Unit 1 (e-book)

Basic knowledge: UNDERSTANDING

2. The project approach: analyse

Definition of the problem

We saw in the previous section that if we do not define the conditions of a problem correctly, we may find “non-solutions” for it. So, to find the answer to a problem, we must first stop and analyse it carefully and define its requirements and constraints as precisely as we can.

The possible solutions to the problem will differ depending on these requirements. For example, if you were travelling from Madrid to Seville and your biggest constraint was cost, you would look for cheap transport; however, if your basic requirement for the trip was that it was as green as possible, you would look for the least polluting means of transport.

The constraints affecting the solution to a problem can be very varied. For example, they can be operational, constructional, economic, ergonomic, environmental, safety-related, etc. We must consider them all to come up with the best solution to our problem.

WORKED EXAMPLE OF THE DEFINITION OF A PROBLEM

Establish the necessary conditions to define the following problem: what masks should be used to protect hospital patients from infection?

One way to determine the conditions that the solution must fulfil is to answer the following questions:

Should the masks protect the eyes or just the nose and mouth? Are they for adults or for children? These aspects will affect the size and shape of the masks. And, if they must protect the eyes, they must be bigger and made out of see-through fabric.
Should the environmental impact of possible waste be considered? Should we prioritise reusable masks over disposable ones? The materials will be different depending on what we decide: reusable masks must be made from materials that can be cleaned and sterilised, but this is less important with disposable ones.
Is aesthetic appearance important? Do colours influence patient acceptance of masks? The fabric must be hygienic. Note also that certain colours (such as browns) are sometimes undesirable because people identify them with dirtiness; other colours (such as green and light blue) tend to be associated with healthcare and cleanliness.

Solution:

To solve the problem in this example, we propose the following definition of the problem:

We need face masks that will protect adult patients from infection through the nose and mouth. The masks can be reusable and they must convey cleanliness through their aesthetic appearance.

Search for information. Product analysis. Possible solutions

Search for information. Possible solutions

Sometimes, we can find the solution to a problem in everyday objects; by analysing and modifying these objects, we can create new ones to suit our needs better.

We can analyse objects from every possible point of view:

Morphological analysis	We analyse the shape of the object, its size, colour and basic physical characteristics. For this, we use drawings of the complete object and exploded views of its parts. Sometimes, we also study its ergonomic characteristics to evaluate how suitable it is for humans.
Functional analysis	We study how the object works, its utility, how it is used and the potential risks of its use. In more complicated objects, we also analyse the function of each part of the object.
Technical analysis	We evaluate how the object was made. This analysis includes the study of its materials, the technology used to make it, how its parts are joined together and the environmental risks of the materials used.
Economic analysis	We analyse the financial cost of manufacturing the product and its selling price. We study whether the materials and manufacturing procedures used are cheap or whether they make the product more expensive. We determine whether the selling price of the object is correct by comparing it to similar objects.
Social analysis	We study the object from the point of view of its social impact and analyse the human needs that it meets. We also evaluate its environmental impact and recyclability.
Aesthetic analysis	We evaluate how our senses react to the object, its appearance, whether it looks nice or not, whether we find it attractive, etc. This analysis is very important for some objects because the appearance of the product could motivate a potential buyer to purchase it.
Historical analysis	We evaluate the possible reasons why the object emerged and its historical development. We also analyse its possible future development.

WORKED EXAMPLE OF OBJECT ANALYSIS

Continuing with our masks example, let's analyse them from the following perspectives:

Morphological analysis	Functional analysis	Aesthetic analysis
Masks can come in many different shapes, depending on what they will be used for.	The mask is placed over the face, covering the nose and mouth, and is usually held in position with elastic cord that goes around the ears.	There are many different aesthetic options for masks. Each of the possible designs will influence the user's perception.

Economic analysis	Historical analysis
The retail price of each mask is around 60 cents. The production cost of each mask is around20 cents.	Masks have been compulsory in surgical operations since 1926 as a way to prevent doctors from passing infection on to patients.
Technical analysis	Social analysis
The materials used to make the main part of the mask are breathable, biocompatible, clean and safe fabrics, since they will be in direct contact with the skin. Elastic cords are used to ensure a proper fit on people's faces.	Masks are a much-needed solution to protect hospital patients. They create aseptic conditions for surgical operations and in contact between doctors and patients.

Basic knowledge: UNDERSTANDING

3. The project approach: design

Once we have done our analysis, and depending on the conditioning factors of each problem, we can propose different solutions.

We then need to select the best solution for our needs. We must be objective when we choose our solution by checking whether the product meets our requirements, whether it is easy to build and whether the materials that we need are affordable and easy to find.

Design

The design stage is especially important because this is when we define all the features of the solution: not only its form and appearance but also the cost of its production and the distribution of tasks to build it.

To complete this process, we need a series of technical documents. These are:

TECHNICAL DESIGN DOCUMENTS

Drawings

Drawings show how the object we are going to build will look. Usually, there will be one general drawing of the object and other drawings of its different parts or sections. Perspectives and views are often used and the necessary measurements and details are added to the drawings.

List of materials and tools

Once we have designed our solution, it is very important to list all the materials that we will need to build it. Take your time and plan properly. Sometimes a material we need may not be available and we have to order it. This can delay the construction of the prototype.

Your list of materials should not be a vague list; it should contain each element that we need and the correct amounts of each one. Instead of ordering “lamps”, we should order “three 3 V lamps”. If our list of materials is accurate, our planning will be more effective.

Budget

The budget is the document that we use to evaluate the financial cost of our solution. In the workshop, the materials that we use are not very expensive; however, in companies, the budget is crucial for deciding whether or not to build a prototype.

Spreadsheets are very useful for creating budgets. In them, we must include the real cost of all of the components and all applicable taxes.

