Product Design- Factors influencing Product Design

8/9/2019 Product Design- Factors influencing Product Design

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Product Design

Factors Infuencing Design


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CONTENTs

Introduction

Fitness for purpose

Choice of materials

Durability

Ease of maintenance

Efficiency

Running costs

Fashion

Safety

Obsolescence

Environmental and Social considerations

Technological opportunity

Consumer demand

Social behaviour


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Economics

Commercial enterprise

Craft and Design Support Materials: Factors that Influence Design

Introduction

This resource covers the factors that influence the design of products.

esthetics and Ergonomics have each been covered in separate boo!lets as they re"uire more

detailed consideration.

#hen designing products the designer has to $%uggle& 'ith a large number of factors and attempt to

organise them in the design solution in a 'ay that satisfies the design brief and specification.

professional designer 'ith many years of e(perience 'ill be able to balance the factors

intuitively. Students of design must ta!e more care to consider all the relevant factors ) perhaps by

using a chec!list.

n e(cellent illustration of ho' the designer handles these factors is given by Dic! *o'ell in the

E"uino( T+ programme ,$Designing Dream -achines&. ere the process is described as /an

e(plosion in reverse0.

,The video of Designing Dream -achines is the recommended source of case)study material for

this course.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Students follo'ing this course 'ill be re"uired to have a good !no'ledge and understanding of

each of the factors that are listed in the course rrangements. The factors contained 'ithin this

boo!let are referred to throughout the course. Further information concerning the timing of these

aspects of the course can be in forthcoming support materials.

#hile it might be possible to consider these factors through a series of case studies1 this could prove

to be cumbersome. It 'ould be much more effective to consider each factor separately ) illustrating

each factor 'ith e(amples and then consolidating understanding through case studies and2or

through e(amination type "uestions.


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Design Factors (FACTORS that influence design

Fitness for Purpose

It is perhaps obvious to us all that a product should do the %ob it 'as designed to do. can opener

should open a tin and a car should be able to transport people from one place to another. 3ut ho'

'ell should a product do its %ob4 Should a light'eight portable can opener for camping 'or! as

'ell as an electric opener designed for use in a restaurant2canteen4 Should a small light'eight city

car be as comfortable and as fast as an e(ecutive saloon4

Clearly these products are designed to carry out similar functions. o'ever in reality 'hat is

e(pected from each product is "uite different. In the case of the camping can opener ) as long as itopens cans then it is fit for its purpose providing1 in addition1 that it is compact and light 'eight.

3y contrast an industrial can opener should 'or! very "uic!ly and efficiently. It should be very

reliable and durable. Cost 'ill be a secondary consideration1 as 'ill si5e and 'eight.

#hen considering fitness for purpose the designer should begin by establishing a chec!list of

features that are essential and desirable. On completion the design must be able to achieve all

essential features. ny desirable features the product has 'ill be a bonus and may assist in placing

the product above its competitors in the mar!et place.

Question

Choose a simple household product and describe in what way it is and is not suited to its purpose.

A sketch of the product should accompany your answer to illustrate the points made.

Choice of Materials

#hen choosing the materials for a product the designer must consider a number of factors

• use of product

• "uantity to be manufactured

• mar!et niche 6cost7


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Use of the product

The choice of material has to ta!e into account ho' the product2component 'ill be used and 'hat

environment6s7 it 'ill be used in. Ta!e for e(ample a plastic 'ing mirror body for a car. The

plastic chosen 'ill have to 'ithstand 'ear and tear from stone chips etc. 'ashing 'ith detergents1

sharp !noc!s from passing vehicles and at the same time tolerate temperatures from sub)5ero to

over 899: C. On some vehicles this component is painted to match body colour therefore material'ill also have to accept paint.

Quantity to be manufactured

Some products could be manufactured in more than one 'ay. Often the decision depends on the

"uantity to be manufactured. -etal castings for e(ample can be made one at a time by sand casting

or produced in high volume by die)casting. lthough sand casting is labour intensive tooling costs

are relatively lo' and so this process is ideal 'hen small numbers are to be produced1 say less than

899. s soon as volume increases into hundreds or thousands a more mechanised process becomesmore appropriate 6die)casting7. ere tooling costs are very high ) but as long as volume is high

enough the cost of producing a single item becomes very lo'.

