Design requirements (often called success criteria) are one of the most important scoring tools in the IB Design Technology IA — yet they are often written poorly. Many students treat requirements as a checklist they rush through, without realising that design requirements control testing, evaluation, and final marks.

Strong design requirements make the IA easier to write and much easier to score highly.

What Are Design Requirements in IB Design Technology?

Design requirements are clear statements that describe what a successful solution must achieve.

They are used to:

• Guide design decisions
• Structure testing
• Judge success in evaluation

Examiners rely heavily on requirements when deciding whether a solution actually meets the problem.

If requirements are weak or vague, evaluation becomes meaningless — and marks suffer.

The Most Common Design Requirements Mistake

The biggest mistake students make is writing generic or untestable requirements.

Weak examples:

• “The product should be easy to use.”
• “The solution should be durable.”

These sound reasonable, but they cannot be tested properly. If something cannot be tested, it cannot be evaluated — and IB does not award marks for assumptions.

Where Strong Design Requirements Come From

Strong requirements are not invented randomly. They should come directly from:

• The problem statement
• User needs
• Research findings

If a requirement is not clearly linked to evidence, examiners often ignore it.

A good rule:
If you can’t explain why a requirement exists, it probably shouldn’t be there.

Characteristics of Strong Design Requirements

Strong design requirements are:

• Specific – clearly defined
• Measurable or testable – you can collect evidence
• Relevant – linked directly to the problem
• User-focused – based on real needs

These qualities make testing and evaluation straightforward.

Turning Weak Requirements Into Strong Ones

Weak:

• “The product should be comfortable.”

Stronger:

• “The product must allow the user to use it for at least 30 minutes without reporting discomfort during testing.”

Weak:

• “The solution should be compact.”

Stronger:

• “The solution must fit within a space no larger than 300 mm × 200 mm to suit the user’s desk.”

The stronger version tells examiners exactly how success will be judged.

How Many Design Requirements Should You Have?

Quality matters far more than quantity.

Most strong projects include:

• A small number of well-developed requirements
• Each requirement clearly testable
• No overlapping or repetitive criteria

Too many requirements often leads to rushed testing and shallow evaluation.

Common Categories of Design Requirements

Design requirements often relate to:

• Function
• Ergonomics
• Size or space
• Materials
• Safety
• Sustainability
• User comfort or efficiency

Not every project needs every category. Only include what is relevant to the problem.

How Design Requirements Improve Evaluation

Strong evaluation directly references design requirements.

For each requirement, students should:

• State whether it was met
• Use testing or feedback as evidence
• Explain limitations honestly

Weak requirements lead to vague evaluation. Strong requirements make evaluation almost write itself.

What Examiners Look For

Examiners check:

• Are requirements justified by research or user needs?
• Can they clearly be tested?
• Are they actually used in evaluation?

Unused or untested requirements add little value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are design requirements the same as a checklist?

No. They are evidence-based criteria used to judge success, not a to-do list.

Can requirements change during the project?

Minor refinements are acceptable, especially after early testing, but large changes late in the IA weaken coherence.

Is it okay if my solution doesn’t meet all requirements?

Yes. Honest evaluation of unmet requirements often scores higher than pretending everything worked perfectly.

Final Thoughts

Strong design requirements are one of the easiest ways to raise IA marks in IB Design Technology. They clarify the design process, strengthen testing, and make evaluation meaningful.

Students who write specific, testable, and justified requirements almost always produce clearer, higher-scoring projects.

RevisionDojo Tip

RevisionDojo is the best platform for IB Design Technology students who want help writing examiner-ready design requirements. With clear examples, requirement templates, and testing frameworks, RevisionDojo helps students turn vague ideas into precise criteria that directly support higher IA marks.