2.1 b requirements for design development and manufacture

Question 1

The generation and development of ideas

Answer 1

• To have ideas, designers must have a clear
  understanding of the problem they are
  trying to solve!
• The user’s needs and wants are critical –
  without them the product will fail to succeed.
• Investigating the problem is key.
• Discussion with users is also key – this is what
  USER CENTRED DESIGN is!
• Initial ideas are starting points – they can
  be sketches, thoughts, models, mock ups,
  CAD simulations, or even just analysis of an
  existing product that needs improving!
• Initial ideas need testing to see if they work.
• The target market should also be used
  during this ‘testing’.

Question 2

Effective design specifications

Answer 2

The design specification is a critical tool for the
designer. It should lay out all of the different
details required to achieve success.
Measurable criteria should be included so the
specification point is clear, achievable, and easy
to check. For example – when considering the
size of a product, there should be minimum and
maximum dimensions established so designers
can work with clear reference.
Structuring design specifications can help the design process. Bullet points can condense information. Prioritising criteria is also useful, perhaps in ESSENTIAL and DESIRABLE so that it
is clear what is ‘critical’ and what is a ‘maybe’

Question 3

Performance criteria to inform designing

Answer 3

During design and development, ideas should
be tested with clear reference to the design
specification. From this, analysis can:
* identify where specification criteria are met
* identify where ideas need to develop further
to meet the needs, wants and values of the
target market
* help structure the next iteration of ideas
* confirm features to be retained and those
that need to be replaced
* specification content can be evaluated fully

Question 4

User centred design

Answer 4

The user, or target market, should be consulted
regularly throughout the design process – they
are an important part of it!
For example, it would be a failure to only use the
target market during the investigating and final
evaluation stage.
The user or target market should be an integral
part of design, testing, development, refinement
and finalising of ideas. This ‘closeness’ will
ensure the final product ‘fits’ and will be
successful.

Question 5

Communicating ideas

Answer 5

There is no set pathway or order to designing
– that’s why there’s so much freedom. Below,
however, are some design strategies that
designers employ when designing.
* Quick developmental sketching – these
are quickly recorded thoughts to be explored
later. Messy, untidy, not the best quality, no
labelling, just outlines!
* Card modelling – working out whether an
idea will function or not is difficult on paper,
so some low fidelity modelling allows
designers to ‘see’ if ideas work fully, partially,
or not at all.
* 2D and 3D modelling – allows designers
to introduce CAD to simulate, test and
present ideas in more detail. These can be
communicated to others, including the target
market, for feedback.
* CAM and rapid prototyping – CAD files can be converted into CAM data and models
produced for testing.
* Formal drawings – once ideas reach a final
stage, formal drawings are critical to present
details of the final proposal.

Question 6

Fitness for purpose

Answer 6

For a product to be fit for purpose, it must meet
the design specification and solve the original
design problem fully. The product must function in a reliable and expected manner and prevent the design problem from continuing