Chapter 2

Question 1

1: What areas do you need to look into when ensuring a product is fit for its purpose?

2: What factors need to be considered when choosing the different components, materials and processes used within a product?

3: What are the advantages of a product disassembly?

4: Name 7 different design movements that influence the design of products.

Answer 1

1: The products; function, materials, construction methods, ergo/anthro data, aesthetics style, environmental impacts, recycling – circular economy usage, influence of past designers.

2: Where / How it will be used, what are the needs of the users, social/ethic issues on manufacturing processes or materials

3: Examines the inner workings of a similar product to the one you are creating, figuring how it is constructed.

4: Art Nouveau (1890-1905), Bauhaus (1919-1935), Streamlining (1930–50), Scandinavian (1935-), Art Deco (1925-1939), Pop Art (1960’s), Memphis (1980-1990)

Question 2

1: What is the definition of a throwaway society?

2: Define a circular economy and how it can help the sustainability of products

3: Look at Dieter Rams products and spot the link between common products today.

Answer 2

1: Throwaway society is when we become influenced by consumerism and excessive consumption of products (buying lots and having too much so throw it away)

2: A circular economy is sustainable method of manufacture where resources are used for as long as possible and then reused and regenerated to create new products. This cuts down on costs and production / manufacturing processes in the creation of new products.

3: Dieter Rams Braun range – close connections with Apple designs

Question 3

1: How does marketing have an influence on the popularity of a product?

2: What is the difference between market pull and technology push?

3: How would you identify how a product has an impact upon society?

4: How would you measure how a product has an impact on its usability?

Answer 3

1: Marketing aims to influence the consumer to purchase a product and therefore spend money. For marketing to be successful there needs to be demand for the product.

2: Market pull is a need for a product that comes from market research to solve a need, or to compete with another product. Technology push is when research/development of technology drives creations of new products.

3: How consumers feel about the impact upon their community – positive/negative, health implications, costs, environmental

4: Ergonomics, Anthropometrics, Aesthetics, General Design, Function of product

Question 4

1: What is an emerging technology? Give an example of this kind of technology. What would the advantages be of using a new technology in a product?

2: How could developments in design have ethical impacts?

3: What are the advantages and disadvantages of continuous product enhancement?

Answer 4

1: Emerging technologies are currently being developed or those that will be developed within the next 10 years. 3D printing could be an example – develop to be quicker, cheaper, more accessible. Using a new technology would lead to more interest, longer lifespans, unique selling points.

2: Pressure on waste management, people having to spend more money on new products, environmental impacts

3: New technology being able to help society in many ways….give examples. Faster productions, more efficient, more sustainable. Disadvantages can include costs, ethics, environmental impacts on obsolete products