IB Design Technology SL · 2016 to 2025 (outgoing guide)
2.1 User-centred research methods
30 past paper questions from 18 papers across 13 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
SL archive · 2016 to 2025
2.1 User-centred research methods
Latest exam session: May 2025
- questions
- 30
- questions
- papers
- 18
- papers
- exam sessions
- 13
- exam sessions
- micro-topics
- 4
Micro-topics in 2.1 User-centred research methods
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of papers each appears in.
2.1.2
2 questions · in 6% of papersAppears in 2 of the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (6%), at least once each.
Less commonlast May 25 P1 TZ2
2.1.3
6 questions · in 14% of papersAppears in 5 of the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (14%), at least once each.
Risinglast May 25 P2 TZ2
2.1.4
16 questions · in 39% of papersAppears in 14 of the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (39%), at least once each.
Frequently testedlast May 25 P2 TZ2
2.1.5
6 questions · in 8% of papersAppears in 3 of the 36 Design Technology SL papers analysed (8%), at least once each.
Occasionallast May 23 P1 TZ2
Exam pattern
How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.
Does it repeat?
Questions per year for each micro-topic.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2Research methods, 2016: 2 questions | 1Research methods, 2017: 1 question | 3Research methods, 2018: 3 questions | 3Research methods, 2019: 3 questions | ·Research methods, 2020: 0 questions | ·Research methods, 2021: 0 questions | ·Research methods, 2022: 0 questions | 2Research methods, 2023: 2 questions | 2Research methods, 2024: 2 questions | 3Research methods, 2025: 3 questions | |
| ·Multidisciplinary teams, 2016: 0 questions | ·Multidisciplinary teams, 2017: 0 questions | 1Multidisciplinary teams, 2018: 1 question | ·Multidisciplinary teams, 2019: 0 questions | ·Multidisciplinary teams, 2020: 0 questions | ·Multidisciplinary teams, 2021: 0 questions | ·Multidisciplinary teams, 2022: 0 questions | 3Multidisciplinary teams, 2023: 3 questions | ·Multidisciplinary teams, 2024: 0 questions | 2Multidisciplinary teams, 2025: 2 questions | |
| ·The five stages of UCD, 2016: 0 questions | ·The five stages of UCD, 2017: 0 questions | ·The five stages of UCD, 2018: 0 questions | ·The five stages of UCD, 2019: 0 questions | ·The five stages of UCD, 2020: 0 questions | ·The five stages of UCD, 2021: 0 questions | ·The five stages of UCD, 2022: 0 questions | ·The five stages of UCD, 2023: 0 questions | 1The five stages of UCD, 2024: 1 question | 1The five stages of UCD, 2025: 1 question | |
| 1Personas and scenarios, 2016: 1 question | ·Personas and scenarios, 2017: 0 questions | ·Personas and scenarios, 2018: 0 questions | ·Personas and scenarios, 2019: 0 questions | ·Personas and scenarios, 2020: 0 questions | 4Personas and scenarios, 2021: 4 questions | ·Personas and scenarios, 2022: 0 questions | 1Personas and scenarios, 2023: 1 question | ·Personas and scenarios, 2024: 0 questions | ·Personas and scenarios, 2025: 0 questions |
- Frequently testedin at least a quarter of all papers, and still appearing in the last two years
- Risingappearing more often in the last two years than before
- Less commonin fewer than one paper in fifteen
- Occasionalin about one paper in ten
Past paper generator
Generate Design Technology SL past paper questions
Choose what to revise and build a set in one click. Every question stays whole, so multi-part questions come as they appeared in the exam.
- 1Pick any unit, topic or micro-topic
- 2Generate whole exam questions from the archive
- 3Practise the same skills with AI marking
Questions on 2.1 User-centred research methods, by exam session
Which papers asked about 2.1 User-centred research methods, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.
May 2025
5 questions across 3 papers
November 2024
2 questions across 2 papers
May 2024
1 question across 1 paper
November 2023
3 questions across 2 papers
May 2023
3 questions across 2 papers
November 2021
1 question across 1 paper
November 2019
1 question across 1 paper
May 2019
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2018
1 question across 1 paper
May 2018
3 questions across 1 paper
May 2017
1 question across 1 paper
November 2016
1 question across 1 paper
May 2016
2 questions across 1 paper
Every 2.1 User-centred research methods question, unlocked
Generate all 30 questions in this topic at once, practise every one with AI marking, and see how each mark is awarded.
- Every past-paper question in any unit, topic or micro-topic
- Generate sets of 20 or all questions, as often as you like
- Unlimited practice with AI marking and worked answers
- See how every mark is awarded for each question
- Predicted papers and crash courses built from the same data
Used by IB students preparing for Nov 2026, May 2027 and May 2028
From €6/mo. 14-day money-back guarantee. Cancel anytime.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which Design Technology SL exam sessions are covered for 2.1 User-centred research methods?
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 18 papers in this archive.
Which 2.1 User-centred research methods topic comes up most?
Research methods (2.1.4): in 39% of papers, last seen May 25 P2 TZ2. Usually "other", worth about 1.4 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.
Keep going
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.
Open the paper analysis
All IB past papers
Every subject we have classified by topic, with the same exam-pattern analysis.
Browse subjects