Developing an effective design brief for the VCE Food and Technology In the beginning … Developing an effective design brief for the VCE Food and Technology School-assessed Task ©Laurel Tully 2011

Preparing a design brief Outlines the problem to be solved Focus based on a theme or event Contains all information (context and specifications) needed to solve the problem Who – client or consumer information Why – reason the product is required What – client or consumer requirements; what needs to be prepared When – time/date the product needs to be ready Where – place/location to be served/eaten These aspects need to be carefully considered when preparing to write a design brief. For more ideas on themes or events, go to Slide 17. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Developing the design brief Decide on the theme or event Describe the event or occasion/purpose of the product Outline client or consumer information Age, gender, lifestyle, particular food likes and dislikes, any special dietary requirements Specify the client requirements Style of the meal or product, special nutritional needs, number of people to be served, use of particular ingredients The listed points should be included in the design brief. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Developing the design brief School-assessed Task: scope of task Incorporate the scope of the task into the design brief Written in the context of the brief A set of four to six food items (the product) At least four different complex processes Two to three different food preservation techniques to preserve two or three of the food items Aspects related to the scope of the task in the VCAA Bulletin VCE, VCAL and VET February Supplement should also be embedded in the design brief. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Shortboard surfing classic Background information Weekend at Jan Juc in early December to celebrate the end of Year 12 Two school friends will be coming along with me Need foods to contribute to breakfast, lunch and dinner for the weekend Special dessert to share at dinner Savoury and sweet snacks to take to the beach Needs to appeal to young males and satisfy ‘healthy’ appetites Casual dining This information could provide the basis for a design brief. ©Laurel Tully 2011

The design brief Context Of all the sports I have ever played, surfing is without doubt my favourite. I really can’t remember a time when I haven’t been able to surf. My Nan and Pa have had a house at Torquay since I was just a toddler and so we have spent most weekends there every summer. My Pa was one of the original ‘surfies’ at Jan Juc and other beaches along the surf coast and he taught me to surf when I was really young. The context provides ‘sets the scene’ for the design brief. ©Laurel Tully 2011

The design brief (Context continued) Two of my friends from school, Ben and Sam, are also keen surfers and so we have decided to head to the surf for a couple of days after our final exams in early December for our own ‘Shortboard Classic’. My Nan and Pa have offered to let us stay at their house on Friday and Saturday but we will need to take some of our own ‘supplies’ as I don’t want Nan to have to do all of the meal preparation. As I quite enjoy cooking, I have decided to make some of the main food items we will eat over the two days. ©Laurel Tully 2011

The design brief Specifications (considerations and constraints) We will need some food items for a casual dinner on Friday and breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Specification1 I will also need to prepare some savoury and sweet snack items we can take to the beach Specification2 as we will no doubt be hungry after spending so long in the water. On Saturday night we will have a celebratory dinner with my Nan and Pa before we leave and so I will need to make a dessert to share for dinner. The dessert needs to be quite special and look spectacular Specification3 so that it is the ‘grand finale’ to a great weekend. The specifications from which evaluation criteria can be drawn are indicated.

The design brief Specifications (continued) Just as importantly, I can show my Nan that all the hours she spent teaching me how to cook while we were staying at Torquay weren’t wasted! The food will also need to be appealing to us and satisfy our ‘healthy’ appetites Specification4. As we will be leaving for Torquay straight after our last exam, all of the food needs to be prepared several weeks in advance and have good keeping qualities.Specification5 I also want to use a variety of complex processes Specification6 so that the products I produce are of a very high quality. The specifications from which evaluation criteria can be drawn are indicated. ©Laurel Tully 2011

The design brief Specifications (continued) My Nan is a great fan of television cooking shows and I want to show her that I am now quite a skilled cook too – even if not yet in the league of the experts on her favourite show! ©Laurel Tully 2011