When you create the budget for building your prototype, you will probably be surprised by the total cost.

WORKED EXAMPLE OF PRODUCT DESIGN

Continuing with our worked examples in this unit, design a mask that uses cost-effective materials to solve the problem.

Solution:

The mask will be made up of several layers of breathable material, preferably hydrophobic polypropylene, which does not cause skin irritation and repels moisture.
They will be rectangular in shape and have several 1 cm horizontal folds to create breathing space.
A piece of fabric will be stitched down the sides to finish the edge and prevent chafing from the seams of the main section.
An aluminium nose piece will be inserted into the nose area to improve the fit on the face.
It will have ties or pieces of elastic cord for adjusting the fit to the wearer's head.

Drawings

Source: UNE 0064-1 specification

List of materials and tools

1 m of hydrophobic polypropylene fabric
50 cm of elastic cord
15 cm of aluminium strip (1 cm wide)
Scissors
Sewing needle
Thread

Budget for one mask

MATERIAL	UNIT COST	TOTAL COST
1 m of hydrophobic polypropylene fabric	€0.50/m	€0.50
50 cm of elastic cord	€0.20/m	€0.10
15 cm of aluminium strip	€0.08/strip	€0.08
Total cost: €0.68

Basic knowledge: UNDERSTANDING

4. The project approach: build and evaluate

Building

The drawings, the list of materials and tools and the budget are all included in the initial planning for developing the prototype. Once we have all these, we can start the building activities.

We should monitor the construction process every day to stick to our deadlines and to detect any faults in the planning. We use a process sheet for this.

Process sheet

We use this document to record the progress of the stages of our work each day. We describe the completed tasks and the names of the people in charge of them (distribution of tasks), the difficulties we encountered and any changes or modifications that we had to make. We can also create a construction log.

As construction progresses, the changes that we make and our final product will be different from what we initially planned. Ideally, the differences will only be minor, in which case our initial design was correct.

Make sure you understand these words before moving on!

Drawing: document illustrating the visual appearance of the object that we are going to build.

Budget: document that we use to evaluate the financial cost of the solution intended to meet a need.

Process sheet: document that reflects the daily progress of the building process.

Report: document that includes all of the project documents.

Evaluation

Once we have built the prototype, we must test it to check that it satisfies the initial conditioning factors and that it works how we expected. We also evaluate the production process and the planning by reflecting on how we could improve the design and by gathering impressions from the potential users of the product. We put all of these evaluations in the project report.

Report

This document includes all of the above documents and the following:

Description of the prototype built
List of modifications made
Final drawing of the solution
Total cost of the project, with modifications, and the number of hours spent on it
(To create a budget that is as real as possible, ask your teacher what the cost of labour is. This value will be the cost of each hour spent on the project.)
Environmental impact of the solution created
(You will need to get used to assessing the environmental impact of your activities: whether the materials you used are recyclable, whether the solution is permanent or temporary, etc.)
Your own thoughts about how the work went

You can download the report template in your web space to use for the projects that you do in the workshop.

WORKED EXAMPLE OF THE BUILDING AND EVALUATION PROCESS

Describe the process used to construct the mask designed in the previous section. Indicate which tests you can run to evaluate the product.

Solution:

For our mask to perform its function and comply strictly with European Standard UNE 0064-1, its main fabric must consist of five layers.

Building process

Cut the five layers of fabric according to the drawings in the previous section
Cut the end pieces for the sides
Sew the top hem for inserting the metal strip
Sew the bottom hem
Attach the elastic cord to the sides to secure the mask to the face

Evaluation

The final measurements of the mask should be checked: they must be 9.5 cm high and 18 cm wide in order to fit an average-sized adult face.
Check that the elastic cords are securely attached to the main part of the mask.
Check that the metal nose strip is in position and will not bother the wearer.
On the subject of environmental impact, the fabric used to make the mask is mainly plastic, a non-biodegradable material that can lead to problems with waste generation.

Report

All the details of the mask construction process must be recorded in a single document that could be followed to reproduce the process.

Basic knowledge: UNDERSTANDING

5. Technological products. Sales cycle

In the workshop, the process of technology problem solving ends with the construction of the prototype. In real life, however, the product needs to reach the whole of society, so we must consider a few things:

Price

Price is a crucial element in the sale of a product. It is related to production costs but it is also part of the business strategy of the company.

Sometimes, a low price can encourage consumers to buy a product; for example, when a mobile network operator introduces a new tariff, its price will usually be very competitive. However, if the price is too low, we run the risk that potential customers could associate our product with poor quality; this happens when a new clothing brand is launched, for example.

Distribution

When a company distributes a product, it decides which channels it will use to reach the end-user. The most common distribution channels are:

Wholesale. The product is supplied to retailers and large consumers.
Retail sale. The product is supplied directly to the end-user.
Online sale. The product is distributed through websites, apps, etc.
Franchises. The product is sold through a network of stores owned by private individuals who adopt the product as their own. In this system, the distributor saves on costs because it does not need a store network to distribute the product.

Promotion

The most common types of promotion are advertising campaigns on television, in the newspapers and on digital media. These campaigns target potential consumers and show them the products in an attractive way so that they will want to buy them.

Staple products (for example, bread and milk) do not need any promotion. Their users need them and will buy them regardless of any promotional activity. The price of these products is generally stable.

Make sure you understand these words before moving on!

Distribution channel: any of the different channels that allow a product to reach the end user.

Wholesale: a type of sale where the product is supplied to retailers and large consumers.

Retail sale: a type of sale where the product is supplied directly to the end-user.

Staple product: any product that is necessary for the buyer, who will purchase it regardless of its price or any promotional activity.

