesigning a plastic bottle to utilize 30% less polymer while retaining its mechanical stability is a direct example of using fewer raw materials to achieve the same function.

Award 1 mark for option B. Correct answer identifies physical reduction in the amount of material used in the product design.

A mock-up is a representation of a product used primarily for aesthetic evaluation, scale testing, and early physical visualization, often without working components. In contrast, a prototype is a functional model built to test the operational performance, mechanics, and user interaction of the final design.

Award 1 mark for option D. Correct option distinguishes between the aesthetic/scale evaluation of a mock-up and the functional performance testing of a prototype.

To accommodate the vast majority of users (typically 90% of the population), adjustable products are designed to range from the 5th percentile of the smaller end of the spectrum (usually females) to the 95th percentile of the larger end (usually males).

Award 1 mark for option B. The 5th percentile female to 95th percentile male range is the standard practice for maximizing accommodation in adjustable products.

Sustaining innovation involves continuous, incremental improvements to existing products to maintain market share, enhance performance, and satisfy existing customers, without disrupting or creating an entirely new market.

Award 1 mark for option C. Sustaining innovation is characterized by evolutionary, incremental upgrades to established products.

The principle of "form follows function" states that the aesthetic shape, material choice, and texture of an object should relate directly to its intended purpose and inner working mechanisms, rather than serving decorative elements.

Award 1 mark for option B. Correctly identifies the modernist design philosophy where the physical form is dictated by functional utility.

A product champion is an influential individual, often working within a corporate hierarchy, who adopts an innovative concept as their own project, aggressively promoting and protecting it from internal bureaucracy to bring it successfully to market.

Award 1 mark for option B. Correctly identifies the promotional and organizational role of a product champion in driving an innovation forward.

While CNC machines offer extreme accuracy and automation, they require high capital investment and time-consuming custom CAD/CAM setup and programming. For one-off, bespoke, or extremely low-volume furniture, these initial setup costs outweigh the operational benefits.

Award 1 mark for option C. Correctly links low production volume with the drawback of high setup and programming overhead costs.

Seasoning is the process of drying timber to reduce its moisture content to an equilibrium level with its destination environment. This prevents warping, splitting, and other structural defects during use.

Award 1 mark for selecting the correct answer (b). Award 0 marks for incorrect options.

Dematerialization refers to the reduction of the total material and energy throughput of any product and service. Reducing the mass of polymer used in a plastic bottle while preserving its utility is a direct application of dematerialization.

Award 1 mark for the correct answer (b). Incorrect options receive 0 marks.

An aesthetic model is a non-functioning physical model developed to look and feel like the final product, allowing designers and stakeholders to evaluate its style, proportion, and visual appeal.

Award 1 mark for the correct answer (c). No marks are awarded for other choices.

When designing for reach, the 5th percentile (representing individuals with the shortest reach) must be used. If a 5th percentile user can reach the safety button, then 95% of the population with longer arms will also be able to reach it easily.

Award 1 mark for the correct answer (a). Other choices receive 0 marks.

Disruptive innovation refers to a product or service that enters the market with performance features that may initially seem inferior but ultimately creates a new market and value network, eventually displacing established market-leading products.

Award 1 mark for the correct answer (b). No marks for incorrect options.

Planned obsolescence is a deliberate design policy where products are created with a limited life span so they will fail or become unfashionable after a certain period, encouraging repeat purchases. Classic designs are characterized by longevity and timelessness, resisting this trend.

Award 1 mark for the correct answer (b). No marks for incorrect options.

Air drying can only reduce timber moisture content to about 12-15% (which is in equilibrium with outdoor air), whereas kiln drying can achieve 6-8%, matching dry, heated indoor environments. This lower moisture level prevents subsequent dimensional instability, warping, or splitting when the furniture is placed indoors.

Award [1] for stating that kiln drying achieves a much lower/more controlled moisture content suitable for indoor environments, and [1] for explaining how this prevents dimensional defects (warping, splitting, or shrinking).

Dematerialization involves designing products to use less material without sacrificing functionality. For the manufacturer, this leads to direct savings in raw material acquisition, packaging, and shipping weights. For the environment, it reduces resource extraction, lowers energy consumption during processing, and minimizes end-of-life waste.

Award [1] for explaining the economic/logistic benefit to the manufacturer (e.g., lower raw material or shipping costs) and [1] for explaining the ecological benefit to the environment (e.g., reduced resource depletion, energy use, or waste).

A physical haptic model allows designers and users to physically grasp the prototype. This enables immediate feedback on human factors such as ergonomic comfort, grip safety, and material texture, which are difficult or impossible to fully evaluate visually on a computer screen.

Award [1] for identifying that physical haptic models provide tactile and physical feedback, and [1] for linking this to the evaluation of ergonomic comfort, grip, or user safety.

