CIE A level Design & Technology 9705 Component 4 Master Coursework Walkthrough Guide

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Cambridge A Level D&T Component 4 is the Design, Realisation and Manufacturing Project – 50 marks, 25% of A Level, 55 guided hours. This guide, updated May 2026, transforms how students approach the 6-stage portfolio.

What’s inside (32 pages):

Stage 1 (6 marks) – Research (questionnaire + interview/observation) → design brief → specification. 8+ measurable, justified points covering ALL 4 factor types (human, aesthetic, technical, environmental).

Stage 2 (8 marks) – 3 genuinely different ideas. Each idea: 3D sketch; material annotations (specific name + property + reason); ergonomic reference; spec connection. Evaluation matrix → design proposal integrating best features.

Stage 3 (8 marks) – Orthographic drawings (front/side/plan) with dimensions and scale. Parts/cutting list. Gantt chart plan (time, tools, materials, safety per stage).

Stage 4 (12 marks – highest mark stage) – Complete product. 12+ process photographs (annotated, PPE visible). Wide range of skills evidenced. Teacher sign-off required.

Stage 5 (8 marks) – One test per spec point (method, criterion, measured result). User feedback from 3+ users. Quantity modification proposals (what process/tooling changes for batch production).

Stage 6 (8 marks – unique to Component 4) – Quantity plan for batch of ≥10. Production system selection. QA checkpoints; QC checks. Wider issues analysis covering ALL FOUR dimensions: economic (unit cost comparison), environmental (waste, energy), social (employment, skills), cultural (standardisation vs customisation). Analysis must be evaluative.

20 most common mistakes – research secondary-only, specification not measurable, fewer than 3 ideas, sketches without annotations, missing dimensions, no PPE in photos, vague quantity proposals – with how to fix each.

Grade boundaries – A* = 44–50 marks.

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