Market Niche

nother factor in choice of materials can be the end cost of the product. If the product being

designed is at the bottom end of the mar!et 'here cost is very important then the material has to be

as cheap as possible. s long as the material is able to carry out its function for a reasonable period

them it 'ill be deemed satisfactory. o'ever 'ith an up)mar!et product cost becomes less of an

issue. -aterials chosen should perform 'ell1 should be long lasting and reflect the "uality image of

the product.

Question

When choosing materials for a product the designer has to consider

•use of product

• quantity to be manufactured

• market niche

Choose one household product and discuss how these three factors will have affected the choice of

materials.

Finish

The choice of finish of a product is influenced by similar factors to those affecting the choice of

materials1 i.e.


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• use of product

• "uantity to be manufactured

• mar!et niche

Question

A designer has designed a gardening trowel. The trowel is designed for the cheaper end of the

market but is to be sold in superstores that have a reputation for selling inexpensive products that

are of good quality. Discuss the factors the designer will have to consider when selecting a finish

for this product.

urability

Durability of a product or component depends on a number of factors;

• planned obsolescence

• use of product

• mar!et niche.

The durability of a product2component depends directly on the materials chosen1 the manufacturing

process used and fi(ing methods employed 6see section on selection of materials7.

In a sense it is planned obsolescence 'hich is the !ey factor as it is this that dictates the

performance of the product2component 6see section on obsolescence7.

aving decided on the intended life span of the product1 the designer must define the mar!et niche

and the use of the product 6see materials section7.

This should lead to a definition of the properties re"uired of the product1 and hence the choice of

material.


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!ase of Maintenance

-aintenance of a product is a factor that can easily be overloo!ed. t the forefront of the

designer&s mind 'ill be function and aesthetics. #hilst maintenance is an aspect of function1 it is

secondary to function in use.

Consideration of maintenance depends to a large e(tent on the life e(pectancy of the product. cheap do'n)mar!et product 'ill often sacrifice maintenance to cost. In this instance the designer

intends that the product 'ill be thro'n a'ay 'hen it ends its useful life.

In contrast1 more e(pensive up)mar!et products 'ill generally have much longer life e(pectancy

and therefore may re"uire periodic maintenance to maintain optimum efficiency of the product.

3uilding in maintenance obviously adds to the cost of the product but can be %ustified in higher cost

products.

Question

n the design of a family saloon car the design of the clutch can be such that replacement can be

done quickly and easily but this adds cost to the vehicle. Assuming typical clutch replacement after

! years use" discuss the factors the designer will have to consider.

!fficiency

The efficiency of a product in use depends directly on the "uality of the product. One 'ould e(pect

that a cheap do'n)mar!et product 'ould serve its purpose1 but only %ust. In contrast1 one 'ould

e(pect a high "uality product to fulfill its function 'ith ease giving the user pleasure in its use 6see

section on fitness for purpose7.

cheap !ettle 'ill boil 'ater. more e(pensive model 'ill boil 'ater "uic!ly1 use less energy1 be

aesthetically pleasing and so on.

The designed efficiency of the product 'ill depend upon its intended mar!et niche.

Question

A man buys a disposable ra#or. $e finds the ra#or unpleasant to use and the quality of the shave

isn%t good. Discuss in terms of efficiency whether or not this product can be considered good

design or not.


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"unning Costs

To the consumer1 the running costs of a product may or may not be an issue. o'ever the designer

must consider this factor balancing it 'ith all other factors in relation to the intended mar!et niche.

In general1 'ealthy individuals buy products 'ithout considering secondary factors such as running

costs. Their primary concern 'ill be factors such as efficiency and aesthetics.

The less 'ealthy individual 'ill be much more concerned about running costs. Running costs are

generally made up of energy2fuel use and maintenance. To reduce running costs it is not uncommon

for less 'ealthy individuals to carry out their o'n maintenance.

Question

When buying a cycle lamp a teenager can choose between a cheaper model with disposable

batteries and a more expensive version that has rechargeable cells but is more expensive.

Discuss the issues the teenager will have to consider in making a choice.

Fashion

*roduct Design li!e all other areas of creativity follo's patterns or trends in style. These trends are

closely lin!ed to fashion.

Throughout design history there have been very distinctive styles that can be lin!ed to a period in

time.

• +ictorian 89@.

• rt Deco 8>A@ )8>=>.

