IB Design Technology SL · 2016 to 2025 (outgoing guide)
IB Design Technology SL past papers
477 past paper questions from 36 papers across 18 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
SL archive · 2016 to 2025
IB Design Technology SL past papers
Latest exam session: May 2025
- questions
- 477
- questions
- papers
- 36
- papers
- exam sessions
- 18
- exam sessions
- micro-topics
- 33
Units in Design Technology SL
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of the marks each one carries.
Unit 1
People in theory
24% of marks259 of the 1066 marks across the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (24%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 111 questions
- DuePhysiological factors
Unit 2
Process in theory
26% of marks274 of the 1066 marks across the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (26%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 111 questions
- RisingMultidisciplinary teams
Unit 3
Product in theory
19% of marks206 of the 1066 marks across the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (19%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 99 questions
Unit 6
Process in practice
6% of marks61 of the 1066 marks across the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (6%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 19 questions
Unit 9
People in context
3% of marks28 of the 1066 marks across the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (3%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 12 questions
Unit 10
Process in context
22% of marks231 of the 1066 marks across the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (22%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 118 questions
Unit 11
Product in context
1% of marks7 of the 1066 marks across the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (1%) were on this unit. A past-paper pattern, not a guarantee for your next paper. · 7 questions
Papers in Design Technology SL
Each paper across every sitting. The ring is the share of the marks it carries.
17 sittings · calculator
Paper 1
26% of marks280 of the 1066 marks in the Design Technology SL archive were set in Paper 1, across 17 sittings. · 280 questions
Most tested Recovering and restoring
19 sittings · calculator
Paper 2
74% of marks786 of the 1066 marks in the Design Technology SL archive were set in Paper 2, across 19 sittings. · 197 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 33 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.1.2Anthropometric data | 3Anthropometric data, 2016: 3 questions | 4Anthropometric data, 2017: 4 questions | 3Anthropometric data, 2018: 3 questions | 2Anthropometric data, 2019: 2 questions | 1Anthropometric data, 2020: 1 question | ·Anthropometric data, 2021: 0 questions | 1Anthropometric data, 2022: 1 question | 3Anthropometric data, 2023: 3 questions | 4Anthropometric data, 2024: 4 questions | 4Anthropometric data, 2025: 4 questions |
| 1Mechanical properties, 2016: 1 question | 4Mechanical properties, 2017: 4 questions | 6Mechanical properties, 2018: 6 questions | 2Mechanical properties, 2019: 2 questions | 1Mechanical properties, 2020: 1 question | ·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 | |
10.2.4Recovering and restoring | 8Recovering and restoring, 2016: 8 questions | 2Recovering and restoring, 2017: 2 questions | 5Recovering and restoring, 2018: 5 questions | 8Recovering and restoring, 2019: 8 questions | 2Recovering and restoring, 2020: 2 questions | ·Recovering and restoring, 2021: 0 questions | 3Recovering and restoring, 2022: 3 questions | 4Recovering and restoring, 2023: 4 questions | 6Recovering and restoring, 2024: 6 questions | 13Recovering and restoring, 2025: 13 questions |
| 2Psychological factors, 2016: 2 questions | 2Psychological factors, 2017: 2 questions | 3Psychological factors, 2018: 3 questions | 3Psychological factors, 2019: 3 questions | 1Psychological factors, 2020: 1 question | ·Psychological factors, 2021: 0 questions | 2Psychological factors, 2022: 2 questions | 4Psychological factors, 2023: 4 questions | 8Psychological factors, 2024: 8 questions | 2Psychological factors, 2025: 2 questions |
4 more micro-topics with a free account
- DuePhysiological factors· last Nov 19 P2
- 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 SL 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
Every Design Technology SL question, unlocked
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Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which Design Technology SL 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 SL topic comes up most?
Anthropometric data (1.1.2): in 67% of papers, last seen May 25 P2 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.
What is free and what needs Pro?
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 SL paper tests across all its sittings: the marks by unit and the micro-topics it keeps coming back to.
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