Basic knowledge: UNDERSTANDING

6. Technological products. Sustainable technology

Very often, technology's answer to the problems of today's society does not require us to create a brand new product; instead, we can simply adapt an existing product to the new conditions. One example is the car, which has seen dramatic development over the last one hundred years. Among other things, engines have become more efficient and innovative devices have been added to improve safety (e.g. airbags, seat belts, LED headlights, fatigue sensors and cameras).

An innovation is a modification made to a product to adapt it to new conditions brought about by changes in requirements or progress.

Innovations have helped to improve many everyday products. However, this has also caused their rapid obsolescence.

When we use the word obsolescence we mean that some products have fallen into disuse because they do not have the functionality of the new technologies appearing on the market, due to a lack of spare parts for their repair, as a result of changing trends, etc.

For example, very few people use mobiles with a keypad nowadays; most people use a touchscreen phone or a smartphone.

Make sure you understand these words before moving on!

Innovation: upgrading of a product to improve it in some way or add new functionalities.

Obsolescence: when a product falls into disuse because it does not have the functionality of the new technologies emerging on the market.

What is planned obsolescence?

Most of the time, the reasons for product obsolescence are financial. To increase their profits, retailers expressly engineer their products so that they have to be renewed after a time, which allows them to obtain greater profits. This is called planned obsolescence: the products stop working after a time because they have been designed to stop working properly after that period. This type of behaviour is considered unethical and it can have the opposite effect to what the retailers expected: consumers may decide to purchase the products of a different brand instead.

The constant renewal of products to include innovations or because of obsolescence has a huge impact on society.

Positive influence of technological development in society

Technological products have contributed to the development of society in many ways: we can now be independent of weather conditions; we are able to settle in one place; all members of society can communicate with each other, and our life expectancy has increased considerably.

Negative influence of technological development in society

Technological development has increased the use of fossil fuels, which has caused the deterioration of our environment, traffic jams because of the overuse of vehicles, health problems related to our environment, etc. Product obsolescence generates a build-up of waste. This waste is not generally biodegradable and it is highly polluting.

Despite this pressure to renew our products frequently, we must be critical and act responsibly. We all play a part in keeping our living conditions sustainable.

Basic knowledge: COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES

COMPREHENSION activities

Technology problem solving

Write out the stages of the project approach and briefly explain what each one includes.

Design. We do drawings (sketches) and diagrams or plans of our chosen solution.

Check the results. At this stage, we check that the product works and that it does what we want it to do.

Detect the problem or need. What do we need? What problem do we have or what task have we been set? What conditions are there?

Write up the report. We draw up a report on the project that we carried out.

Search for possible solutions. We think of the different options. We study and assess each option to see if it is viable.

Build the product. This is the stage where we build, assemble and finish the parts and assemble the object.

Choose the solution. We choose the best solution based on the criteria that we set as priorities and after analysing the advantages and disadvantages of each solution.

Presentation and assessment. We present our work and have it assessed by people outside the group.

Prepare and plan the work. We choose the materials, techniques and tools that we are going to need. We split the work up into small tasks. We then share out the work and put the blocks of work in order.

Information and research. We collate, study and select information on the different ways that we could resolve the problem. We also study products that meet similar needs.

A.

Analyse

↓

B.

Design

↓

C.

Build

D.

Evaluate

↓

3 attempts

Using the project approach, find a way to store a set of electronic components needed to create a robot. Imagine that you are a group of four students and that you have four days to do it. Give details of all the required tasks.

Using the project approach, come up with a solution to organise computer cables better (mouse, printer, display, keyboard, etc.) to stop them from getting tangled up. Outline at least two ideas and select the one that you consider most suitable. Give reasons for your choice.

Using the project approach, find a solution for storing USB memories and carrying them around together easily.

Using the project approach, find a solution for protecting the screen of your smartphone in case it is dropped.

The wheel was an invention that changed society. Do a search for information about how it emerged and the consequences it had on the progress of society at the time. Summarise the information in fifteen lines.

The project approach: analyse

Compare the quill and the ballpoint pen (two objects designed for the same function) from every possible point of view.

Compare the traditional landline phone with the touchscreen phone, analysing them from the functional, economic and social points of view.

Name two objects that are used for the same function but are different from the economic and functional points of view.

Compare the axe and the chainsaw (two objects used to cut down trees) from all possible points of view.

Look at the images and answer these questions:

What are these objects?

They both perform the same function but they are very different. How do they differ from a technical point of view?

Do you think they are different from an economic point of view? Why?

Describe the pencil case that you take to class. Consider its aesthetic appearance (such as shape, texture, colour and size) and the technique that was used to make it.

Compare these objects (a traditional coffee grinder and an electric grinder) from all of the perspectives that we saw in this unit.

The project approach: design

Plan a schedule for revising for your exams. Imagine that you have 15 days to prepare for them and that you must revise four different subjects. Set the amount of time that you will allocate to each subject each day.

Let's imagine that your classroom is too hot. So, to solve the problem, your Technology teacher asks you to design a fan using materials found in the workshop. List the materials that you would need to build the solution.

List the tools that you would need to build the fan from the previous exercise.

Draw up a budget of what a family of five spends on bread and milk each month, bearing in mind that:

One litre of milk can fill four medium-sized glasses for breakfast.
The family drinks milk for breakfast every day.
The family eats two loaves of bread each day.
The average price of a litre of milk is €0.85.
The average price of a loaf of bread is €0.35.

Calculate the total cost of milk and bread separately. Lastly, calculate the total cost of milk and bread for the month.

The project approach: build and evaluate

What is the process sheet?

Why is it important to monitor the construction process on a daily basis?

Imagine that you are building a pencil holder from wood in the workshop. Indicate which tests you would run to check that it fulfils its intended function.

What is the purpose of writing up the report on a technical project?

Indicate which documents we should include in the project report.