Developing criteria for evaluation Use the identified specifications in the design brief (considerations and constraints) to develop relevant evaluation criteria questions Five or six good evaluation questions are required Combine more than one specification into a question if necessary ©Laurel Tully 2011

Criteria for evaluation Have I been able to prepare a range of food items suitable for a casual dinner on Friday and breakfast and lunch on Saturday? Was I able to produce some savoury and sweet snack items suitable to take to the beach? Did the range of food items include a special dessert to share for dinner on Saturday night? The numbered specifications in the design brief relate to the numbered criterion for evaluation. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Criteria for evaluation Will the food be appealing to young males and will it be filling enough to satisfy ‘healthy’ appetites? Was all of the food able to be prepared several weeks in advance and did it have good keeping qualities? Did I use a variety of complex processes in the preparation of the products to produce high quality products? The numbered specifications in the design brief relate to the numbered criterion for evaluation. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Brainstorming ideas Breakfast Lunch Surfing weekend Dinner at Jan Juc Jams Marmalade Muesli Bread Crumpets Rolls Pastries Bread Breakfast Lunch Surfing weekend at Jan Juc Dinner Dessert Barbecue foods Chutneys Dressings Cakes Tarts Ice cream Puddings Brainstorming is a useful way of noting types of food items that could be developed in response to the brief. Snacks Yeast snacks Biscuits Small cakes ©Laurel Tully 2011

Complex processes and preservation techniques Four different complex processes: e.g. caramelisation, yeast baking, pastry making, confectionary, cake making, crystallisation, emulsification and creaming. Two or three different food preservation techniques: e.g. dehydration, jam and jelly making, sugar crystallisation, freezing, bottling, chutney, pickle, and relish making. The set of food items needs to include four different complex processes and two or three different preservation techniques. The table of complex processes is available on the Food and Technology page of the VCAA website. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Checklist for the proposed set of food items (the product) Complex processes (4 different processes needed) Preservation techniques (2 or 3 different preservation techniques needed) Ideas for presenting the food items 1 2 3 4 5 6 Within the proposed set of food items there should be four different complex process and two or three different preservation techniques used. The table can be used to check whether the set of food items meet the requirements of the Scope of the task. Consider the creative presentation or plating of the food items and whether any special props are required for photographing each food item. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Design brief ideas: Food for an organisation A gourmet delicatessen Soul food vegetarian café A Brunswick Street café A gourmet weekend retreat Business conference Tennis club or cricket club raffle The provision of food for an organisation can provide stimulus for developing a design brief and food items for the School-assessed Task. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Design brief ideas: A favourite culture Colours of India Thai treats A taste of Japan The flavours of France A tapestry of Tunisia Spanish dinner party Tasting Australia Focus on a culture or cultural event could also provide stimulus. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Design brief ideas: Promoting an ingredient Winter fruits – pears Summer fruits at a farmers’ market Citrus fruit – promoting the Murray Valley Exotic fruit of Queensland Apples Berries Mangoes Vegetables Nuts Chocolate Coffee Spices Herbs and spices of Asia Cheese Dried fruit Alternatively, an ingredient or key food could provide stimulus for a design brief. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Design brief ideas: Celebration meal or event Grand final lunch basket Portable feast for the Moonlight Cinema Gift for an exchange student Hamper to take on a fishing trip Brunch basket for the Murray Marathon A ‘blast from the past’ – a 1980s dinner party Carols by Candlelight Foods for a Grand Prix lunch basket Celebrations or events can also be a source of inspiration for a design brief. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Design brief ideas: Celebration meal or event Australian Open Tennis Birthday gift for an elderly relative A basket of food to take to a holiday house A vegetarian Christmas A basket of treats for a house warming A brunch by the Yarra or at the beach Food for the launch of a new business venture Celebrations or events can also be a source of inspiration for a design brief. ©Laurel Tully 2011

Laurel Tully Updated for VCE Food and Technology (2011-2015) Prepared by: Laurel Tully Updated for VCE Food and Technology (2011-2015) ©Laurel Tully 2011