definitions Flashcards
usability
making the product and systems easier to use and matching them more closely to user needs and requirements
ergonomics
the study of the interaction between people and products, and the application of theory, principles data and methods to the design of the products to endure maximum usability and efficiency
anthropometrics
the study of the sizes of the human body
percentiles
a means of representing anthropometric data statistically, indicating the sizes of the human body or specific percentage of people
throw away society
the collective mindset of consumers to dispose of products before they have reached the end of their life, simply to purchase updated or more fashionable versions
intuitive design
the design works the way the user would expect it to
user experience design
the process of enhancing user satisfaction with a product
done by improving the usability, accessibility and pleasure provided in the interaction with the product
user interface design/engineering
the design of the user interfaces for machines and software, with the focus on usability and user experience
bespoke
a product that has been made specifically for an individual customer
ethical design
considering the impact of a product and whether it is morally correct to produce it
human factors
study of how humans behave physically and psychologically in relation to particular products
inbound marketing
the methods a designer or company uses to establish whether there is a need or gap in the market for a proposal idea
inclusive design
designing products that are accessible to everyone without making changes or adaptations
marketing mix
the best blend of marketing methods, dependent on the type of product and specific target market
outbound marketing
how the customer ‘finds’ the product. for example, through a search engine
planned obsolescence
the process of designing products to go out of fashion or no longer function after a specific period of time
penetration marketing
setting a low price for its product to attempt to market market share (as many customers as possible)
price skimming
setting a price high after launching a product to quickly recover expenditures for production and advertising
primary research
collection, collation and editing of readily available research/information
trend forecasters
people employed to predict the mood, behaviour and buying habits of the consumer
standardised components
parts usually produced in high volumes to the same specification and quality
product lifecycle
the marketing lifecycle from launch through to decline of a product (not the same as life cycle assessment)
biopolymers
polymers in which all carbon is derived from renewable feedstocks, including corn, potatoes, rice and wood cellulose
ecological footprint
the impact we have on the environment and natural resources
internet of things (IoT)
the internet of physical devices, buildings and other items embedded with electronics and software that allows objects to collect and exchange data
life cycle assessment (LCA)
an assessment of all stages of a product’s life from raw material to disposal
mechanical properties
characteristics that indicate the behaviour of a material under pressure (force) which determine the range of usefulness of the product.
These can include:
- brittleness
- flexibility
- ductility
- toughness
- tensile strength
social footprint
the impact we have on other people
social impact
how the use of a maternal or manufacturing method could impact on peoples lives and the community
synthetic material
a material made from chemicals
natural material
any product or physical matter that comes from plants, animals or ground
design for disassembly
a strategy that considers the future need to disassemble a product for it to be repaired
eco materials
materials that enhance the environmental impact throughout the life cycle
often called environmentally friendly material
ethical trade
this is about having confidence that the products and services we buy have not been made at the expense of workers in global supply chains
it encompasses a breadth of international labour rights such as working hours, health and safety, freedom or association and wages
upcycling
taking an item that is no longer wanted or needed and giving it a new life as something that Is either useful or creative
globalisation
the process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of increased trade and cultural trade
optimisation
a means of identifying the best choices from design alternatives for example optimum use of materials, manufacturability or ease of assembly, quality, performance, size etc…
copyright
a set of exclusive rights or protection given to creators of original ideas, information or other intellectual works
design rights
the rights of the creator of a design or designs. design rights do not, however, give protection to any 2d aspects of the design, e.g. patterns
intellectual property (IP)
all kinds of intangible (not physical) types of property that people can own
for example, the relative outcomes from the mind such as design ideas, written material, artistic and musical composition
patents
granted by the government to protect designs and inventions, providing strong protection against copying of the technical and functional aspects of an invention
logistics
the careful organisation of a complicated activity so that os happens in a successful and effective way
registered design
gives ownership rights for the appearance of a product, protecting both the shape and the pattern or decoration
trademark
used by a company or an individual to identify and distinguish its products from those of others
critical patch analysis
a project management tool that lists and charts all tasks that must be completed as part of a project. This then gives identification to the quickest route to completion
cycle time
time taken during the manufacturing of a product for the process to go through a range of steps and return to the same point
participatory design
design which actively involves all stakeholders and users in the design process
scrum
a project management tool that uses iterative design process. it involves collaboration, use of software, teams organising themselves and flexibility to adapt to changed stakeholder requirements
six sigma
a set of tools and techniques to ensure consistent output in manufacturing where little variation is crucial
systems thinking
the understanding of a product or component as part of a larger system of other products and system
basic machine principle
for an ideal machine, power out = power in
gear ratio
number of teeth on driven gear / number of teeth on driver
driven / driver
mechanical advantage
the ratio of output force to input force
output force / input force
power
energy produced per second
energy / time
torque
turning effect in a rotary system
4 types of motion
rotary
linear
reciprocating
oscillating
dynamic force
a force that might change position, size or direction
static force
a force that does not change
Youngs modulus
the resistance of a material to elastic deformation under load
amplifier
a subsystem to increase the size of a small signal
multiplexing
a method of driving a large display to reduce the number of connections and reduce the power consumption
smart object
an item which features an embedded networked electronic system
pulse width modulation (PWM)
a method of producing a pseudo analogue output
affordance
the use or purpose of a product that is indicated to the user by the way it looks or is constructed
iterative design
a continual and cyclical design development process to refine and perfect the product.
ongoing testing of models and prototypes, incorporating improvements and progressing towards an optimum solution for all stakeholders
qualitative feedback
feedback in the form of opinions, attitude and thoughts
quantitive feedback
feedback that provides numerical data or information from sources which can be converted into numbers to aid analysis
semiotics
the study and use of signs and symbols
feasibility study
this investigates the implications of a project before getting involved and investing resources.
in the iterative design process, the feasibility of proposed designs can be assessed through experiments, trials, mock-ups, testing and modelling
electronic point of sale (EPOS)
a computerised system used in retail shops to record sales of stock by scanning barcodes
