Design strategies - EdexcelSystems approach

Systems thinking

This refers to the understanding of a product or component as part of a larger system of other products and systems. Attention should be paid to the role of all components and sub-systems of the product or system, including the user experience and the marketing of the object being designed. This ensures all aspects of the product are given the attention to detail required.

Systems approach to designing

Designing certain products, eg electrical products, may require a different technique known as a systems approach. This logical approach is particularly useful in electronics where there is an input, process and output, as each stage has to perform a specific function before moving on to the next step. In the case of designing an electric piano keyboard, the input is pressing the key, the process is generating the correct music note and the output is sound through the speaker.

The systems approach should not be confused with schematic diagrams, which show how an electronic system should be connected together. A systems approach flowchart relates specifically to the design of a process. Different shapes in a flowchart represent different types of operation, and these shapes have the same meaning worldwide.

Quality assurance (QA) decisions can also be added during the design process to ensure that problems are picked up and fixed within the system, eg a decision stage checking the dimensions of a part that has been manufactured.