• *op rt 8>B9&s


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Each one of these styles 'as fashionable during the periods indicated and has features that ma!e

each one easily recognisable1 as can be seen in the e(amples belo'.

rt ?ouveau amp 8>98 rt Deco 3ron5e

Child&s Chair

IE 8=

s a conse"uence of pop music and fashion becoming an important part of modern 'estern culture

good design has become more readily available to everyone. lthough products designed by leading

designers are still "uite e(pensive1 mass produced products tend to follo' the style set by these

designers and are available at a much more accessible price. This has been the case for clothing

since the 8>B9&s but more recently furniture and household goods have follo'ed the same pattern.

Furniture stores such as IE sell designer $style& products 'hich are

ine(pensive.

Today products are available in many different styles. Designers are able to emulate styles of the

past and manufacturers produce these products using modern materials and manufacturing

processes e.g. Retro Car 6only available in apan7 produced by ?issan 'hich is in the style of a


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8>@9&s model. This approach to design actually produces a ne' style 'hich could be considered the

style of the 8>>9&s. In addition designers are also able to utilise modern technology to produce

totally ne' styles that 'ould not have been possible in the past.

The trend in the 8>>9&s then seems to be to mi( styles1 often to render these styles in ne' materialsin a functional manner. Colour and decoration tend to be subdued 'ith combinations of igh Tech

and Traditional materials being used together e.g. *astel coloured in%ection moulded plastic 'ith

galvanised steel or brushed aluminium creating a very subtle contrast as used in the Dr Globb chair

designed by *hilippe Star!.

n increased concern over the environment has also influenced today&s products. -any ne'

products are designed to be easily recycled e.g. -!. III +ol!s'agen Golf. Often products are made

from recycled materials. This has in itself become fashionable.

Designers can ta!e advantages of fashion trends to design products that fit into a particular mar!et

$niche& 'hich has been identified by mar!et research. lso since trends tend to change "uite rapidly

it is possible for designers2manufacturers to cash in on these changes by updating products in

!eeping 'ith the latest fashion. -otor car manufacturers do this by producing limited edition

models in special colours and styling details. Clothing manufacturers use the changing seasons

6spring1 summer1 autumn and 'inter7 to encourage people to buy ne' clothes. Each ne' season

creates the opportunity for designers to introduce a ne' style or colour. Designers also use trends

set by pop groups or cult figures to create ne' fashions.

For further reading see Design Source 3oo! IS3? 9)=@B)8A99@)


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-'( /+0 1aper ' question '.2

&uestion (

a. Distinguish between fashion and style.

b. Describe one example of each.

-'3 /+0 1aper ' question (.2

#afety

-any products have to be designed to comply 'ith regulations laid do'n by la' or by

recommendations made by organisations such as 3SI 63ritish Standards Institution7 and ISO

6International Standards Organisation7. Often ISO1 3SI and the Government 'or! together to set

standards. The government 'ill for e(ample state that car seat belts must be fitted to all cars and

that the belt design should be to 3SI2ISO standards. #hen a product is manufactured to these

standards it 'ill be clearly indicated that this is the case some'here on the product 'ith a number

and the 3SI2ISO logo.

The designer of a product is responsible for ensuring that products are safe to use. There are a

number of 'ell documented cases 'here designers have been sued for negligence1 i.e. designing a

product 'hich proves to be unsafe and causes in%ury to the user. The driver 'as badly burnt1 sued

the designer and 'on. s a conse"uence of such cases designers must ma!e every effort to design products that 'ill be safe in use by carrying out stringent functional tests.

Occasionally products are found to be unsafe after they have

been put on the mar!et and have to be redesigned1 e.g.

plastic pen tops such as those manufactured by 3IC caused anumber of deaths in young children 'hen accidentally

s'allo'ed. The pen top 'as modified so that it is open at


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both ends so that if s'allo'ed the air'ay does not become

bloc!ed.

For further reading see dvanced Design and Technology pp. 88=)88H.

Questions

&uestion '

n the evaluation of any product" *safety% is an important general criterion.

a. 4ist four general criteria.

b. 4ist four specific aspects of safety which should be considered in the evaluation of a

portable" electric hair dryer.

$%&&' #!( Paper % )uestion *+,

-bsolescence

#hen designers consider the materials and the method of construction of a product they obviously

have to ta!e into account the follo'ing.

• o' long the product should last for.

• o'1 and under 'hat conditions1 'ill the product be used1 i.e. function1 durability andsafety.

i!e all factors that influence design these considerations have to be ta!en along 'ith all others.

