Lesson T1.1.2

T1.1.2 Reformulating design problems Quiz: KS3 Design & Technology, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T1.1.2, Reformulating design problems: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Design & Technology (National Curriculum), Unit 1: Design, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What does reformulating a design problem mean?

    • Making the product from a new material to save time in the workshop
    • Copying the wording of a problem from a previous project in the class
    • Restating the problem in a clearer way so that it can be solved
    • Changing the problem so that it is easier to avoid solving in practice

  2. A brief asks for a better bag. Which reformulation is most useful?

    • A bag that is cheap to buy and that many shops will sell at a profit
    • A bag that is strong and that people will want to buy from the shelves
    • A lightweight bag that holds a day's books for Year 8 pupils
    • A bag that looks good and is pleasant to use for everyone in the school

  3. Why might a designer break a large problem into smaller parts?

    • So the final product uses fewer materials automatically by its own design
    • So the teacher does not have to mark the project at all in the term
    • So each part can be sold separately to different customers in the market
    • So each part can be researched, designed and tested more manageably

  4. Which is an example of a design problem identified by the pupil themselves?

    • Completing a worksheet on the properties of different plastics in class
    • Noticing the school's bike rack is hard to reach and designing a better one
    • Following a brief to make a simple wooden box with dimensions that are set
    • Answering a teacher's question about the history of chairs in the lesson

  5. A brief says design something for the kitchen. Which is a reformulated problem?

    • Design a tool that helps people peel potatoes safely with one hand
    • Design a new kitchen with more storage space in general for the household
    • Design a product for a kitchen as well as you can manage in the time
    • Design something useful for the kitchen as soon as possible for the family

  6. What should a reformulated problem avoid?

    • Describing the main need the user has in their own words and phrases
    • Including who the product is for and why it is needed by its users
    • Assuming a single solution before any research has been done
    • Stating the main constraints on materials and the size of the product

  7. Why is it important to check a reformulated problem with the user?

    • To decide the price of the product before research begins
    • To find out which factory will make the product
    • To make sure it still meets what the user actually needs
    • To get the user to write the design specification for you

  8. What is a design brief?

    • A list of the tools a designer will use to make a product in the workshop
    • A set of test results from a finished prototype that was tested by users
    • A short statement describing what a product should do and for whom
    • A drawing showing the final shape of a finished product from several sides

  9. A pupil's brief says make a toy. Which is the best reformulated problem?

    • A soft toy that a 4-year-old can squeeze and that is washable
    • A toy that is cheap to buy and that sells in large numbers
    • A toy that uses electronics and that lights up when touched
    • A toy that is fun and that many children will enjoy playing with

  10. Which of these is a constraint rather than a goal?

    • The product should be a good idea for the user and their family at home
    • The product must fit inside a box measuring 300 mm by 200 mm
    • The product should be fun and enjoyable to use for children in the classroom
    • The product should look modern and attractive to buyers in the local shops

  11. What is a design criterion?

    • A rule that the designer must follow when working in the factory setting
    • A measurable requirement that the final product must meet
    • A personal opinion about how a product should look in a room setting
    • A type of drawing used to show measurements on a part of the product

  12. A problem is reformulated as make a lamp brighter. What is the problem with this?

    • It uses too few technical words to be understood by the design team
    • It does not state the exact colour and finish of the lamp's shade and base
    • It does not mention how much electricity the lamp uses over a whole year
    • It assumes the answer is a brighter bulb rather than the user's real need

  13. A teacher says the plant pots keep falling over. Which is a reformulated problem?

    • How can a plant pot use as little plastic as possible in its manufacture?
    • How can a larger garden be built for all of the school's plants to grow in?
    • How can a plant pot be made nicer than the old one on the market shelves?
    • How can a plant pot be made stable on a windowsill that gets knocked?

  14. Who should a designer involve when reformulating a problem?

    • Only the company's marketing team and its senior managers at head office
    • Only the people who will make the product in the factory and the workshop
    • The people the product is for and other interested stakeholders
    • Only the designer, who already knows the best solution to the problem

  15. Why must a designer identify the users of a product?

    • It is required only so that the school can pass its assessment of the year
    • It decides which colour the product must be painted in for the shop window
    • Their needs decide what the product must do and how it should be used
    • It is needed to calculate the total cost of the packaging for the product

  16. A school bag breaks on the bus. Which reformulation follows from this?

    • Design a bag that is the most expensive one in the whole school year
    • Design a bag that carries heavy books without its strap tearing on a bus
    • Design a bag that everyone in the year group will be keen to own and show
    • Design a bag with as many pockets as possible for a long trip out of school

  17. What is an open design problem?

    • A problem that needs no research because its answer is already very obvious
    • A problem allowing many possible solutions, so ideas must be generated
    • A problem that has already been solved by a previous design in the archive
    • A problem that can only be solved by using a computer and a software tool

  18. What is the purpose of a problem statement?

    • To show the final product after it has been tested
    • To give the names of the team members in the project
    • To list the costs of every material used in the design
    • To clearly state the need that the design will address

  19. A cup problem is reformulated as a cup that keeps a drink warm for 30 minutes. What has been added?

    • A decision about the cup's colour and printed pattern
    • A measurable performance target for the cup
    • A list of the machines that will manufacture the cup
    • A name for the company that will sell the cup

  20. What is a risk of reformulating a problem too narrowly?

    • The product will always be too heavy to carry easily for the target users
    • The users will refuse to take part in any research the designer proposes
    • The product will need several different materials to make it work at all
    • The designer may miss better solutions that the wider problem would allow

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