IB Design Technology HL · 2016 to 2025 (outgoing guide)
Unit 6: Process in practice
22 past paper questions from 18 papers across 13 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
HL archive · 2016 to 2024
Unit 6: Process in practice
Latest exam session: May 2024
- questions
- 22
- questions
- papers
- 18
- papers
- exam sessions
- 13
- exam sessions
- micro-topics
- 5
Topics in Unit 6: Process in practice
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of the marks each one carries.
6.1
The design process
47% of marks30 of the 64 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (47%) were on this topic. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 9 questions
6.2
Modelling and prototyping
53% of marks34 of the 64 marks across the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (53%) were on this topic. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 13 questions
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 5 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ·Finite element analysis, 2016: 0 questions | ·Finite element analysis, 2017: 0 questions | 2Finite element analysis, 2018: 2 questions | 1Finite element analysis, 2019: 1 question | 2Finite element analysis, 2020: 2 questions | 1Finite element analysis, 2021: 1 question | 2Finite element analysis, 2022: 2 questions | 3Finite element analysis, 2023: 3 questions | 2Finite element analysis, 2024: 2 questions | ·Finite element analysis, 2025: 0 questions | |
| 2Design specifications, 2016: 2 questions | ·Design specifications, 2017: 0 questions | ·Design specifications, 2018: 0 questions | ·Design specifications, 2019: 0 questions | ·Design specifications, 2020: 0 questions | ·Design specifications, 2021: 0 questions | ·Design specifications, 2022: 0 questions | 1Design specifications, 2023: 1 question | ·Design specifications, 2024: 0 questions | ·Design specifications, 2025: 0 questions | |
| ·Defining the problem, 2016: 0 questions | 4Defining the problem, 2017: 4 questions | ·Defining the problem, 2018: 0 questions | ·Defining the problem, 2019: 0 questions | ·Defining the problem, 2020: 0 questions | ·Defining the problem, 2021: 0 questions | ·Defining the problem, 2022: 0 questions | ·Defining the problem, 2023: 0 questions | ·Defining the problem, 2024: 0 questions | ·Defining the problem, 2025: 0 questions | |
| ·Ideation, 2016: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2017: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2018: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2019: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2020: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2021: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2022: 0 questions | 1Ideation, 2023: 1 question | ·Ideation, 2024: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2025: 0 questions |
1 more micro-topics with a free account
- Frequently testedin at least a quarter of all papers, and still appearing in the last two years
- Occasionalin about one paper in ten
- Less commonin fewer than one paper in fifteen
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Questions on Unit 6: Process in practice, by exam session
Which papers asked about Unit 6: Process in practice, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.
May 2024
2 questions across 2 papers
November 2023
3 questions across 2 papers
May 2023
2 questions across 2 papers
November 2022
1 question across 1 paper
May 2022
1 question across 1 paper
November 2021
1 question across 1 paper
November 2020
2 questions across 2 papers
November 2019
1 question across 1 paper
November 2018
2 questions across 2 papers
May 2018
1 question across 1 paper
May 2017
1 question across 1 paper
November 2016
1 question across 1 paper
May 2016
1 question across 1 paper
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Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which Design Technology HL exam sessions are covered for Unit 6: Process in practice?
18 exam sessions from 2016 to 2024, the latest May 2024. Every Paper 1 and 2 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 18 papers in this archive.
Which Unit 6: Process in practice topic comes up most?
Finite element analysis (6.2.4): in 33% of papers, last seen May 24 P1 TZ2. Usually "other", worth about 2.8 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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More Design Technology HL exam preparation
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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