In many instances it is possible to design product that 'ill last a lifetime. Is this necessary or even

desirable4 If a manufacturer designs a product 'hich lasts forever1 say a 'ashing machine1 'hat

impact 'ould this have on the manufacturer4 They 'ould not sell so many machines. The machines

'ould probably have to cost a lot more than current models. The buyer 'ould end up 'ith products

'hich are old fashioned but still functioning 'ell. The user 'ould not be in a position to ta!e


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advantages in advances in technology by purchasing the latest most economic2environmentally

friendly design.

Designers and manufacturers have therefore to find a balance bet'een profit1 value for money1

durability and at the same time satisfying the customers desire to o'n the latest most fashionable products. This is called building in obsolescence. i.e. the product is designed to last for a set period

of time. This allo's the manufacturer to be able to be constantly selling ne' products in the mar!et

place 'hich is good for business and at the same time satisfies the mar!ets desire for the latest ne'

products.

In general 'ashing machines are designed to be replaced after about si( years. Ordinary light bulbs

are designed to last for a ma(imum of si( months of normal use. -ost products then have a built in

life e(pectancy. Often similar products are available 'ith different lengths of planned obsolescence1

for e(ample up)mar!et cars are designed to last for as long as 89 years 'ithout the need for ma%orrepairs 6'hich is one of the reasons 'hy they are so e(pensive7 against a cheaper models designed

to last for only @ years.

Questions

&uestion '

5ass produced cars have built6 in obsolescence.

-a2 +xplain the implications of this for the consumer and the manufacturer.

-b2 4ist two other products which you consider to have built6in obsolescence.

&uestion (

What do you understand by the concept 7designed obsolescence78

9ive two examples of products which illustrate this concept.

a. What effect does designed obsolescence have on:

i. the environment;

ii. the consumer;

iii. the national economy8

-'3 /+0 1aper ' question


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!n.ironmental and #ocial Considerations

The designer has a ma%or role in shaping the environment in 'hich 'e live. Designers therefore

have a moral responsibility to ensure that the products they design contribute to'ards our

environment in a positive 'ay.

ll products have an impact1 to a lesser or greater e(tent on society. This impact 'ill influence the

follo'ing areas.

• Environment ) aesthetic. s a conse"uence of the visual impact of the product in association

'ith its surroundings

• Environment ) pollution. Created by the manufacture1 use and2or disposal of the product at

the end of its life

• Social ) physical and social impact of the product on the user and society in general.

!n.ironment / aesthetics+

The designer has the ability to create products in any style. It is possible to design products that

merge 'ell 'ith their environment or alternatively those 'hich stand out in star! contrast to their

surroundings. *roducts 'hich harmonise 'ith their environment are pleasing to the eye but can be

considered to be boring and not stimulating.

For e(ample a designer may choose to design a bus shelter in the Georgian style to match the

surrounding architecture. This approach 'ould blend in 'ell and probably 'ould be acceptable to

the ma%ority of people. o'ever this $safe& approach to design can create an environment 'hich is

monotonous. lternatively the designer may choose to design the bus shelter to contrast 'ith the

Georgian buildings by producing a design 'ith modern materials such as steel and plastic 'ith

simple geometric forms and shapes perhaps integrating bold lighting so that the shelter stands out


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day and night. This approach 'as ta!en 'hen designing the metro and subterranean gallery

entrance at e ouvre in *aris 'hich is a glass pyramid and is in star! contrast to the decorative

Renaissance sandstone architecture surrounding it. This bold approach to design can be shoc!ing

and often attracts controversy particularly in relation to architecture.

Such an approach can be interesting and e(citing to some people and offensive to others. The

designer then has to ma!e a decision concerning the impact that the design 'ill have in order to

ascertain 'hether or not it 'ill be acceptable to society.

!n.ironment / pollution+

#hen designing products the designer must consider the effect on pollution levels that their design

'ill have. The product and its manufacture may also be influenced by legislation 'hich controls

pollution outputs. This is further complicated by the fact that pollution controls vary from countryto country. There has also been a ma%or shift in public interest in environmental issues and many

people 'ill ta!e this into account 'hen purchasing a product.

t all stages in the development1 manufacture and disposal of a product environmental issues have

to be considered. This also applies to the product 'hen in use. This 'ill clearly have considerable

effect on the final price of the product. et us ta!e the e(ample of the - lll +ol!s'agen Golf

'hich is advertised as being environmentally friendly.

