All Design Technology guides

Design Technology IA Criteria Guide

Redesign an existing product around the people who use it.

For assessment in 2027. The shared SL and HL task is worth 33 marks. Research the user, define the redesign, compare ideas, develop a model and present how the solution improves on the existing product.

Assessment criteria

What each criterion measures, how many marks it carries, and what stronger evidence usually looks like.

Criterion names, marks and mark bands follow the IB subject guide. The band descriptions are our own summaries, so check your subject guide for the exact wording.

Criterion A: Empathize (9 marks)

Understand the intended user and what existing products do well or badly.

Stronger evidence
The user is explained in depth. A detailed storyboard examines their task, and existing products are critically compared across their key features.
Early-stage evidence
A user profile is named, the storyboard gives little insight into their task, and few product features are considered.

Criterion B: Defining the project (6 marks)

Use research to define the redesign problem and product requirements.

Stronger evidence
The problem statement explains the key opportunities, and detailed research supports the reasons for the requirements.
Early-stage evidence
The problem statement offers few redesign opportunities and the requirements have weak research support.

Criterion C: Ideation and modelling (6 marks)

Develop and compare three feasible redesign ideas through testing and user feedback.

Stronger evidence
Three selected ideas show all key features. Testing and user feedback support a reasoned comparison against the requirements.
Early-stage evidence
Fewer than three feasible ideas are presented with useful notes. Differences are merely stated.

Criterion D: Designing a solution (6 marks)

Refine a model through testing and communicate the final design for manufacture.

Stronger evidence
The model addresses the problem thoroughly. Testing weighs every requirement and user need, and detailed drawings communicate the intended manufacture.
Early-stage evidence
The model addresses only part of the problem. Testing is limited and manufacturing drawings lack detail.

Criterion E: Presenting a solution (6 marks)

Show the redesign and explain how it improves on the original product.

Stronger evidence
The redesigned product is explained through detailed notes, and the comparison shows how it addresses the original problems thoroughly.
Early-stage evidence
The redesigned product has few useful notes and is compared briefly with the original.

Mark bands

Want to know where your IA sits in these bands? Upload your draft and get a mark for each criterion.

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How to build it

Most weak drafts fail on order, not on ideas.

  1. 1

    Understand the user

    Build a user profile and storyboard of the task. Compare the key features of existing products to identify useful redesign opportunities.

  2. 2

    Define the project

    Use the user research to explain the problem and justify the design requirements.

  3. 3

    Compare three feasible ideas

    Develop three selected ideas through models, testing and user feedback. Compare them against the requirements.

  4. 4

    Develop and present the solution

    Test and refine a model. Provide drawings with enough detail for manufacture, and explain how the redesigned product addresses the original problems.

Before you submit

  • The profile and storyboard explain the user and task.
  • Research supports the design requirements.
  • Three feasible ideas are compared using tests and user feedback.
  • The final model, manufacturing drawings and comparison with the original product are included.

Quick wins

  • Tie each requirement to a finding from user research.
  • Use model tests to explain why one idea is stronger.
  • Make the improvement over the original product visible in the final comparison.

Check your Design Technology draft

Get marks and comments against the 2027 IB Design Technology criteria. The result includes a mark for every criterion, evidence from your draft, and the changes to make first.

Grade my IA draftSee pricing
  1. 1

    Upload your IA draft as a PDF

  2. 2

    Get a mark and feedback for every IA criterion

  3. 3

    Revise and grade the new version

A mark for every criterion
A mark for every criterionSee where the draft is now, criterion by criterion.
Comments on your sentences
Comments on your sentencesEach comment points at the passage it is about.
What to fix first
What to fix firstConcrete next edits instead of "improve your analysis".