Why do you think it is useful to perform an environmental impact assessment when we build a product?

Technological products. Sales cycle

Describe each of the business distribution channels covered in this unit.

Name an object that you bought because of a promotional campaign. What made you buy it?

Name an object that you bought without a promotion.

Search for information about franchises and write down the name of two examples. What products do they sell? What cities are they located in?

Name three products that are only sold wholesale. How are they distributed to retail shops?

Write down five products that are considered staple products. Why do you think this is?

Technological products. Sustainable technology

List three objects that you bought because of perceived obsolescence. What made you buy them?

List three products that you have purchased because of obsolescence. In each case, indicate what type of obsolescence made you buy the product (technological, trends, lack of spare parts, etc.).

Think of five technological objects that you use before coming to class every morning and write them down. Indicate whether they are inventions or innovations.

Research who invented each of the objects from the previous exercise and when.

Do an online search for information about the average useful life of these appliances: washing machine, microwave, television and computer. Why do you think we replace some of these before others?

Think of five improvements that have been made to the following objects since their invention: telephone, car and radio.

Fair trade. Very often, the distribution of products around the world has created growing inequalities between the First World and developing countries. It is, therefore, important to know what fair trade is. To find it out, go to http://comerciojusto.org. Then, in a word processor, create a new blank document and write a short summary that answers these questions:

What is the Coordinadora Estatal de Comercio Justo?

What is fair trade?

How do we know if a product has been fairly traded?

Save the file with the name Unit01_A38_namesurname

1 attempt

Do an online search for information about these inventions that were discovered by accident: Plasticine, Teflon and saccharin. Then, in a word processor, create a new blank document and write a short summary of how these three things were discovered and what the inventor was looking for. Save the file with the name Unit01_A39_namesurname.

1 attempt

Another great unintentional discovery was penicillin, an antibiotic that is used all over the world. Do an online search for the following information and type it out in a text document:

How was penicillin discovered?

Who discovered it? In what year?

Did the discoverer patent the discovery of penicillin?

Save the file with the name Unit01_A40_namesurname.

1 attempt

Some people need corrective lenses because they have vision problems. Like so many other things, vision correction has been greatly improved by technological advances. For example, the materials used in glasses have been improved (they are now lighter, more easily tinted and hard-wearing). Indicate four more improvements.

Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

LEARNING in the workshop

Practical 1. Timeline. Inventions of humanity

Materials

A cardboard folder
Scraps of card
Clear plastic folder pockets
Coloured paper

Required time: 50 minutes

Objectives

To learn about the main inventions of humanity
To learn about our options for presenting
information visually
To develop creativity and aesthetic taste

The challenge

We propose that you create a timeline indicating the most representative inventions of the different periods of human history.

Step-by-step construction

The first thing that you will need is a folder made from card.
Open out the folder and make accordion folds in it. You should end up with six equal sections.
Reserve the first section for the front cover. Decorate it and include the title of the timeline. You can use coloured paper or washi tape for decorating.

In each of the sections that you divided the folder into, include information about a representative invention of each historical period. Here are some ideas:

Prehistory: wheel, agriculture, cattle farming
Ancient times: writing
Middle Ages: printing

Modern era: glasses, caravel
Contemporary age: Internet, aeroplane, rocket, plastic

Search for information about the different inventions: when they were invented, their inventors (if known), how they evolved, etc.
Present the information about each invention in a creative way. You could do this by using:

Information cards made from coloured paper or card scraps
Envelopes to hold the information cards that you make (you can use coloured paper and paste them into the space provided)
Mini-books with inventor biographies or curiosities about each invention (you can use card scraps to make these)

CHALLENGE

Using the card structure that we have proposed, make a portfolio to promote an imaginary product. Include information on how it is used and its purpose, retail price, discount vouchers, samples... and any other sales activity that you think could help to promote it.

WORK IT OUT

What part of the process did you find the most complicated? Explain your answer.
What new techniques did you learn in this practical?

Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

Practical 2. School catapult

Materials and tools

School supplies that we usually have in our pencil cases

Required time: 50 minutes

Objectives

To analyse, design, test and build a solution to the proposed problem

The challenge

Build a catapult using only the school supplies usually found in a pencil case (pencil sharpeners, erasers, paper clips, etc.). The object launched by your catapult must cover a minimum distance of 20 cm.

Step-by-step construction

Catapults were weapons widely used during military sieges in the Middle Ages. They were used to launch objects as projectiles over large distances.

To begin, you must determine all the constraints of the problem. You will probably have questions before you start building. Ask your teacher exactly how the catapult should be. For example:

a) Can I use any of the tools in my pencil case (such as a small ruler)?

b) Can I use a hot melt glue gun to hold certain parts of my catapult together, or can I only use erasers and paper clips?

c) Should the catapult have certain minimum dimensions?

For the best solution, do an online search for information about catapults or have a browse in your workshop library. Complete the object analysis form contained in Unit 1 of your web space if you need to.
Once you are clear on all the requirements, plan the construction process:

a) Draw sketches and drawings of your solution.

b) Make a list of the materials that you will use and the tools that you will need.

c) Build your solution.

Lastly, evaluate your solution: does it meet the starting conditions?
Now try out your catapult! Launch a projectile with it and see how far it goes. But be careful! Do not launch projectiles that could injure your classmates. We are not playing games.

The images below show some home-made catapults that could inspire some ideas of your own:


www.guiademanualidades.com	www.ikkaro.com	www.triplezona.com	www.tuteate.com

CHALLENGE

Build a crossbow (another siege weapon from the Middle Ages) from recycled materials.

WORK IT OUT

Create a text document to determine the environmental impact of the materials that you have used.
Write a mini-report on the process that you followed and include all of the documents produced during this practical.

Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

DIGITAL learning

Practical 1. Searching for information. Internet

From time to time, when we need to research the solution to a problem, we have to do an online search. However, when we type a certain word into a search engine, it sometimes returns thousands or even millions of hits. To find what we want more easily, we must be more selective in our searching.

Our first suggestion for you is to enter a string of words instead of just one word. This will make your search more specific. In this practical, we will search for information about promoting products.

Go to www.google.es.
Type the word “promotion” and press Intro. You will see billions of results listed.
Now click on Settings on the toolbar (Figure 1) and select Advanced search. A new window will open. In the all these words box, type “product promotion” (without quotation marks). Then, in language, select English; and, in terms appearing, select in the title of the page (Figure 2).
Click on Advanced Search. Now your search has been reduced to about 100,000 results.
Choose https://businessjargons.com/product-promotion.html.
With pages like this one that have a lot of text, when we want to find a specific word or phrase we can do a text search on the page.
Open the search box by pressing the key combination Ctrl + F.
A small text box will appear where we can enter the text we want to search for. Type “mix” and press Intro (Figure 4). On the screen, you will see the place where the word mix appears for the first time. You will also see that the word is highlighted every time it appears in the text.
You can scroll to the next time that the word appears by clicking on the Next button.
In your notebook, write down how many times the words mix, promotion and advertising appear.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

CHALLENGE

Do a search for Spanish inventors and then refine it using the advanced search. These suggestions may help you:
- Search for exact expressions, delete words that do not contribute anything and check your spelling. Be careful to use the correct letter case: online searches are case-sensitive.
- Check the reliability of your source. Do not believe everything that you see on the Internet. There is a lot of inaccurate information out there.

Paste the search results in a text document and save it with the name Unit01_P1_namesurname_challenge1.

Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

Practical 2. Planning. Gantt charts

In this practical, we will use Gantt charts to improve our project planning. Gantt charts illustrate a schedule that shows us which tasks we need to perform and the person responsible for each one.

Open a browser and go to www.gantter.com. Click on Start your free trial. Go to Gantter Cloud and choose Start free trial. Register to create your account.
After you have identified yourself, a new screen will appear. Click on the initial of your name in the top right-hand corner and choose Configuración de cuenta to select English as the program language. Click on the + sign that appears to create a new project and select Blank Template (Figure 5).
Enter Unit01_P2_namesurname as the project name. There are five tabs on the left: Tasks, Resources, Calendars, Risks and Visualization (Figure 6).
Now enter the name of each task (see Figure 7).
Move the calendar part on the right so that you can see the Duration, Start and Finish sections.
In the Duration section, enter the days that will be spent on each task (use Figure 7 for this). Notice how the start and finish dates are updated.
In the Resources tab, type the names of the members of the group, as shown in Figure 8.
In the Tasks tab, position the cursor on the first task and click on the properties icon of the toolbar (Task Properties, Figure 9). A tab will appear for each task. In the Resources tab, select the members of the group who will do this task. In the Colors tab, assign a colour to the task for the diagram. Then click on Save. Follow the same steps for all the required tasks.
Now let's relate the tasks to one another, indicating that each one will begin when the previous task has been completed. To do this, position the cursor on the second task and click on the Task Properties icon. In the window that appears, select the Predecessors tab. Check task 1 and then, in Dependency, choose Finish-to-Start (Figure 10). Click on Save. This tells the program to start task 2 when task 1 is finished. Follow the same steps for the other tasks, linking task 3 to task 2, task 4 to task 3, and so on.
Lastly, go to the Calendars tab and click on the calendar called Standard. Click on the properties icon of the toolbar (Calendar Properties). Edit the name of the calendar and name it My project calendar. Click on the date 25/12/2025 and select Clear. When you do this, the program will consider this day a public holiday and your planning will take it into account. Click on Save.
In the Tasks tab, go to the toolbar and click on the Print icon. A PDF document will be created that you can save in your folder. Save it on your computer with the name Unit01_P2_namesurname.pdf.
The final chart should look like the one in Figure 11:

Fig. 11

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

Practical 3. Starting with spreadsheets

A spreadsheet is a computer application used to perform mathematical operations, work with numerical data, perform complex calculations with formulae and functions, and create graphs. In this topic, we will use two spreadsheets: Microsoft Office Excel and LibreOffice Calc.

Exercise 1. Entering data and moving around worksheets

Open file Unit01_P3_Budget.xlsx or Unit01_P3_Budget.ods in Unit 1 of your web space, depending on whether you are doing the practical in Excel or Calc, respectively. The instructions can be used for either spreadsheet in all the practicals.
In cell A1, type the title “Budget” (Figure 13). To do this, either double-click on the cell or click on it once and write in the formula bar.
We are going to use the keyboard to move around the worksheet. To do this, activate the cell that you typed in (A1) by clicking on it. Move one cell down by pressing the appropriate arrow key; then move to the right, up and to the left.
Now move one cell down using the Intro key.
Move one cell back to the right, this time using the Tab key.
Press Ctrl + Inicio to move to the start of the worksheet and then Ctrl + Fin to move to the last cell used in the sheet.
Press Ctrl + arrow up, down, left and right from the different cells. You should end up at row 1,048,576 and column XFD. Then go back to the start of the worksheet.

