IB Design Technology HL · 2016 to 2025 (outgoing guide)
IB Design Technology HL past papers
689 past paper questions from 36 papers across 18 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
HL archive · 2016 to 2025
IB Design Technology HL past papers
Latest exam session: May 2025
- questions
- 689
- questions
- papers
- 36
- papers
- exam sessions
- 18
- exam sessions
- micro-topics
- 65
Units in Design Technology HL
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of the marks each one carries.
Unit 1
People in theory
18% of marks263 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (18%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 115 questions
- DuePhysiological factors
- RisingAdjustability and sizing
Unit 2
Process in theory
20% of marks290 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (20%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 127 questions
- DuePersonas and scenarios
- RisingTesting with physical
Unit 3
Product in theory
17% of marks251 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (17%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 123 questions
- DueStress, strain and failure
- RisingBiodegradable materials
Unit 4
Production in theory
9% of marks133 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (9%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 56 questions
- RisingSubtractive techniques
- RisingJoining techniques
Unit 5
People in practice
0% of marks1 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (0%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 1 question
Unit 6
Process in practice
4% of marks64 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (4%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 22 questions
Unit 8
Production in practice
6% of marks87 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (6%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 42 questions
- RisingSystems per product
- RisingScale of production
Unit 9
People in context
3% of marks44 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (3%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 28 questions
- RisingThe four pleasures
Unit 10
Process in context
16% of marks242 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (16%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 129 questions
- RisingThe closed loop
Unit 11
Product in context
5% of marks78 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (5%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 34 questions
Unit 12
Production in context
2% of marks33 of the 1486 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (2%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 12 questions
Papers in Design Technology HL
Each paper across every sitting. The ring is the share of the marks it carries.
17 sittings · calculator
Paper 1
27% of marks401 of the 1486 marks in the Design Technology HL archive were set in Paper 1, across 17 sittings. · 401 questions
Most tested Designing sustainably
19 sittings · calculator
Paper 2
73% of marks1085 of the 1486 marks in the Design Technology HL archive were set in Paper 2, across 19 sittings. · 288 questions
Most tested Testing with CAD
Exam pattern
How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.
Does it repeat?
Top 4 of 65 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10.1.1Designing sustainably | 4Designing sustainably, 2016: 4 questions | 7Designing sustainably, 2017: 7 questions | 3Designing sustainably, 2018: 3 questions | 7Designing sustainably, 2019: 7 questions | 5Designing sustainably, 2020: 5 questions | ·Designing sustainably, 2021: 0 questions | 2Designing sustainably, 2022: 2 questions | 3Designing sustainably, 2023: 3 questions | 7Designing sustainably, 2024: 7 questions | 4Designing sustainably, 2025: 4 questions |
| 2Mechanical properties, 2016: 2 questions | 3Mechanical properties, 2017: 3 questions | 3Mechanical properties, 2018: 3 questions | 2Mechanical properties, 2019: 2 questions | 2Mechanical properties, 2020: 2 questions | ·Mechanical properties, 2021: 0 questions | ·Mechanical properties, 2022: 0 questions | 3Mechanical properties, 2023: 3 questions | 8Mechanical properties, 2024: 8 questions | 4Mechanical properties, 2025: 4 questions | |
| 2Psychological factors, 2016: 2 questions | 5Psychological factors, 2017: 5 questions | 3Psychological factors, 2018: 3 questions | 6Psychological factors, 2019: 6 questions | 3Psychological factors, 2020: 3 questions | ·Psychological factors, 2021: 0 questions | 2Psychological factors, 2022: 2 questions | 5Psychological factors, 2023: 5 questions | 5Psychological factors, 2024: 5 questions | 3Psychological factors, 2025: 3 questions | |
10.2.4Recovering and restoring | 5Recovering and restoring, 2016: 5 questions | 2Recovering and restoring, 2017: 2 questions | 4Recovering and restoring, 2018: 4 questions | 8Recovering and restoring, 2019: 8 questions | 1Recovering and restoring, 2020: 1 question | ·Recovering and restoring, 2021: 0 questions | 3Recovering and restoring, 2022: 3 questions | 5Recovering and restoring, 2023: 5 questions | 6Recovering and restoring, 2024: 6 questions | 13Recovering and restoring, 2025: 13 questions |
4 more micro-topics with a free account
- DuePersonas and scenarios· last May 24 P1 TZ2
- Dueusually examined, but missing from the last two exam sessions
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Every micro-topic in the heatmap and the complete watch list, free with an account.
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Every Design Technology HL exam session
Every session and paper we have classified. Open a paper for its full analysis.
May 2025
4 papers
November 2024
2 papers
May 2024
3 papers
November 2023
2 papers
May 2023
3 papers
November 2022
1 paper
May 2022
1 paper
November 2021
1 paper
May 2021
1 paper
November 2020
2 papers
November 2019
2 papers
May 2019
2 papers
November 2018
2 papers
May 2018
2 papers
November 2017
2 papers
May 2017
2 papers
November 2016
2 papers
May 2016
2 papers
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Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which Design Technology HL exam sessions are covered?
18 exam sessions from 2016 to 2025, the latest May 2025. Every Paper 1 and 2 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 36 papers in this archive.
Which IB Design Technology HL topic comes up most?
Designing sustainably (10.1.1): in 72% of papers, last seen May 25 P2 TZ1. Usually "other", worth about 3.2 marks in a paper that includes it.
Can I see the original question and mark scheme?
No. The wording belongs to the IB. You get the citation, the marks, the command term and the skill tested, plus our own matched practice questions with worked answers and AI marking.
What do "banker", "due" and "rising" mean?
Banker: examined in at least one sitting in four and still appearing. Due: regular before, but absent for the last two exam sessions. Rising: clearly more common in the last two years. Our classification of real papers, not an IB statistic.
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Reading this page and the exam pattern is free. A free account generates three sets of ten questions and launches one practice set. Pro opens every question in any scope, sets of twenty or all, and unlimited practice.
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Every question, by paper
What each Design Technology HL paper tests across all its sittings: the marks by unit and the micro-topics it keeps coming back to.
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