How New & Emerging Technologies Informs Design Decisions (AQA GCSE Design & Technology): Revision Note
Exam code: 8552
Planned obsolescence
What is planned obsolescence?
Planned obsolescence is when a product is deliberately designed by the designer or manufacturer to have a reduced lifespan, requiring the user to replace it after a shorter amount of time than it could otherwise last
A well-known example involved phone manufacturers designing their phones so that the battery would degrade from full charge to empty too quickly, forcing the user to replace the phone
How do designers and manufacturers create products with planned obsolescence?
Using materials which will wear out quickly (e.g. the plastic soles of shoes)
Making parts hard to replace or repair (e.g. car engine parts)
No longer supporting devices with software updates (e.g. mobile phones)
Changing the product styling often (e.g. clothing)
Advantages and disadvantages of planned obsolescence
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Supports businesses to keep growing | Creates waste |
Encourages innovation | Increases the impact of products on the environment |
Can reduce the price of products that are regularly replaced | Impacts customers negatively (cost, frustration, poor quality products) |
Creates opportunity for repair and maintenance services | Unethical approach to maintaining product demand |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Planned obsolescence is a popular exam topic. You should be able to explain both why manufacturers use it and why it is criticised.
Remember that planned obsolescence is not always about parts breaking — it can also involve stopping software updates or changing fashion styles to make older products seem outdated.
Always consider the environmental impact in your answer: more frequent replacement means more waste and greater use of finite resources.
Design for maintenance
What is design for maintenance?
Design for maintenance is an approach taken by designers which ensures easier repair, servicing and part replacement on products to allow them to last longer
Design for maintenance prioritises approaches to design that are opposite to planned obsolescence
How do designers and manufacturers create products designed for maintenance?
Making products from standard or off-the-shelf parts so they can be easily sourced for replacement
Ensuring parts can be easily accessed and replaced by a repair service
Making sure parts which wear out over time are easy to source and easy for customers to replace
Using non-permanent joining techniques like screws or clips to hold products together, rather than permanent joining techniques like glue
Providing clear instructions and guidance on how to maintain a product over time
Using materials which are durable and easy to maintain
Worked Example
A manufacturer wants to design a phone that is easy to maintain by the customer.
Explain two design features that would make the phone easier to maintain.
[4 marks]
Answer:
Feature 1: The phone should be joined using non-permanent fixings such as screws [1 mark], so that the customer or a repair service can open the phone to access internal components without damaging it [1 mark].
Feature 2: The battery should be designed to be easily accessible and replaceable [1 mark], so that when the battery degrades over time, the customer can replace it rather than having to buy a new phone [1 mark].
Ethics
What is ethics in design?
Ethics in design involves making responsible and moral decisions when designing and manufacturing products, which carefully consider the impact on people, society and the environment
Why is ethics important in design?
Ethical design helps to protect people from bad products
Poor ethical approaches to design can lead to environmental harm during product manufacture and use
A focus on ethical decisions by designers and manufacturers will benefit people and the environment
Manufacturing that is unethical can often also be illegal (e.g. child labour and unsafe working conditions)
Products designed ethically attract customers, build their trust and can improve brand perception for a company committed to ethical approaches
Environment
What is the environment in the context of design?
The environment refers to the natural world, including people, places and the planet
Designers and manufacturers that consider the environment will take account of how their decisions affect people, places and the planet
How is the environment affected by design and manufacturing?
Pollution
Global warming
Waste or landfill
The using up of finite resources
Damage to ecosystems
The long-term degradation of habitats
How can designers reduce impact on the environment?
Designers can design products
to last as long as possible
for repair, reuse or recycling
to use less packaging when distributing
to use fewer materials and fewer different materials
that use standard components or off-the-shelf parts
How can manufacturers reduce impact on the environment?
Use renewable sources of energy
Use sustainable sources of materials
Source materials and distribute products locally
Reduce the use of harmful substances like chemicals during production
Treat and dispose of waste carefully to avoid it entering the ecosystem
Worked Example
Explain two ways a designer can reduce the environmental impact of a new product.
[4 marks]
Answer:
Way 1: The designer can design the product for disassembly [1 mark], so that at the end of its life the materials can be separated and recycled rather than going to landfill [1 mark].
Way 2: The designer can use fewer different materials in the product [1 mark], which makes recycling easier and reduces the energy needed to separate and process materials at end of life [1 mark].
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Questions about environment and ethics often overlap. If asked about the environmental impact of a product, think about its entire life cycle: raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, use and disposal.
The strongest answers consider both what the designer can do (e.g. design for disassembly) and what the manufacturer can do (e.g. use renewable energy), showing you understand the full picture.
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