For this to be the case the follo'ing conditions 'ould have to true.

• The use of finite resources should be avoided 'henever possible.

• -ost materials used should be recyclable1 say >9J or more.

• The processes used to manufacture these materials should not pollute the environment

beyond legally acceptable limits.

• The processes used to form the materials into car components should not pollute theenvironment beyond legally acceptable limits.

• The processes used to assemble the components should not pollute the environment beyond

legally acceptable limits.

• Finishing processes such as painting should not pollute the environment beyond legally

acceptable limits.

• The 'aste products from manufacturing processes should not pollute the environment.

#ithin the EEC it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to dispose of all 'aste safely.

• The operation and maintenance of the vehicle should not pollute the environment beyond

legally acceptable limits.

• The disposal of the product at the end of its life should not pollute the environment beyondlegally acceptable limits.


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It is clear then that these limits 'ill have ma%or implications for the design.

#ociological considerations

The environment in 'hich 'e live1 'or! and play has a considerable effect on our state of mind and

general 'ell being.

Studies sho' that1 for e(ample1 to simply alter the lighting levels from day to day in a factory 'ill

improve the output of the 'or! force. It is not the "uality of light that creates the improvement but

the fact that there has been a change. changing environment is more stimulating and therefore

more motivating.

This e(ample sho's that even very subtle changes to the environment can have dramatic effects on

people. Clearly then1 designers have to very careful 'hen designing the products 'hich shape our

environment. The impact that a ma%or ne'

building has on those 'ho live and 'or! in and around is obvious. *roducts such as computers or

even hair dryers all have a bearing on our general state of mind1 particularly in a society 'here

people lead very busy lives. The feelings of frustration and even anger 'hen a product 'e are using

doesn&t function in the 'ay e(pected are common place. This contributes to the stress of modern

day living. #ell)designed products should be pleasing to use they should be reliable and do the %ob

they 'ere designed to do. s 'ell as functioning 'ell their aesthetic 'ill also effect us.

#hy is it that 'e have feelings of refreshment or contentment 'hen standing on top of a hill on a

glorious day 'ith a spectacular vie' before us4 It is due in part to the fresh air but also the colours

and shapes of the vie' i.e. the aesthetics of the vie' ma!es us feel good. Therefore it is clear that if

'e are surrounded by products 'hich are attractive 6in an aesthetically pleasing environment7 then

'e 'ill inevitably feel better 'ithin ourselves. To create this designers have to create a fine balance

bet'een pleasant harmonising products 6'hich in e(treme cases can be boring7 and bold contrasting

designs 6'hich can be irritating7.

In catering for the needs of the individual the designer must consider age1 culture and physical

ability2disability. Each of these aspects 'ill effect the userKs reaction to a particular product.

Often modern $igh Tech& products can be threatening to older people ma!ing them feel insecure.

designer must1 in such situations1 try to ma!e ne' technology as $user friendly& as possible. Care

needs to be ta!en to ensure that products do not cause offence to a particular race or culture. Even

something as simple as the name of a ne' model of car needs to be carefully selected to ensure that

in a 'orld mar!et the name 'hich may be perfectly acceptable in Europe is not totally unacceptable

in another continent.


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-any available products do not ta!e into account the problems of the disabled1 old or very young.

In particular handles and s'itches are often too small or too difficult to operate. #ith a little bit of

thought many of these problems could be avoided. Good design should ta!e into account as many

users as possible.

For further reading see dvanced Design and Technology pp. H)8@.

Questions

&uestion '

The designers of today are accepting a growing responsibility for the conservation of some of theworld7s dwindling resources. =ecycling is one of the main ways in which this is being tackled and

recycling is having a marked effect upon much of industrial design. This can be seen clearly in the

way components for domestic washing machines are designed to be removed and then recycled

when the machine has served its useful life.

0riefly describe how recycling has effected the following design situations.

a. /oft drinks packaging.

b. The family car.

-'( /+0 1aper ' question >.2

&uestion (

+nergy is often wasted in the home. 5any products have been designed to reduce this loss.

/uggest four such products.

-'? /+0 1aper l question '.2


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Technological -pportunity

*roducts 'hich appear on the mar!et sometimes do so as the result of technological innovation.

