Fiducia TogetherEngineering design process
The stages from a brief to a made product, and the evidence each stage needs.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
The process runs: identify the problem, write a brief and specification, research, generate and develop ideas, model and prototype, manufacture, test and evaluate.
Where it applies
GCSE engineering, design and technology, and BTEC engineering.
How it works
The specification is the contract — a list of measurable requirements the product must meet, and what testing is judged against.
Iteration is expected: ideas that fail testing and are revised score better than a single idea carried straight through.
How to use it in your work
Write a specification in measurable terms. "Must be lightweight" is not testable; "must weigh under 500g" is.
Evidence every stage. The NEA is marked on process, and undocumented thinking earns nothing.
Test against your own specification point by point in the evaluation.
Where to get help
Your teacher and your board's specification — these qualifications vary more between boards than the traditional GCSEs do, and much of the grade is coursework marked against stated criteria.
Revise this with a song
These are ours. We write revision songs because a lot of people remember a tune when they cannot remember a page, and because revising out loud in the kitchen beats staring at a highlighter.
- The Engineering Song The engineering topics, set to music.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.