AS 91357 Annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 63 MB]

TKI Technology assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to undertake effective development to make and trial a justified prototype.

This involves:

• synthesising evidence from ongoing testing and stakeholder feedback to inform the making and trialling of the prototype
• justifying any decisions to accept and/or modify the prototype.

This student has made and trialled a justified prototype for a dress.

The student has undertaken extensive trialling and testing to enable the interpretation of the design and to fit the wearer (1). The initial testing was on ‘mock’ fabric. Once close to the decision making, the student used the chosen materials to ensure that the techniques and processes were suitable (2).

As the prototype developed, the stakeholders were involved to confirm decisions made earlier in the trialling (1).

Throughout practice, the student justified and synthesised decisions as a result of research, functional modelling and stakeholder feedback (1) (2) (3).

The prototype was judged and justified as fit for purpose and therefore accepted. The student provided evidence of how the style, materials, components, techniques and processes contributed to a garment that addressed the student brief and the stakeholder expectation (3).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could have more strongly incorporated the social and physical environmental considerations she had determined into her prototype.

For Merit, the student needs to undertake effective development to make and trial a refined prototype.

This involves:

• evaluating practical techniques and processes to determine their suitability for use in making a prototype
• using evidence from ongoing testing and ongoing stakeholder feedback to inform the making and trialling of the prototype.

This student has made a refined prototype for a mobile chilly bin.

This student has evaluated practical techniques and processes to determine their appropriateness for use (1), and used evidence from ongoing testing and stakeholder feedback to inform the making and trialling of the prototype (2).

To reach Excellence, the student could synthesise the on-going testing and stakeholder feedback. Often decisions seemed to be made on the basis of ‘what my stakeholder and I decided’, and the justification for this decision making could be more apparent.

For Merit, the student needs to undertake effective development to make and trial a refined prototype.

This involves:

• evaluating practical techniques and processes to determine their suitability for use in making a prototype
• using evidence from ongoing testing and stakeholder feedback to inform the making and trialling of the prototype.

This student has made a refined prototype for an outfit of top and pants.

This student has researched a range of materials and components from dressmaking and soft furnishing sources. The effect of the materials in the physical environment was prioritised over factors such as comfort (1).

The student trialled and tested possible techniques and processes to enable the design to fit the wearer. The student explained the decisions made in relation to the developing prototype (2).

The student provided some written evidence of stakeholder feedback for their ongoing testing, but also sought verbal feedback and used this feedback to make changes and improvements, and the resulting decisions were recorded (4).

The garment was worn at the fashion show. As the photograph shows, the garments had stage impact and met the requirements of the brief. The material choices were suitable for the design but also complemented the effect of the stage lighting. This on-stage impact was a major consideration during development (3).

For a more secure Merit, the student could show more evidence of linking the prototype to its purpose within the physical and social environment to inform the prototype, rather than mainly focussing on the construction details.

For Achieved, the student needs undertake effective development to make and trial a prototype.

This involves:

• evaluating materials and/or components to determine their suitability for use in a prototype
• trialling practical techniques and processes to determine their suitability for use in making a prototype
• selecting appropriate materials and/or components, tools and equipment; and applying practical techniques and processes to make the prototype
• using results from testing and stakeholder feedback to inform the making and trialling of the prototype
• undertaking prototyping to gain specific evidence of the outcome’s fitness for purpose in its intended physical and social environment
• explaining any decisions to accept and/or modify the prototype.

This student has made a prototype for a massage table trolley.

This student has used an analysis of important environmental considerations, stakeholder consultation and materials to develop the trolley (1) (3).

The student has trialled practical techniques and processes using cardboard and functional modelling, and considers stakeholder feedback, to inform the manufacturing and trialling of the trolley prototype (2).

The modelling helped to confirm at an earlier stage that the prototype would be accepted and explains decisions (2).

The student used the appropriate tools to make the trolley (3) (4).

The student loaded the massage table onto the trolley to show that it is fit for purpose (4).

To reach Merit, the student could have shown the trolley being used in all of the intended environments.

Considering the wheel size, the weight of the material and the shape of the handle could show more evidence of the ongoing testing and stakeholder feedback.

For Achieved, the student needs undertake effective development to make and trial a prototype.

This involves:

• evaluating materials and/or components to determine their suitability for use in a prototype
• trialling practical techniques and processes to determine their suitability for use in making a prototype
• selecting appropriate materials and/or components, tools and equipment; and applying practical techniques and processes to make the prototype
• using results from testing and stakeholder feedback to inform the making and trialling of the prototype
• undertaking prototyping to gain specific evidence of the outcome’s fitness for purpose in its intended physical and social environment
• explaining any decisions to accept and/or modify the prototype.

This student has made a prototype for a dress for a fashion show.

The student purchased suitable materials after evaluative discussions with the stakeholder (1).

The student trialled and tested possible techniques and processes to interpret the design and to fit the wearer. The student begins to explain the decisions made (2).

The prototype trialled, and used selected techniques and processes that were suitable for the chosen materials, the garment and the identified environment (3).

Ongoing stakeholder feedback is used, showing how their opinions were used in the development of the garment, such as the shoulder feature and the fullness of the skirt (4).

At the fashion show the garments had stage impact. The prototype was judged fit for purpose as the garment fit complimented the student’s height, draped well from the bodice and allowed movement (5).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could provide further information as to the materials and components that were evaluated. 

For Achieved, the student needs undertake effective development to make and trial a prototype.

This involves:

• evaluating materials and/or components to determine their suitability for use in a prototype
• trialling practical techniques and processes to determine their suitability for use in making a prototype
• selecting appropriate materials and/or components, tools and equipment; and applying practical techniques and processes to make the prototype
• using results from testing and stakeholder feedback to inform the making and trialling of the prototype
• undertaking prototyping to gain specific evidence of the outcome’s fitness for purpose in its intended physical and social environment
• explaining any decisions to accept and/or modify the prototype.

This student has made a prototype for a stirling engine.

This student has selected appropriate materials, tools and equipment, and applied practical techniques and processes to make a prototype (1). The prototype is mainly for the flywheel component (2).

To reach Achieved, the student could show more evidence of using results from testing and stakeholder feedback to inform the making and trialling of the prototype.

The engine would also need to be trialled to gain evidence for the evaluation of the prototype’s fitness for purpose in its intended social and physical environment. Any decisions to accept and/or modify the prototype would need to be explained.

This work would have been enhanced if the student had undertaken practice to develop a prototype to address a brief that clearly described the desired outcome that would meet a need or realise an opportunity.