The 5th to 95th percentile range represents the middle 90% of the target user population. Designing a chair to be adjustable within this range ensures it fits the vast majority of users, while avoiding the disproportionate mechanical complexity and cost required to accommodate the extreme 5% at either end (the extremely small or extremely large).

Award [1] for stating that the range accommodates the middle 90% of the population, and [1] for explaining that this represents an optimal balance between user inclusivity and manufacturing/economic feasibility.

A patent protects new, inventive, and functional physical mechanisms, processes, or technologies, and typically expires after a set period (usually 20 years). A trademark protects distinctive signs, designs, names, or logos that identify commercial brands, and can be renewed indefinitely as long as it remains in active use.

Award [1] for distinguishing the type of intellectual property protected (functional invention vs. brand identity symbols) and [1] for distinguishing the duration (limited term vs. potentially infinite/renewable).

The industrial aesthetic of the Anglepoise lamp is determined entirely by its function. Its articulating arms, pivot points, and tension springs are engineered to allow the lamp to be moved easily and remain stable in multiple positions without slipping. The form of the lamp is not decorative; it is a direct mechanical response to this operational requirement.

Award [1] for identifying the functional requirement of the lamp (adjustable multi-position stability or human-arm mechanics) and [1] for explaining how this functional mechanism directly determines its physical aesthetic.

Sustaining innovations are incremental improvements to established products along performance dimensions that mainstream customers already value. Disruptive innovations, on the other hand, initially target niche, low-end, or new-market segments with simpler, cheaper, or more convenient products that eventually displace established market leaders.

Award [1] for defining sustaining innovation as evolutionary improvements for existing markets, and [1] for defining disruptive innovation as a new value proposition that creates new markets and eventually displaces existing ones.

Blow moulding uses compressed air to expand a heated tube of plastic (a parison) outward against a mould cavity, which easily creates thin-walled, lightweight, closed hollow shapes. Injection moulding requires solid cores to form shapes; removing a solid metal core from a narrow-necked bottle is mechanically impractical and would require complex, multi-part tooling.

Award [1] for explaining how blow moulding inflates a parison to form the hollow bottle walls, and [1] for explaining that injection moulding is unsuitable due to the difficulty of extracting the solid internal core from a narrow-necked hollow shape.

Kiln drying is an artificial seasoning process where temperature, humidity, and airflow are strictly controlled in a closed chamber. This allows the timber to reach a lower and more uniform equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of around 6-8%, which is ideal for dry, climate-controlled indoor environments and cannot be consistently achieved through traditional air drying. Additionally, the process is significantly faster, reducing seasoning time from years to days, and the heat kills fungal spores and insects inside the wood.

Award 1 mark for identifying a valid advantage of kiln drying (e.g., reaching lower/more uniform moisture levels, faster processing time, or sterilization). Award 1.14 marks for explaining how this advantage directly benefits high-end indoor furniture production (e.g., preventing dimensional instability, shrinkage, or warping when exposed to indoor climate systems).

Dematerialization focuses on reducing the total quantity of materials used in a product without sacrificing its core function. In plastic beverage bottles, this is achieved through lightweighting (thinning the walls of the bottle) and optimizing the geometry (such as adding structural ribbing or base designs) to maintain structural integrity under pressure while using less virgin polymer. This reduces raw material consumption, decreases energy use during production, and lowers transport emissions due to reduced cargo weight.

Award 1 mark for outlining the core principle of dematerialization applied to the bottle (e.g., reducing the thickness/weight of the plastic or optimizing the geometry). Award 1.14 marks for explaining how this modification reduces the overall environmental impact (e.g., lower raw material resource depletion, reduced energy in manufacturing, or reduced carbon emissions during distribution).

Haptic feedback technology introduces physical sensations (such as forces, vibrations, and resistance) to the user via specialized input devices. When integrated into a virtual prototype of a steering wheel, it allows designers to physically experience the tactile feel, grip texture, and mechanical click resistance of integrated control buttons. This enables accurate, quantitative evaluation of user comfort, reach, and ease of control during virtual driving simulations without the high cost and long lead times associated with physical prototypes.

Award 1 mark for explaining what haptic feedback provides (e.g., simulating tactile physical forces, textures, or mechanical resistance). Award 1.14 marks for linking this capability directly to ergonomic testing benefits (e.g., assessing button feedback, grip comfort, and driver interaction without needing physical mock-ups).

The height of an adjustable office task chair must accommodate a wide user demographic. Designers use the 5th percentile female popliteal height to set the minimum height of the seat (so short users can rest their feet flat on the floor) and the 95th percentile male popliteal height to set the maximum height (so tall users are not forced into an uncomfortable, cramped posture). This combined range ensures that at least 90% of the total target population can adjust the chair to an ergonomically healthy posture.

Award 1 mark for correctly identifying the 5th to 95th percentile range (or 5th percentile female to 95th percentile male). Award 1.14 marks for explaining how this range ensures ergonomic suitability for the extremes (allowing short users' feet to touch the floor and tall users to have proper thigh support, accommodating 90% of users).

