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MYP Guides/Design/Criterion B
MYP DESIGN · OUT OF 8

MYP Design Criterion B: Developing ideas

Criterion B turns research into a design. You set measurable success criteria, generate genuinely different ideas, choose one with reasons, and draw it accurately enough for someone to build.

WHAT THE STRANDS ASK

B.i
Develop a design specification

Measurable success criteria that someone could test the solution against.

B.ii
Develop feasible design ideas

Several different ideas, drawn or described so a stranger understands them.

B.iii
Present and justify the chosen design

You choose one idea and justify it against the specification.

B.iv
Develop accurate planning drawings

Labelled, accurate drawings plus what is needed to make it.

WHAT EACH SCORE LEVEL TENDS TO LOOK LIKE

1-2
LIMITED

A little of the criterion is addressed. Ideas are basic, partly missing, or not linked to the task.

3-4
ADEQUATE

The main points are there but thin. Some explanations are correct; links to the task or evidence are incomplete.

5-6
SUBSTANTIAL

Mostly accurate, well explained and consistently tied to the task, with only small gaps.

7-8
EXCELLENT

Detailed, precise and justified throughout, with ideas connected and applied to new situations or evidence.

A plain-language guide only. Your teacher marks against the official IB level descriptors.

HOW TO SCORE HIGHER

  • Write specification points you can test: Text at least 18 pt, not Easy to read.
  • Generate ideas that differ in approach, not the same idea in different colours.
  • Justify your choice by scoring ideas against the specification.
  • Label planning drawings with sizes, materials and views, and list what you will need to make it.

COMMON MISTAKES

  • Specification points that cannot be tested.
  • Three ideas that are all minor variations of one.
  • Choosing a design because I like it with no reference to the specification.

WORKED EXAMPLE: WEAK VERSUS STRONG

Improve this specification point: The app should be easy to use.

WEAK

The app should be easy to use.

STRONG

A first-time user can set a daily reminder in under 60 seconds without help, and all text is at least 18 pt with a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.

WHY THE STRONG ANSWER WORKS
  • It is measurable (time, size, contrast).
  • It can be tested with a real user.
  • It links directly to the client’s needs.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is MYP Design Criterion B?⌄

Criterion B is Developing ideas. It is marked out of 8 across 4 strands (B.i, B.ii, B.iii, B.iv). Criterion B turns research into a design. You set measurable success criteria, generate genuinely different ideas, choose one with reasons, and draw it accurately enough for someone to build.

How do I score highly in MYP Design Criterion B?⌄

Write specification points you can test: Text at least 18 pt, not Easy to read. Generate ideas that differ in approach, not the same idea in different colours. Justify your choice by scoring ideas against the specification.

What are common mistakes in MYP Design Criterion B?⌄

Specification points that cannot be tested. Three ideas that are all minor variations of one. Choosing a design because I like it with no reference to the specification.

Practise Criterion B for real
Past papers and live classes on CritABCD, marked against the A–D criteria.
Open the Design module →

Written by CritABCD for study and revision, in our own words. The official MYP Design guide and assessment criteria are published by the International Baccalaureate. Official IB guide ↗