IB Design Technology SL · 2016 to 2025 (outgoing guide)
6.1 The design process
12 past paper questions from 11 papers across 7 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
Original Exam Vault questions with AI markscheme feedback for this topic.
SL archive · 2016 to 2026
6.1 The design process
Latest exam session: May 2026
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Micro-topics in 6.1 The design process
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of papers each appears in. 12 of them have no matching questions in this archive.
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- Rising
last May 26 P2 TZ2
6.1.3
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it6.1.4
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it6.1.5
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it6.1.6
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it6.1.7
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it6.1.8
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it- Rising
last May 26 P1 TZ3
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
6.1.11
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it6.1.12
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it6.1.13
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it- Less common
last May 26 P1 TZ2
6.1.15
No question tagged to this topic in the 42 Design Technology SL papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it
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, including those with no matches in this archive.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Research as an activity, 2016: 1 question | ·Research as an activity, 2017: 0 questions | 1Research as an activity, 2018: 1 question | 1Research as an activity, 2019: 1 question | ·Research as an activity, 2020: 0 questions | ·Research as an activity, 2021: 0 questions | ·Research as an activity, 2022: 0 questions | 1Research as an activity, 2023: 1 question | ·Research as an activity, 2024: 0 questions | 2Research as an activity, 2025: 2 questions | 1Research as an activity, 2026: 1 question | |
| 1Design specifications, 2016: 1 question | ·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 | ·Design specifications, 2023: 0 questions | ·Design specifications, 2024: 0 questions | ·Design specifications, 2025: 0 questions | 3Design specifications, 2026: 3 questions | |
| ·Drawing for manufacture, 2016: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2017: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2018: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2019: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2020: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2021: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2022: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2023: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2024: 0 questions | ·Drawing for manufacture, 2025: 0 questions | 1Drawing for manufacture, 2026: 1 question | |
| ·The five stages, 2016: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2017: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2018: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2019: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2020: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2021: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2022: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2023: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2024: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2025: 0 questions | ·The five stages, 2026: 0 questions | |
| ·Primary research, 2016: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2017: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2018: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2019: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2020: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2021: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2022: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2023: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2024: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2025: 0 questions | ·Primary research, 2026: 0 questions | |
| ·Empathising: personas, 2016: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2017: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2018: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2019: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2020: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2021: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2022: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2023: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2024: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2025: 0 questions | ·Empathising: personas, 2026: 0 questions | |
| ·Analysing your ideas, 2016: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2017: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2018: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2019: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2020: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2021: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2022: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2023: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2024: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2025: 0 questions | ·Analysing your ideas, 2026: 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 | ·Ideation, 2023: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2024: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2025: 0 questions | ·Ideation, 2026: 0 questions |
7 more micro-topics have no matches in this archive.
- Risingappearing more often in the last two years than before
- Less commonin fewer than one paper in fifteen
- No matches in this archiveon the syllabus, but has no question tagged to it in this archive. This does not mean it has never been examined
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Questions on 6.1 The design process, by exam session
Which papers asked about 6.1 The design process, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.
May 2026
5 questions across 4 papers
May 2025
2 questions across 2 papers
May 2023
1 question across 1 paper
May 2019
1 question across 1 paper
May 2018
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 SL exam sessions are covered for 6.1 The design process?
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 11 papers in this archive.
Which 6.1 The design process topic comes up most?
Research as an activity (6.1.2): in 17% of papers, last seen May 26 P2 TZ2. Usually "Outline", worth about 1.1 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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