This is often referred to as technological push. Scientists1 engineers and designers are al'ays

loo!ing for ne' 'ays of doing things and al'ays striving for the ultimate solution to a given

problem. Often ne' technology is stumbled upon in this search. Sometimes the ne' technology has

an obvious application and sometimes not. Sometimes technology is transferred from oneapplication to another.

In other 'ords advances in technology create ne' products and therefore ne' mar!ets. Sometimes

the products are simply better versions of e(isting products but occasionally products that have not

e(isted before are produced creating a completely ne' mar!et niche.

E(amples of products that result from technological opportunity are;

• The micro'ave oven ) developed as a conse"uence of research done by physicists into 'ave

energy.

• Ceramic !nives 6the edge 'ill last a lifetime7 and ceramic engine components developed

from research carried out by engineers 'or!ing on the space shuttle at ?S. The shuttle

nose cone is covered 'ith ceramic tiles. The only material that 'ould 'ithstand the impact

of reentry into the Earth&s atmosphere.

•The Sony #al!man ) this product 'as only possible through advances in microelectronicsma!ing it possible for a cassette tape player to be manufactured in a si5e that 'ill fit in the

poc!et.

For further reading see dvanced Design and Technology pp. 88=)88H.


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Questions

&uestion '

1roducts can reach the market place because of *market pull% or *technology push%. 5arket pull iswhen a need is recognised in the market for a particular product. Technology push occurs when

technology produces a new or improved product for which a demand has to be created.

@or each of the above categories name one product and explain how each was identified and

developed.

-') /+0 1aper ' question ?.2

&uestion (

@or each of the following give two examples of how products have been developed:

a. from technological opportunity as a result of scientific discovery;

b. from market research.

-'( /+0 1aper ' question .2

Consumer emand

Consumer demand1 sometimes referred to as mar!et pull1 produces products that derive from the

demands of the mar!et. In general this demand is identified through mar!et research. -anufacturers

and designers are al'ays loo!ing for ne' mar!ets in 'hich to sell their products1 or mar!ets for

'hich they can design ne' products 6mar!et niche7. Specialist mar!et research consultancies are

constantly gathering data on the re"uirements of the mar!et place. This data is often gathered

through the use of "uestionnaires. It is "uite commonplace to see mar!et researchers 'ith their

clipboards on our high streets particularly on a Saturday. Sometimes the mar!et research 'illinvolve gathering together general information 'hich 'ill be offered $for sale& by the mar!et

research company. lternatively the mar!et researchers may be given a specific area to research for

a client. ny designer2manufacturer that does not carry out thorough mar!et research is ta!ing a

great ris!. To invest large sums of money in design1 setting up a manufacturing facility and

producing the product 'ithout chec!ing out 'hether or not that it is 'hat the public 'ants is very

foolish.


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classic e(ample of this is the Sinclair C@ 'hich 'as developed

by Sir Clive Sinclair. The C@ 'as developed on the bac! of

enormous success 'ith personal computers by Sinclair

Industries. The C@ 'as a small electric three 'heeled vehicle

intended to be an alternative to the bicycle. It is true to say that

the C@ 'as e(tremely innovative and technologically a success.

o'ever1 detailed mar!et research 'as not done to establish

'hether or not people 'ould use such a vehicle. The C@ did notsell. This error lead to the failure of Sinclair Industries.

In contrast to this many products have been introduced or redesigned follo'ing detailed

investigation of the mar!et and have been a great success. For e(ample +ol!s'agen introduced the

+# Golf 'hich 'as the first real hatchbac! car. This design satisfied the need for a small

economical utility vehicle fitting in perfectly 'ith the lifestyle of the modern European. The Golf

'as a ma%or success and has had a ma%or impact on the design of cars today and has resulted in the

enormous e(pansion of the +#2udi Group. *rior to the Golf1 +# only manufactured the 3eetle

and the +# +ariant. In other 'ords +# identified 'hat the mar!et 'anted and then designed it.

Other successes in this area have been products that satisfy the need to provide for a healthy1

environmentally sound1 lifestyle. E(amples of these are organic foods1 biodegradable detergents and

sports e"uipment such as home e(ercise e"uipment.

For further reading see dvanced Design and Technology pp. A9)AL.

Questions

&uestion '

Designers recognise the market force of people wanting to buy products which they feel will boost

their personal image.

a. 9ive two examples of products which you feel may be bought for this purpose.

b. 9ive one reason for each of your choices.