Exercise 2. Formatting. Using Alt + Intro or Ctrl + Intro

Type the text “Electronic Project” in cell B1.
Set the column width to fit the entire text in the cell. To do this, position the pointer right on the line between the column headings (Figure 14) and double-click when the pointer changes (you can also click and drag it to where you want it to end). Another way to do this is to select the entire column, right-click and choose the option for optimising the column width.
Another way to make the text fit is to add a line break. To do this, select cell B1 and double-click just before the word Electronic (simply click in the formula bar). When you press Alt + Intro (in Excel) or Ctrl + Intro (in Calc), it should look like Figure 13 (with spreadsheets, if you only press Intro, the application understands that you are entering data, not adding a line break).
Let's format the worksheet. Select the entire budget, right-click on the selected area and choose the Formato de celdas option (in Excel) or the Formatear celdas option (in Calc).
In Fuente, apply the Verdana font, Normal style and size 11 to the entire table. Apply the required borde (border), color de fondo (fill colour) and color de fuente (font colour). Your worksheet should look like the one in Figure 15.
To give your worksheets a neat look, you may need to group several cells into one. The Combinar celdas (merge cells) option is used for this; the opposite process is the Dividir celdas (split cells) option. Select cells C3 and C4 and click on the button on the toolbar to merge them. You will see that you cannot merge two cells if they both contain text so cut the text from C4 and paste it into C3. Now try to merge them. Then merge cells D3 and D4, E3 and E4, F3 and F4, and G3 and G4.

Exercise 3. Conditional formatting

We are going to apply some conditional formatting (formato condicional) to make the price in column G appear in red if it is more than €5.
To apply conditional formatting in Calc, the Cálculo automático function must be enabled. You can find it under Datos / Calcular / Cálculo automático.
The next step is to create the style of the format that we want to apply. To do this, go to an empty cell, right-click and choose Formatear celdas. In the Efectos de fuente tab, select red as the font colour and click on Aceptar.
In the Formato menu, click on the Estilo y formato option. Click on the Nuevo estilo a partir de selección icon (Figure 16). Type the name of the new style: “More than 5”.
Select column G and choose Formato condicional in the Formato menu. In Condición 1, select El valor de la celda, mayor que and 5 (Figure 17); and in Estilo de celda select Mayor que 5 (this is the one you created in the previous step). Click on Aceptar. All the values greater than 5 should now be shown in red.

Exercise 4. Inserting worksheets. The fill handle

Insert another worksheet by right-clicking on the name of the worksheet (Figure 18). Select the Insertar hoja option; in the pop-up window, choose Detrás de la hoja actual and write “Fill Handle” in Nombre.
In this new worksheet, we are going to use a tool for completing series, called the fill handle. Type the word enero in a cell and position the pointer on the bottom right-hand corner of the cell, on the fill handle, until it changes into a cross.
Click and drag down until all the months of the year appear.
Now let's enter some more data series. For some, you will find that you must enter two values, instead of just one, to complete them. Try it out with the following series of data:

Natural numbers (1, 2, 3...)
Even numbers (Figure 19)
Odd numbers
Days of the week
Student 1, Student 2, Student 3...

Save the workbook with the name Unit01_P3_namesurname.

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Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

Practical 4. Spreadsheets. Entering operations. Errors

Exercise 1. Using the spreadsheet as a calculator

We are going to familiarise ourselves with formulas by entering them and using the spreadsheet as a calculator. We need to consider the precedence of the operators in mathematical expressions: the powers are calculated first, followed by multiplication and division, and, finally, addition and subtraction. To change this precedence, we need to use parentheses.

Open a new spreadsheet. We want to perform the following mathematical operation in cell C3: 25 + 15 × 32. To do this, select cell C3 and type the following expression: =25+15*3^2 (enter the ^ symbol by holding down Shift and the key that it appears on, although it will not be displayed on your screen until you type the next character, 2 in this case).
Press Intro and check that the result is 160.
Select cell C3 by clicking on it. You should see that the value in the cell has changed to 160 and the mathematical expression is shown in the formula bar.
Double-click on cell C3. Now the cell shows the mathematical expression instead of the result.
Look at the order of precedence used in the operations: first came the power, followed by multiplication and, finally, the sum.
In cell D3, do the operation (25 + 15 × 3)2 and check that the result is 4,900.
Select cell E3 and enter the expression =(5^2+4^6)/(27-3).
Copy this expression to cell F3 but delete the brackets. What result did you get? Find out what operation the program performed by studying the order of precedence.
Select cell F3 by right-clicking on it. In the context menu, choose Formato de celdas. In the Número tab, select the Número category and, in Posiciones decimales, choose 3 (Figure 20). Click on Aceptar and see how the result changes.

Fig. 20

Fig. 21. Errors in Calc

Exercise 2. Errors when entering formulas

Spreadsheets warn us when we make a mistake entering data or if we try to do an operation that is not allowed by the program. In Calc, the error messages are codes that we can look up (Figure 21). In Excel, the error messages look like the ones in Figure 22.

Go to another worksheet in the workbook, enter a formula where you divide by zero and see what error appears.
Save the workbook with the name Unit01_P4_namesurname.

Fig. 22. Errors in Excel

Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

Practical 5. Spreadsheets. Report documents

We are going to create a workbook with three worksheets. In each worksheet, we will create the documents we need to include in our Technology project reports: a budget, a process sheet and a task distribution sheet.

Open a new workbook. Right-click on the Hoja 1 tab, choose the Cambiar nombre option and name it “Budget”. Repeat these steps with the next two worksheets, calling them “Process sheet” and “Task distribution”, respectively.

Budget

Go back to the Budget sheet by clicking on its tab.
In cell A1, enter the text “Component” and then the rest of the data in Figure 23, except for the data in the Cost column, which we will enter as formulas later. To create the Total, 21% VAT and Total cost cells, use the Combinar celdas option.

Fig. 23. Budget

In cell D2, enter the formula =B2*C2 and press Intro.
Select cell D2, click on its fill handle and drag it to cell D3 to autocomplete it.
In cell D4, enter the formula =D2+D3 and press Intro.
In cell D5, enter the formula =0,21*D4 and press Intro.
In cell D6, enter the formula =D4+D5 and press Intro.
Select the range D2:D6. Right-click, select Formato de celdas (in Excel) or Formatear celdas (in Calc) and, in the Número tab, choose the Moneda option. Click on Aceptar to display the value in euros.
Set the font colour, background colour and borders to create a budget like the one in Figure 23.
Run the spellchecker on the worksheet.

