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Researching Existing products
this is a key and crucial part of the research section and will allow you to find out an array of information that will help you to design an appropriate solution to your problem
You need to:
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Explore Existing Products, similar and different solutions to your project
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Investigate Around the context - look at applications which might support ideas but not be obviously linked to the project
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Explore specific existing products/ applications (from the washer up)
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disassemble products to explore their workings *keep details of how you take the product apart - you will need to put it back together (and check with the property owner first).
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conduct your own tests - speed, weight, toughness, capacity, etc.
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compare and contrast products - Use SWOT to explore them - the more opportunity/ weaknesses a product has, the more feasible your project will be. You can potentially create something better
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Include online reviews and ratings - highlight key, useful info
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research technical information/ details/ data (quantitative info)
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explore wider issues (social, moral, ethical, cultural, etc)
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Marketing and commercial viability aspects - why is the product a success?
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explore the design optimisation and DFMA of the products - are there previous versions of the product which have been developed?
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Explore design inspiration (styles/ designers and movements)
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consider how to capture and evidence your investigation
take photographs and videos to show what you are looking at
Photo of the whole product
Photos of close ups of:
> mechanisms
> handles
> details
> UI
> joints/ connections
> Disassembly info
Photo of the Product being used - have you used and tested it??
Photos of the product being assembled/ disassembled
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT FROM ANALYSING/ Exploring the product?
Assessment criteria says
Sophisticated, comprehensive and fully relevant information and sources of inspiration are identified to perceptively and skilfully influence design iterations and thinking when required throughout the design process.
Need help investigating?
If you need some guidance, look through the topics/ areas in the sections below. these will highlight some useful areas to consider.
Key things to focus on:
human factors
comfort
Form (aesthetics)
function
effort required
material
Manufacturing processes
Standardised components
Components
Assembly
Fixing types
Surface finish
Ergonomics
Health & safety
Social / moral / cultural
energy use
Other, non-physical things to consider:
Optimisation
DFMA
Environmental impact
Price
Online reviews
Supporting secondary research
Alternatives/ comparrisons
Use of key terms
What to start with? Questions...
What do you want to find out about whilst exploring/ analysing a product?
Who/ What/ When/ Where/ how
Document: 100 ways to enhance usability, influence perception, increase appeal, make better design decisions, and teach through design
Here it is worth reminding yourself of the 10 things that make 'good design'. If you want to look further there is a link below to 100 areas to look at.
What to consider when exploring and investigating?
Consider what your project focus is and what sort of information is going to help you. Some times you might not know the answer to this but you will discover it along the way.
Researching Design practices
Looking backwards is great, and key to being able to make improvements and move forwards. In addition to looking at existing products its worth looking into what might inspire your solution - that's what designers do...
researching design styles/ movements and looking for inspiration will help with this - in a couple of pages time you will create a mood board - something to help with inspiration of your design ideas.
What to evidence in your portfolio
Once you have explored a range of existing products you will need to evidence it in your folio. This is a great opportunity to create videos and summarise your analysis of them. Your page might look like this:
Video link
Summary
&
KEY points
or
Materials
Components
Ergonomics
Aesthetics
Etc
Cost
Summary
WHO
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
HOW
LOOK AT EACH product COMPONENT IN DETAIL
use arrows to point key things about the product you are discussing. talk about all its individual aspects/ components.
Do not label obvious components/ parts e.g. Handle.... explain the relevance and purpose/ swot etc
Be sure to summarise your product investigations - outline to the moderator what key things you have discovered by exploring the product components.
Design Technology @ NCB
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