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-'? /+0 1aper ' question (.2

/ee also the questions in the following section on Technological Bpportunity

#ocial (eha.iour

Changes in patterns of social behaviour must be considered

by the designer 'hen 'or!ing on ne' products. Factors that

'ould have been considered important in the design of

products @9 years ago 'ould not be seen as important today.

Today lifestyles are such that leisure time is very important.

Generally both adults in the family unit 'or!. Therefore tas!s

such as coo!ing and cleaning need to made much "uic!er and

easier to do. ence the increase in the use of products that

permit this1 such as food processors and fully automatic

'ashing machines 'ith combined tumble dryers. The increase

in the use of precoo!ed foods1 free5ers and micro'ave ovens

have also contributed to increased efficiency in carrying out

domestic chores.

This has in turn lead to a situation 'here people have more spare time 'hich has increased demand

for home entertainment such as stereo systems1 video and more recently home cinema. in!ed to

this desire for good use of leisure time has also seen an increase in the use of sports2leisure

e"uipment such as e(ercise bi!es and sun beds.


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!conomics

The motor industry is a good e(ample of an increase in the importance of this factor. t one time

the price of petrol 'as such that the fuel consumption of a vehicle 'as not important. In the late

8>H9&s the price of oil increased sharply ma!ing large gas gu55ling vehicles impractical. This

brought about the development of lean burn engines and an increase in the use of diesel engines

'hich are more economical 6diesel fuel is also less e(pensive7. The aerodynamics of cars has also been significantly improved. Today it is not uncommon for vehicles to be able to do @9 mpg

compared to A9 mpg or less 'hich 'as the norm before the fuel crisis.

Generally products today are cheaper to buy than in the past. This is largely due to the economies of

scale. -ost products no'adays are produced in large "uantities using manufacturing processes that

are e(pensive to set up but 'hich1 once established1 can produce products "uic!ly and very cheaply.

The more products that are produced the cheaper the price of a single product.

The development of modern materials such as plastics and composites

means that highly comple( components1 that may have been constructed

from a number of components in the past1 can no' be made as a single

item by processes such as in%ection moulding.

Designers also ma!e use of standard components to reduce costs. #hether

the product is something as simple as a torch or as comple( as a motor car1

standard components are available from such things as simple fi(ings

6special scre's1 bolts etc.7 to bulbs1 s'itches1 alternators and even 'holeengines. The current +au(hall Omega Turbo Diesel is in fact fitted 'ith a

3-# turbo diesel engine. This practice is effective because the standard


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component manufacturer is able to produce the parts in large "uantities

ma!ing them cheaper.

Savings can also be made by carefully selecting the best material and

manufacturing process for the item being designed. 3ecause most mar!etsare so competitive the price can not afford to be unnecessarily high as this

could prevent the product from selling. Often manufacturers 'ill set up

factories in countries 'here costs are lo'. -any products today are

manufactured in countries li!e China 'here labour costs are very lo'1

compared to Europe1 and efficiency is high.

The price of a product depends on creating a balance bet'een;

• -anufacturing costs 6materials and processes7

• dvertising and distribution costs

• Design and development costs

• *rofit1 overheads and reinvestment

• *rices set by other manufacturers.

For further reading see dvanced Design and Technology pp. 8B.

Commercial !nterprise

*robably the single most important factor the designer must consider is cost. This obviously effects

the volume of sales and conse"uently the profit for the shareholders.

#hen designing products the designer should see! to ta!e advantage of any factor 'hich creates a

mar!et niche. This 'ill give the product an advantage in the mar!et place as it ensures reduced

competition. Creating a mar!et niche can be achieved in a number of 'ays;

• utilising ne' technology ma!ing it possible to produce a ne' and better product than before.

Ceramic edge to !itchen !nives stays sharp for a lifetime.

• innovative cost savings through the use of ne' materials1 manufacturing processes etc. Mse

of in%ection moulded panels in car body manufacture.

• creating a ne' use or image for a product giving it a ne' lease of life. Storing te(t and film

images on CD&s 'hich 'ere originally created for the music industry.


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•

use of innovative mar!eting1 advertising and sales techni"ues to encourage the customer to

buy. in!ing products to fashion trends1 bloc!buster films etc. such as boo!s and toys that

use the characters from the latest film.

Ceramic nife by Seymour)*o'ell

AB

Craft and Design Support Materials: Factors that Influence Design

Documents

Product Design- Factors influencing Product Design