Process sheet

Go to the Process sheet worksheet by clicking on its tab.
Enter the data in Figure 24. You need to insert the image Unit01_P5_Drawing.jpg from your web space in the Drawing column. To do this, go to Insertar / Imagen / Desde archivo and select the image.

Fig. 24. Process sheet

Set the font colour, background colour and borders to create a process sheet like the one in Figure 24.
Run the spellchecker on the worksheet.

Task distribution

Go to the Task distribution worksheet by clicking on this tab.
Enter the data in Figure 25. Set the font colour, background colour and borders to create a task distribution sheet like the one in the figure.

Fig. 25. Task distribution

Run the spellchecker on the worksheet.
Save the workbook with the name Unit01_P5_namesurname.

Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

Practical 6. Spreadsheets. Printing documents

We are going to learn how to print out documents so that you can have a paper copy of your report documents, for example. We will also look at the option of exporting them to PDF.
Before we can print or export the worksheet to PDF, we need to define and configure a print area.

In Excel

Open the workbook Unit01_P5_namesurname.xlsx. In the first worksheet, select the range of cells to create the budget.
Go to the Diseño de página tab, Configurar página group, Área de impresión option, and select Establecer área de impresión. The selection will be split into different pages, which is how it will be printed.
To print the worksheet horizontally, choose the Orientación option from the same group and select Horizontal.
In Archivo / Imprimir, select the Imprimir selección option from the first drop-down menu in Configuración. We can also choose the printer we want to print the selection in this window. You do not need to print it on paper at this time. Find the Adobe PDF option. This way, we keep it in digital format.
To export a spreadsheet as a PDF, go to Archivo / Exportar and choose Crear un documento PDF/XPS.

Fig. 26. Printing (in Excel)

In Calc

Open the workbook Unit01_P5_namesurname.ods. In the first worksheet, select the range of cells to create the budget.
Select the Previsualización del salto de página option in the Ver menu to see the selection divided into sheets as they are going to be printed.
To print the worksheet horizontally, go to Archivo / Configuración de la impresora / Propiedades and find the Horizontal option or similar (it depends on the printer you have installed).
In Archivo / Imprimir, check the Celdas seleccionadas option in Imprimir. We can also choose the printer we want to print the selection in this window. You do not need to print it on paper at this time.
To export a spreadsheet as a PDF, go to Archivo / Exportar a PDF. You can also click on the relevant button in the menu. This option is not available in other spreadsheets.

Fig. 27. Printing (in Calc)

Fig. 28. Printing (in Calc)

Basic knowledge: SKILLS AND ATTITUDES

Practical 7. Spreadsheets. Functions and charts

Exercise 1. Learning how to use functions

Functions are built-in formulas in spreadsheets designed to make tasks easier for the user.

Open a new workbook.
Use the fill handle to enter the current values shown in Figure 29 in the correct cells.

Fig. 29

We are going to use the equation V = R × I, by entering it in the worksheet as a function. To do this, select cell C2 and select Función from the Insertar menu.
In Categoría, select Matemáticas. In Función, choose PRODUCTO. Click on Siguiente.
In Número 1 enter the value 2. In Número 2 enter B2. Click on Aceptar.

Fig. 30

Use the fill handle to complete the column.
Now we are going to repeat these steps for a resistor of 3 Ω.
Type 3 in cell D2.

Fig. 31

Repeat the steps to insert a function in cell E2, but this time enter $D$2 in Número 1 and B2 in Número 2. Click on Aceptar.
Use the fill handle to complete the column E. You will notice that we made an absolute reference to cell D2 so this value remains constant when we use the fill handle.
Save the workbook with the name Unit01_P7_namesurname.

Exercise 2. Viewing formulas

This tool lets us see the formulas entered in a workbook. It is very useful for correcting errors and checking formulas.

In Excel

In the workbook Unit01_P7_namesurname.xlsx, go to the Fórmulas tab, Auditoría de fórmulas group, and select the Mostrar fórmulas option. Instead of the calculated values, you will see the formulas that were entered.

Fig. 32. Viewing formulas (in Excel)

In Calc

In the workbook Unit01_P7_namesurname.ods, go to Herramientas / Opciones. In the LibreOffice Calc menu, select Ver and, in the Mostrar option, enable the Fórmulas cell. Instead of the calculated values, you will see the formulas that were entered.

Fig. 33. Viewing formulas (in Calc)

Go to your web area and do the following activities.

Technology problem solving test

Open exercise Unit01 01 Unit test and test your knowledge.

Unit vocabulary

Open exercise Unit01 02 Vocabulary and match each keyword to the correct definition.

Outline of contents

Open exercise Unit01 03 Outline of contents and complete the outline of the unit contents with the suggested words.

4 True or false?

Open exercise Unit01 04 True or false? and indicate whether the statements are true or false.

5 Project report

Open exercise Unit01 05 Project report and match up the name of each document in the project report with its explanation.

6 Object analysis

Open exercise Unit01 06 Object analysis and match up each type of object analysis with its definition.

THE TECHNOLOGIST’S corner

Creating an e-book with Sway

You must have permission from your parents or legal guardians to do this practical.

Sway is a Microsoft Office application that is free of charge to anyone with a Microsoft account (this can be a Microsoft 365 subscription or a Hotmail or Outlook e-mail account). If you need to, you can create an account at www.outlook.com.

In this activity, we will create a book about the American inventor and engineer Bucky Fuller.

Go to sway.office.com and sign in with your Microsoft account. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and change the language to English (United Kingdom).
Click on Create New to start creating your book.
Write the title “Bucky Fuller: Designer, Engineer and Inventor” (Figure 34).

