Evaluating Design Abilities using the APU Approach

Abstract

For many of those involved in the field of CDT education, the changes in emphasis from traditional craft teaching to design must be bewildering.

There are basically three areas in CDT which together form a cohesive subject. Unless these three areas are treated equally the subject becomes unbalanced and thereby loses some of its worth. The resulting crudity is perhaps one reason why CDT has not enjoyed the status in the eyes of others that some of the purely academic subjects have. These three areas are:

a) Skill - those practical abilities concerned with physical manipulation of materials

b) Knowledge - an understanding of the technology and properties of those materials

c) Design - the ability to solve problems using a) and b) above.

Although too brief to be entirely accurate, the definitions at least outline the areas mentioned. As far as making an assessment of abilities in these areas is concerned the first two are, relatively speaking, fairly easy. The most difficult area is the third for, to put it in simple terms how do we evaluate, assess or mark an idea? Also why should my judgement be any better than the next persons? What might be considered a success by one person may be judged a disaster by the next.