A disruptive innovation enters the market by offering a different set of attributes (typically lower cost, greater convenience, or simplicity) that appeal to a niche or low-end segment, and then rapidly improves to displace established market leaders. Smartphone cameras originally produced lower quality images than digital point-and-shoot cameras, but offered unmatched portability, convenience, and instant internet sharing. Over time, rapid technological progress in mobile image processing matched standard digital cameras, leading to the collapse of the standalone compact camera market.

Award 1 mark for defining disruptive innovation or explaining the initial value proposition of smartphone cameras (e.g., convenience, portability, lower initial performance than professional gear). Award 1.14 marks for explaining how continuous technological improvements eventually displaced established competitors (e.g., making compact digital cameras obsolete).

The Anglepoise lamp is a classic design that epitomizes 'form follows function' because its appearance is a direct result of its mechanical utility. The visible springs, joints, and pivoting arm mimic the constant-tension mechanics of a human arm, designed solely to make the lamp highly adjustable and stable. However, the purity, honesty, and minimalism of this functional engineering created a distinct, iconic industrial aesthetic that has transcended changing fashion trends, remaining desirable and recognizable for decades.

Award 1 mark for explaining how the form is a direct expression of the lamp's physical/mechanical function (e.g., balanced-arm mechanism, springs, directional shade). Award 1.14 marks for explaining how this functional honesty translates into aesthetic longevity (e.g., transcending passing design trends, achieving iconic status through timeless industrial minimalism).

Dematerialization focuses on reducing the quantity of materials used in a product or its packaging without compromising its primary function. First, by reducing the thickness of the cardboard walls, raw material consumption is lowered. Second, eliminating interior plastic trays and wrapping reduces chemical waste and fossil-fuel reliance. Third, replacing physical printed manuals with a digital QR code directly printed on the box reduces paper use. Fourth, a smaller, more compact box design decreases the overall shipping volume, allowing more units to fit in a single container, thereby reducing transport-related carbon emissions. Fifth, using monomaterials (such as 100% recyclable paperboard) ensures easier recycling at the end-of-life stage by eliminating the need to separate components.

Award 1 mark for each valid explanation point linking a dematerialization strategy to its environmental benefit, up to a maximum of 5 marks. Points include: 1. Reducing wall thickness reduces raw material use. 2. Eliminating plastic inserts/wraps reduces landfill waste. 3. Digitizing manuals reduces paper consumption. 4. Minimizing packaging volume reduces shipping emissions. 5. Using monomaterials simplifies recycling and lowers waste processing energy.

Designers utilize percentile data to define user accommodation ranges. First, seat height adjustability is based on the 5th percentile female popliteal height to the 95th percentile male popliteal height, ensuring all users can rest their feet flat on the floor. Second, seat depth is designed to accommodate the 5th percentile female buttock-popliteal length, preventing pressure behind the knee for shorter users while supporting longer legs. Third, the seat width is determined by the 95th percentile female hip breadth to ensure the widest users can comfortably fit. Fourth, adjustable armrests are designed around 5th to 95th percentile elbow rest heights to prevent shoulder strain. Fifth, adjustable lumbar support is engineered to move vertically to target the 5th to 95th percentile lumbar heights of users.

Award 1 mark for each valid explanation linking a specific percentile (5th or 95th) of an anthropometric measurement to its functional design adjustment on the office chair, up to a maximum of 5 marks.

A classic design transcends mere utility through several key factors. First, it fosters a strong emotional connection, where users appreciate the craftsmanship and heritage rather than just utility. Second, it acts as a status symbol, where premium materials and brand prestige signal wealth and social standing. Third, it features a timeless aesthetic that remains fashionable across generations, avoiding obsolescence. Fourth, it often represents a historical or technological milestone in manufacturing or engineering. Fifth, it acquires cultural heritage by being associated with significant cultural figures, historical events, or cinematic moments, solidifying its place in popular culture.

Award 1 mark for each distinct, well-explained point showing how a product transcends its primary function to gain status or cultural significance (e.g., emotional connection, status symbol, timeless aesthetic, historical milestone, cultural heritage), up to a maximum of 5 marks.

Injection moulding is highly suitable for precision toy bricks for several reasons. First, it offers high dimensional accuracy and tight tolerances, ensuring that every brick has the exact dimensions required to achieve consistent clutch power. Second, it has extremely high production speeds and short cycle times, allowing millions of units to be manufactured rapidly. Third, the cost per unit becomes exceptionally low once high-volume production is established, offsetting high initial tooling costs. Fourth, the process produces minimal waste, as any excess runners or sprues can be reground and mixed back into the raw material. Fifth, it allows for high design complexity, meaning intricate features like internal structural ribs and precise interlocking studs can be moulded in a single operation.

Award 1 mark for each distinct advantage explained clearly in the context of high-volume, precision thermoplastic toy bricks, up to a maximum of 5 marks.