Fig. 34

Click on Background (to the left of the title that you have typed) to view a series of images suggested by the application. Choose one and drag it to the Background space. Most of Sway images are licensed under Creative Commons.
In the top toolbar, click on the Play icon to see how your digital book is looking (Figure 35). Then click on Edit to continue editing the book (Figure 36).

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Now click on the + sign below the title box and choose Text (Figure 37) to insert text about the engineer Bucky Fuller. In the text space, copy some of this American inventor's famous phrases (scan the code in the margin for the most well-known ones).
You can modify the formatting in these phrases or add bullets using the toolbar options in the text box.

Fig. 37

Now click on the + sign below the text box and choose Stack. Click on Add Content and then on Image. In the box that appears, drag four images other than the ones suggested by the application. We can store images here and Sway will display them creatively in the book.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/44478.R_Buckminster_Fuller

Click on Play. In the top toolbar, click on Settings (the gear icon) and choose the Scrolls horizontally design (Figure 38). Check out your book and see how the images are displayed by clicking on the first one.

Fig. 38

Click on Share (in the top toolbar) and copy the link for your book. Paste the link in a text document and save the file with the name Unit01_namesurname_corner.

Basic knowledge: UNDERSTANDING

UNIT summary

1. Technology problem solving

Technology meets the needs of society with a combination of scientific knowledge and technical knowledge to produce new products or improve existing ones.

2. Creation of a product

This requires us to follow an orderly working method based on four main ideas: analyse, design, build and evaluate. This method is called the project approach.
Very often, when we analyse a problem and its possible solutions, we need to evaluate similar technological products. Object analysis is done from different perspectives: morphological, functional, technical, economic, social, aesthetic and historical.
When we design, build and evaluate our proposed solution, we create documents that allow us to adapt the construction process to the required planning and re-adapt our solution giving consideration to deviations. The documents that we produce as we build the product form the project report.

3. Product sales cycle

For our products to reach society, we must consider certain things:

Technological products can be inventions or innovations.
When we use the word obsolescence we mean that some products have fallen into disuse because they do not have the functionality of the new technologies appearing on the market, due to a lack of spare parts for their repair, as a result of changing trends, etc.
Every technological product that is created has an influence on society. This influence is positive in some respects and negative in others. We must be aware of this influence and consider the footprint that excessive consumerism can leave on the environment and our living conditions.

Basic knowledge: SELF-ASSESSMENT

SELF-ASSESSMENT

Do the following exercises in your notebook.
Check the answers at the end of the book to see how well you have understood the topic.

1. Create a table like the one below and complete it by putting each of the operations of the project approach in the correct column:

Analyse

Design

Build

Evaluate

3 attempts

2. Indicate the type of analysis to which each of these definitions refers:

We analyse the financial cost of manufacturing the product and its selling price.

We evaluate how our senses react to the object.

We study how the object works, its utility, how it is used and the potential risks of its use.

We evaluate the possible reasons why the object emerged and its historical development.

We study the object from the point of view of its social impact and analyse the human needs that it
meets.

3 attempts

3. Complete the sentences:

show how the object we are going to build will look. Perspectives and views are often used and the
necessary measurements and details are added.
The is the document that we use to evaluate the financial cost of our solution.
The drawings, the list of and tools and the budget are all included in the initial planning for developing
the prototype.
We use the to record the progress of the stages of our work each day. We describe the completed
tasks and the names of the people in charge of them.
The is a document that incorporates all the documents of the production process and an assessment
of the environmental impact of the solution created and our own thoughts.

3 attempts

4. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false. If they are false, correct them:

1 attempt

5. Match each of the definitions in the first column to the sales channel to which it refers:

Wholesale
Retail sale
Online sale
Franchises

The product is sold through a network of stores owned by private individuals who adopt the product as their own.
The product is supplied directly to the end-user.
The product is supplied to retailers and large consumers.
The product is distributed through websites, apps, etc.

TIME	ACTIONS	OBJECTS USED
Morning, at home
Morning, in class
Lunchtime
Afternoon
Evening

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TPR3ESO Unidad1

1 Technology problem solving

Do you see how useful the project approach is for technologists? Are you aware of the sales cycle of technology products?

2. The project approach: analyse

Definition of the problem

Search for information. Product analysis. Possible solutions

3. The project approach: design

Design

Source: UNE 0064-1 specification

4. The project approach: build and evaluate

Building

Evaluation

5. Technological products. Sales cycle

6. Technological products. Sustainable technology

COMPREHENSION activities

Technology problem solving

The project approach: analyse

The project approach: design

The project approach: build and evaluate

Technological products. Sales cycle

Technological products. Sustainable technology

LEARNING in the workshop

The challenge

Step-by-step construction

The challenge

Step-by-step construction

DIGITAL learning

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Exercise 1. Entering data and moving around worksheets

Exercise 2. Formatting. Using Alt + Intro or Ctrl + Intro

Exercise 3. Conditional formatting

Exercise 4. Inserting worksheets. The fill handle

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Exercise 1. Using the spreadsheet as a calculator

Fig. 20

Fig. 21. Errors in Calc

Exercise 2. Errors when entering formulas

Fig. 22. Errors in Excel

Budget

Fig. 23. Budget

Process sheet

Fig. 24. Process sheet

Task distribution

Fig. 25. Task distribution

Fig. 26. Printing (in Excel)

Fig. 27. Printing (in Calc)

Fig. 28. Printing (in Calc)

Exercise 1. Learning how to use functions

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Exercise 2. Viewing formulas

Fig. 32. Viewing formulas (in Excel)

Fig. 33. Viewing formulas (in Calc)

Go to your web area and do the following activities.

THE TECHNOLOGIST’S corner

Creating an e-book with Sway

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