Learning from professional designers
You don't need to invent every idea from scratch. Studying how skilled designers, past and present, solved problems sharpens your own design thinking.
Part of your national curriculum
- Evaluate: Analyse the work of past and present professionals and others to develop and broaden their understanding
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Analyse the work of past and present professionals and others to develop and broaden their understanding
Key learning points
- • Why analyse existing work
- • Past and present designers
- • Turning analysis into your own ideas
This lesson at a glance
- 22 minutes
- 16 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 16
Visual introductionPicture this
Learning from professional designers
You don't need to invent every idea from scratch. Studying how skilled designers, past and present, solved problems sharpens your own design thinking.
In a nutshell
Analyse the work of past and present professionals and others to develop and broaden their understanding
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 16
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Why analyse existing work
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 16
Learn
Why analyse existing work
Looking closely at a well-designed product — how it is made, what materials it uses, who it is for — reveals decisions that are easy to overlook when only looking at the finished item. It builds a mental library of solutions to draw on later.
Reset break
Part 4 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 16
Learn
Past and present designers
Comparing historical design movements, such as Bauhaus's 'form follows function', with contemporary designers working on sustainability shows how context and values shape design choices over time.
Quick check
Part 6 of 16
Quick check
Part 7 of 16
Reset break
Part 8 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 16
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Turning analysis into your own ideas
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 16
Learn
Turning analysis into your own ideas
Rather than copying, good analysis asks 'what worked, what didn't, and why?' then adapts the useful principles to a new brief, giving your own design a stronger, more informed starting point.
Quick check
Part 11 of 16
Reset break
Part 12 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 13 of 16
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 14 of 16
Game · Recall cards
What is the main benefit of analysing existing products?
Card 1 of 3
Mastery quiz
Part 15 of 16
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Learning from professional designers
3 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. What is the main benefit of analysing existing products?
2. 'Form follows function' is associated with which movement?
3. Good analysis of a designer's work should lead to…
Lesson round-up
Part 16 of 16
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
Not sat
Games
Not played
Points this lesson
0
Best run
0 in a row
Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 16 · Watch & discover
How this is going
- Not looked at yet
Analyse the work of past and present professionals and others to develop and broaden their understanding