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Product Design Discussion Qs. - Coggle Diagram
Product Design Discussion Qs.
Anthropometric data
For
Covers range of human sizes, allowing designer to target a range of users or specific users
Helps improve user comfort and ease of use
Provides information about sizes of human measurements, supporting development of design solutions/products
Ensures solutions fulfil user needs so they will be saleable
If not used...
Products may not be suitable for users they are designed for, meaning product may not sell/may be returned
Examples
Interface between humans and systems they interact with, e.g. button
Products carried by particular parts of body, e.g a shoulder bag
Garments covering body, allowing for movement, e.g. trousers
E.g. a glove that does not fit will be returned and uncomfortable, or a keyboard with too small buttons may be inaccurate and difficult to use
EVALUATE EACH PRODUCT
New and emerging technologies
Examples
Nano technologies - medicines
Stem cells - genetics
Fuel cell technology - electric vehicles
Artificial intelligence - robots, Alexa, etc.
Quantum tunneling composites - membrane switches, pressure sensors
Piezoelectric materials - microphones, headphones
Smart coatings - self cleaning glass
Smart grease - volume knobs, watch mechanisms
Photochromic materials - colour changing glasses
Biometrics - fingerprint scanners
CLEAR EXPLANATION + EVALUATION
Inclusivity
Examples
Size of text on displays
Lifts instead of stairs
Height of information so people in wheelchairs can see things
Changing trolley lock (specific to situation)
Different coloured visibility jackets for staff helping the elderly or disabled for easy identification
Push buttons for doors
Consideration of children
Use of symbols or language
Social and ethical issues
Examples
Sustainability considerations, e.g. processing of virgin material
social/ethical issues with sourcing material or processing, e.g. workers' rights and pay, fair trade, high temperatures, air pollution, etc.
Moral and social issues, e.g. carbon footprint and transportation of materials and product, disposal issues of waste products
EVALUATE EACH PRODUCT
Material specific examples
Paper and boards/timbers
Sustainable forests
Deforestation
Ferrous/non-ferrous metals
Mining
Use of metal based materials
Thermo and thermosetting polymers
Oil extraction
Pollution
Oil spills
Depletion of supplies
Fibres and fabrics
Harvesting and processing of cotton
Use of chemicals
Workers in mines, cotton fields, etc.
Renewable energy sources
Examples of energy sources
Wind
Solar
Biomass
Hydroelectric
Wave
Tidal
Geothermal
Renewables
Pros
Infinite
'Cleaner' compared to fossil fuels, reduce rate of global warming, e.g. electric cars from renewable resources
Once set up energy is free and will not run out
Can reduce pollution
Add to national grid supply
Pollution caused by fossil fuels
Does not cause oil spills
Does not destroy habitats
Increasingly available
Cons
Not able to completely replace fossil fuels
Often can be an expensive set up
Often relies on weather, and thus may not provide a consistent energy supply
Examples
Dynamos
Wind up radios/kinetic energy
Solar powered lights
Solar panels on factory roofs
Non-renewables
Pros
Provides a consistent supply of energy
Cons
Causes pollution
Oil spills
Greenhouse gases
Finite resource
Sustainability
Examples
Electric cars
Carbon neutral
A packaging had a hexagonal cutout which would have wasted material, however inside they used that wasted material as a thank you note for purchasing to the consumer
Parley shoes for Adidas use ocean waste
6Rs
Reuse
Take parts that may have been waste material and give them another purpose in the product
Waste wood chipping and particles and young trees to thin forests can make manufactured boards
Recycled ocean waste can be used in shoes or clothing
Rethink
Choice of non-toxic, sustainable/recycled material
Repair
Make products easy to assemble and disassemble, parts can be replaced or repaired more easily
Recycle
Materials can be chosen to be non toxic and recyclable or even recycled
Reduce
Use iterative testing and tessellation to reduce the amount of material wasted
Reduce fuel to transport by making product flat packed as it takes less space
Refuse
Refuse materials and manufacturing processes that pollute, and those that are not ethically sourced
Marketing and Branding
If considered
Brands and logos are fashionable and influence choices
Customers feel loyal to brands, and often pay more for branded items
Celebrity endorsement influences people
Brands are advertised more
Brands can be a status symbol of reflect styles and trends
Customers buy into the brand's ethics values
Social media, and crowdfunding
If not considered
Fantastic products can be outshone by other larger brands
There may not be awareness of the product
Can often make a product feel outdated and not with trends
Examples
Apple - iPhone 6, bent because they made it too thin in line with trends
Nike - recognisable logo and aesthetic that appeals to consumers
Ergonomics
If considered...
User comfort
Ease of use
Ease of understanding
Use of colour to indicate important features
Forces required to operate
Layout of buttons
Size of text and fonts
Use of anthropometrics to improve ergonomics for a wider audience
Consideration of children at different ages, and possible for those with disabilities
If not considered...
May have a limited range of users
May be a very difficult product to use
Function may be disrupted
May be difficult to understand
Examples
Grips on gaming mice allow use for extended periods of times
Chair might have lumbar support to allow extended, comfortable working
Products often have buttons in intuitive places, e.g. the power button on the top right, and arrows in the centre on a remote
Tables often are at a height such that most people can comfortably work with the desk at arm level
3D Printing
Digitises manufacturing, allowing production to occur closer to consumer with potential for local/mobile manufacturing, reducing environmental impacts of transport and distribution
Produces low cost customised products, particularly with more affordable 3D printers/scanners, e.g. Adidas and New balance are exploring methods to print trainers and footwear specific to different runners
Ford is exploring 3D printing to make tooling and prototypes that can be rapidly tested, allowing for rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing (DDM)
3D printing now used to make F1 racing cars
Airbus now uses 3D printed components, with the A350 XWB containing over 1000 3D printed parts
3D printers offering new materials, such as soft fibres are being explored by Carnegie Mellon University and Disney, expanding capability of 3D printing to moveable parts
Aesthetics
Colour
Different cultures associate different colours with different things, and thus considering this may make a product more internationally marketable
Trends
Social media has a large influence and may reflect current trends, appealing more to consumers who use them, and thus increases sales, benefitting the manufacturer
Celebrity endorsement/influence
Celebrities and social media have a huge influence on design nowadays, and considering this may make a design appeal to a greater range of consumers
Associations with brands
Often certain aesthetics are associated with high quality, and thus their use may make products seem more desirable to consumers
Examples
A product for children such as a torch with a dog on it makes it more accessible as it appears engaging and exciting, increasing appeal
Brands such as Hermès have particular colours, for instance their famed orange, the use of these colours in a product can make it seem high quality and appeal to consumers
Limited edition and signed products, for instance the limited edition beats pill Barry McGee edition may appeal to consumers as it has an aesthetic like that of the artist, combining a beloved aesthetic with a high quality functioning device greatly appeals to consumers, and may also give them the sense that it is rare
Branding
Certain brands are associated with high quality, and having an aesthetic like this, either similar or directly branded may appeal more to consumers
Social status
Clients may buy certain products based on their appearance as they may seem high quality and expensive, and may believe it elevates social status