IB Design Technology SL · 2016 to 2025 (outgoing guide)
IB Design Technology SL past papers
460 past paper questions from 42 papers across 19 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
Starter set across the most-tested skills, with AI marking and model answers.
SL archive · 2016 to 2026
IB Design Technology SL past papers
Latest exam session: May 2026
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Units in Design Technology SL
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of the marks each one carries.
Unit 1
People in theory
28% of marks · 115 questions
Unit 2
Process in theory
27% of marks · 110 questions
- RisingMultidisciplinary teams
Unit 3
Product in theory
16% of marks · 81 questions
- RisingPhysical properties
- RisingChoosing a material
Unit 5
People in practice
1% of marks · 2 questions
Unit 6
Process in practice
6% of marks · 29 questions
- RisingResearch as an activity
- RisingDesign specifications
Unit 7
Product in practice
4% of marks · 22 questions
- RisingOther selection factors
Unit 9
People in context
2% of marks · 13 questions
Unit 10
Process in context
14% of marks · 80 questions
Unit 11
Product in context
1% of marks · 8 questions
Papers in Design Technology SL
Each paper across every sitting. The ring is the share of the marks it carries.
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 41 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10.2.4Recovering and restoring | 3Recovering and restoring, 2016: 3 questions | 2Recovering and restoring, 2017: 2 questions | 2Recovering and restoring, 2018: 2 questions | 2Recovering and restoring, 2019: 2 questions | 2Recovering and restoring, 2020: 2 questions | ·Recovering and restoring, 2021: 0 questions | 3Recovering and restoring, 2022: 3 questions | 2Recovering and restoring, 2023: 2 questions | 3Recovering and restoring, 2024: 3 questions | 3Recovering and restoring, 2025: 3 questions | 10Recovering and restoring, 2026: 10 questions |
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 | 2Anthropometric data, 2024: 2 questions | 4Anthropometric data, 2025: 4 questions | 3Anthropometric data, 2026: 3 questions |
| ·Testing with physical, 2016: 0 questions | 3Testing with physical, 2017: 3 questions | 2Testing with physical, 2018: 2 questions | 1Testing with physical, 2019: 1 question | 1Testing with physical, 2020: 1 question | ·Testing with physical, 2021: 0 questions | 1Testing with physical, 2022: 1 question | 4Testing with physical, 2023: 4 questions | 4Testing with physical, 2024: 4 questions | 3Testing with physical, 2025: 3 questions | 5Testing with physical, 2026: 5 questions | |
2.2.5Testing with CAD | 2Testing with CAD, 2016: 2 questions | ·Testing with CAD, 2017: 0 questions | 3Testing with CAD, 2018: 3 questions | 2Testing with CAD, 2019: 2 questions | 2Testing with CAD, 2020: 2 questions | ·Testing with CAD, 2021: 0 questions | ·Testing with CAD, 2022: 0 questions | 6Testing with CAD, 2023: 6 questions | 3Testing with CAD, 2024: 3 questions | 1Testing with CAD, 2025: 1 question | 5Testing with CAD, 2026: 5 questions |
4 more micro-topics with a free account
- RisingPhysical properties· last May 26 P2 TZ1
- Risingappearing more often in the last two years than before
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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 2026
6 papers
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?
19 exam sessions from 2016 to 2026, the latest May 2026. Every Paper 1 and 2 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 42 papers in this archive.
Which IB Design Technology SL topic comes up most?
Recovering and restoring (10.2.4): in 55% of papers, last seen May 26 P2 TZ3. Usually "Outline", worth about 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.
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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More Design Technology SL exam preparation
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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All IB past papers
Every subject we have classified by topic, with the same exam-pattern analysis.
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