The Power of Ideation: Unlocking Criterion B in MYP Design

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Once an MYP Design student has a clearly defined problem and a watertight design specification, it is time to move into the second phase of the MYP design cycle: Criterion B: Developing Ideas (Miller, 2019). This stage is often the most exciting for creative thinkers, but it requires a careful balance of imaginative brainstorming and analytical justification. The goal of Criterion B is to push past obvious answers and explore a diverse spectrum of feasible solutions.

A Structured Approach to Developing Ideas

The IB MYP framework requires strict documentation during the ideation phase to show a clear evolution of thought. Students must hit several key benchmarks:

  • Generating a Range of Feasible Designs: Students must brainstorm multiple, distinctly different design concepts. It is not enough to present one idea with minor variations; the designs should explore different materials, layouts, technologies, or forms.

  • Detailed Annotations and Drawings: Each design concept must be communicated clearly through detailed drawings, orthographic projections, or digital wireframes. These visual representations must include detailed annotations explaining how the parts function and interact.

  • Justification Against the Specification: Students cannot choose a final design simply because it is their favorite. They must objectively evaluate every concept against the criteria established in their Criterion A design specification, scoring each idea to see which one genuinely solves the user's problem.

  • Developing Planning Drawings: Once a final concept is chosen, the student creates highly detailed technical drawings or production blueprints. This document serves as the absolute guide for the physical or digital manufacturing process.

Developing Analytical ATL Skills

Criterion B bridges the gap between abstract research and concrete creation. Through this structured ideation process, students actively develop their Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills—particularly creative and critical thinking. They learn to accept that their first idea is rarely their best idea. By rigorously testing their concepts against a formal design specification before touching any manufacturing tools, students save time and ensure their final design direction is both highly innovative and structurally viable.

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