Summary recommendations

  1. Update national specifications

    • Include explicit assessment objectives for digital design, user-centred processes, accessibility, and interaction principles.
    • Allow project briefs that require UX research, prototyping, and usability testing.

  2. Broaden endorsed coursework types

    • Permit portfolios with wireframes, user journeys, interactive prototypes (e.g., Figma/Adobe XD), and annotated usability findings alongside visual design work.
    • Require evidence of iterative design (research → prototype → test → refine).

  3. Revise practical assessment & criteria

    • Introduce criteria for usability, information hierarchy, accessibility (WCAG basics), responsive layout, and interaction design in mark schemes.
    • Include live or recorded prototype demonstrations and reflective evaluations of user feedback.

  4. Teacher training & resources

    • Fund CPD for teachers in graphic/UX software, user research methods, and accessibility standards.
    • Provide exemplar briefs, marking exemplars, and centralized resource banks (templates, sample user-testing plans).

  5. Industry and HE collaboration

    • Partner with design agencies and universities for guest briefs, externships, moderation advice, and up‑to‑date skills mapping.
    • Create employer-led project briefs to reflect real-world UX workflows.

  6. Assessment delivery changes

    • Allow digital submission formats and platform-agnostic evidence (screen recordings, clickable prototypes, annotated PDFs).
    • Introduce a timed design task or controlled assessment that tests practical UX problem solving.

  7. Equity and inclusion

    • Ensure schools have access to devices and software (open-source options encouraged) and provide alternative assessment routes where resources are limited.

Key starting actions for policymakers

  • Ofqual/DFE to revise subject criteria to name UX/graphic design competencies.
  • Exam boards to publish guidance and exemplar assessment criteria within one curriculum review cycle.

References

  • Ofqual subject content guidance (apply to Art & Design updates).
  • WCAG overview for accessibility basics (W3C).
  • Design Council, Double Diamond model (user‑centred design process).
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