unit 4 SAC 1 Flashcards
how we choose products
your choice depends entirely on your situation:
- your budget
- experience with the type of product
- how long you expect the product to last
- how important the apperance is
- knowledge of the materials
- peer pressure
different attributes of a product are
- how it functions
- its user-friendliness
- ergonomic features
- safety features
- its cost/value
- aesthetics
- its environmental, social and economic impacts
- its quality
primary function
relates to the main purpose of the product-what it should do at a basic level
secondary function
things that support or are added to the main function
user-friendliness
means that the user dosent need to sit down and read a manual before they can use the product for its most basic function. user-friendliness is helped by the communication used on and with the product, such as using identifable shapes, colour coding, and clear symbols and markings.
ergonomics
related to function and how well a products many functions are suited to its use by the human body. ergonomic principles are generally concerned with comfort, ease of use and minimizing strain. ergonomics is concerned with the way these aspects affect how the garment fits the user body, and how the body moves and interacts with the garment.
safety
relates to the way the product is used and how it performs its function; does it pose any obvious or hidden risks to the user. indirectly, a product may affect other people even if they are not the user, and their safety ust also be considered.
cost/value
there is a balance between the quality of the product and the cost. some consumers are willing to sacrifice quality for cheaper price if they feel they are getting value for money if the purpose is short lived. others are prepared to pay the cost to obtain high quality and long life.
aesthetics
related to the physical apperance of an object. something we understand through our senses. it is concerned with the features of a design that give it its apperance and feel. aethetics depend on the viewer and their knowledge, culture, likes and dislikes.
environmental, social and economics
the environmental, social and economic impact of a product may affect the value to a potential consumer or user. they look for evidence of:
- the design stratergies that have been used to reduce the environmental impact of the product
- the social and economic benifits to which the product and manufacturer contribute.
quality
relates to how well and how long the product can satisfy the needs and wants of the user in terms of function and aesthitics. quality of a product depends on:
- the durability and reliability of the product
- the properties and characteristics of the materials used
- the products ability to perform its function
- the strength and accuracy of construction and joining methods
- the quality of the components used
- the level of design
- the expected life of the product.
the product type
for some types of products, function and quality are critical and are what the product is judged by. for others, the aesthetics or look of the product is of a higher priority.
the user
what you want from a product will depend on what sort of person you are. the needs and desires of the user change depending on their background, tastes and life stage.
prioritise
put in order of importance
users needs
they are looking for comfort, safety, durability, good value and specific appearance, they might also value the use of sustainable materials. want products that:
- function well
- fit their idea of what looks good
- last well
- represent good value
- incorporate the latest sock technology
the manufacture
they want the product to be cheaply produced however give off a high profit margin that wears well but not to well. manufactures want products that:
- function well
- create a profit
- are efficent to make
- create and retain brand credibility and style
- become very popular
the designer
wants a product that functions efficently, applies new technologies and is aesthetically creative. the designers role is to recognise these different and sometimes conflicting priorities, and seek to ballance and satisfy them as best as they can
products that are new
when a product is introduced, the user values products that:
- perform and function at a higher level than alternatives
- have unique or original aesthetic ffeature
- are innovative
products that have been around for a while
-be reliable and function well
-have a safe apperance
be of resonable value
older products
cost less than the alternatives
- function reliably
- have a more conservative apperance
- include features that are tested by time, but are not really innovative
comparing products
- the situatin and the users this type of product is designed for
- the requirements of the situation
- the products features and attributes and how they satisfy the requirements of the situation, and the needs and wants of the user
developing a criteria
- the primary function or purpose, and secondary functions that contribute to the primary function, such as safety, ease of use and ergonomics, and components that contribute to the products functionality for the particular situation
- aethetics- the look and the feel that will appeal to the target market or specific end user
- quality- list the specific quality indicators
- sustainability- think about environmental, social and economic issues that might relate to stages of the products life
qualitative
based on experiences, subjective feedback. rich information about experiences or stories, usually sourced from individuals or small groups; provides complex data that is hard to classify but provides a detailed picture
quantitative
based on numerical data. numerical information sourced from a large number of people; simple data that is asy to classify and useful for generalising trends
comparing specifications
usually quantitative
- size, weight
- materials
- functions available
- capacity
- cost
- energy and or water usage
market research
qualitative
done through interviews, focus groups, user trials, questionnaires and surveys. used to evalute users perceptions of existing products and the desired direction of new products
sales and returns
quantitative
manufactures carefully assess sales over a products sales life and there are different expectations of sales at each stage. if a product doesnt perform or sell as expected, manufactures start asking serious questions about the design, suitability and marketing of the product. manufactures also keep track of product returns. if the product has to be replaced or serviced frequently, this increases the cost of that product to the manufacture.
stages of a products life
- material sourcing and processing
- product manufacture
- transport
- product use
- product disposal
material sourcing and processing
mining, logging or growing materials, then converting the raw materials into forms that can be used for manufacturing. processing can involve:
- growing and harvesting plant materials
- melting and purifing metals
- cleaning, spinning and creating fabric
- sewing, dying and dressing timber
- purifing, heating and combining chemicals
product manufacture
making the products
transport
moving materials/products
- from their source to where they are processed
- then to the site of production
- then to the distribution centres and retaliling locations
- then to where the products are used
- finally to where they are disposed of
product use
products function in different ways some need to be washed regularly, use energy and fuel
product disposal
relevant factors include:
- can the materials the product has been made from be recycled
- if the materials cant be recycled,how much landfill will they take up, how toxic are they as they break down, how long to break down.
environmental design stratergies
-design for the environment
-eco-design stratergies
-ecoredesign
life cycle thinking
-reducing the amount of material
-reducing the transport distances
-designing for disassembly
-extending the products life
-increasing the effeciency
-responsible sources
-none of the materials are toxic
-reuse and recycling
design for the environment (DfE)
a focus on reducing environmental impacts through effective product design
eco-design stratergies
implementing specific stratergies that minimise environmental impacts
EcoRedesign
rethinking and redesigning using impact-minimising stratergies
life cycle thinking
considering the impacts and implementing stratergies to minimise any impacts through all stages of a products life
reducing the amount of material
used in the product, without lessening its ability to function
reducing the transportation distances
as much as possible
designing for disassembly
- simplifying and reducing the number of materials used in product
- enabling the materials to be separated easily at the end of the products life for recycling
- labelling materials for ease in recycling
extending the products life
- increasing durability
- enabling the product to be serviced and repaired easily
- enabling broken or worn parts to be replaced easily
increasing effeciency
of the product so that it doesnt use as much energy to operate
