Product analysis using the 5 Ws and ACCESS FM
Examine and analyse existing products
Children are naturally curious and love to explore how things work. Analysing products will not only satisfy their curiosity but also spark their creativity as they start considering how to improve these products.
Product analysis allows designers to understand how products work and how they could be improved. This then helps them to produce better designs of their own.
This is one of a set of resources developed to support the teaching of the primary national curriculum, particularly KS2. It has been designed to support the delivery of key topics within science and design and technology (DT). This resource focusses on analysing existing products.
This could be used as a one-off activity or as part of a wider unit of work focussing on the design process. It could be used in conjunction with the IET Faraday Primary Poster – Materials and their Properties.
Activity: How to carry out a product analysis
In this activity students will learn about two techniques that are commonly used to analyse existing products – the 5 Ws and ACCESS FM. They will discuss the key terms in each of these techniques and use them to investigate familiar products. They will also complete an interactive quiz to test their knowledge.
Download our worksheet and PowerPoint presentation for a detailed guide for teaching product analysis.
The 5 Ws
- Who: Who is the user of the product?
- What: What does the product do? What materials is it made from?
- Where: Where is the product used? Where was it made?
- When: When is the product used?
- Why: Why does the product exist? Why is it designed the way that it is?
ACCESS FM
- A = Aesthetics – How does the product appeal to the five senses?
- C = Cost – How much does the product cost to make or to buy?
- C = Customer – Who will buy or use the product?
- E = Environment – How does the product affect the environment? Is it made from recycled materials?
- S = Size – What is the length, width and height of the product?
- S = Safety – Is the product safe to use?
- F = Function – How does the product work? What does it do?
- M = Material – What materials and components have been used to make the product?
The engineering context
Understanding product analysis is vital for budding engineers. It equips them with the ability to evaluate how well products and systems perform their intended functions. By understanding why products are designed the way they are, they can devise better engineering solutions in the future.
Suggested learning outcomes
Upon completing this activity, students should understand what is meant by 'product analysis'. They will be able to use the 5 Ws to examine existing products and apply ACCESS FM for detailed analysis. By discussing key terms and investigating familiar products, they will develop a deeper understanding of how products work and how they can be improved. This knowledge will serve as a solid foundation for their own design processes in the future.
Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources
The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.
You can download our step-by-step instructions below as both a classroom lesson plan and a PowerPoint presentation.
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