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SECTION 2:learning from existing products
before launching into this topic it us useful to know you should have prior knowledge of:
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Methods for exploring and critiquing existing products
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how to analyse existing products and what to look for
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how fashion, trends and styles influence products
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how marketing and branding can influence people
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how wider issues may be considered when exploring existing products
2.1 why is it important to analyse & evaluate products as part of the design & manufacturing process?
economy development = new & innovative products
(that should meet the needs & wants of the stakeholders)
analysing an existing product means to examine and investigate it
evaluating an existing product means to assess its value and suitability
E.g. analyse a product to find out what material it is made from, but then evaluate it to explore how suitable it is.
Areas to explore:
how easy is the product to use (usability)? - a consideration of ergonomics
how well does it perform/ do its required job?
how suitable are the materials/ components? - a consideration of their properties/ Have standardised components been used?
how suitable is the method of construction?
the impact of the product
is it value for money?
how many are being manufactured?
this section explores
how and why we explore the things around us when approaching a solution for a problem.
existing products
technological developments
past & present developments
product lifecycles
Construction considerations
materials used
quantity required
product function
product longevity
product cost/s
production time
tools and equipment
level of manufacture
bespoke
one off
batch
mass
continuous
J-I-T
(Lean manufacturing)
Product lifecycle:
introduction
growth
maturity
decline
Planned obsolescence:
designing something to have a limited life
target market require changes
new technological developments
staying ahead of competitors
throwaway society:
disposing of products before their need to be repalced
end of product lifecycle
reasons for
product
development
planned obsolescence
product problems
meeting the needs of stakeholders
the best way to explore this is to complete a product disassembly.
considering what level can you operate at?(how many can you make at once?)
Think about:
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the type of product
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demand for the product
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funds available
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your premises
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your equipment
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your skills
how well
does the product perform &
function?
achieving functionality - how do you do it?
testing against criteria
user feedback/ observation
destructive testing
non-destructive testing
testing for user comfort/ ease of use
ergonomics
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height
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weight
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hearing
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sight
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personal preferences
non-destructive testing
section
PD
Prduct lifecycle
DE
We collect anthropometric data in order to design ergonomically
Anthropometrics - where do we get the data from?
who is the target market?
how are they going to use the product?
which measurements are relevant?
are you designing inclusively? or exclusively?
are you designing for adjustment?
adjustability - make sure it fits your user
look at the bike below - Although it does come in a variety of sizes, each one can be adjusted to suit a range of different height people
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Adjust the seat for taller/ shorter riders
adjust the handle bars for shorter/ longer reach
inclusive design -
you include ‘everybody'
exclusive design-
your design is exclusive, think VIP
things to consider:
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age
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gender
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weight
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height
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disabilities
environmental, social and economic implications
this is 4 generations of the same family, all as important as the other. As they all move on through their lives, the world will change a huge amount. one thing won't - what they do will impact the changes it goes through, be it positively or negatively.
Including 2 designers/ engineers they will, as a family, have more impact than most - through their work they can impact and influence many others. So will you!
Environmental:
the materials you manufacture from the energy you use to manufacture the opportunity to repair or recycle
Social:
the impact your projects have on society. think bout communities impacted by the product being made or used.
economic:
what sort of impact does the product/project have on the economy? does it help people? does it bring a community finance? does it offer fair opportunity?
moral and cultural issues
making something fit for purpose
How do we know if something has fitness for purpose? Does it do it's job? How well does it do it's job? We can find this out by analysing existing products and looking at things like:
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functionality and usability
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material selection
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component selection
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construction/ manufacturing methods
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ergonomic/ anthropometric considerations
Moral:
Are you designing something that is going to have an illegal or undesirable impact? if you you could class this as an immoral decision.
Cultural:
Are you designing something that is going to offend a particular group of people? if you you could class this as an cultural decision.
what about the impact on a users lifestyle?
every product should have a positive impact of it's users lifestyle. if it doesn't, is there a point in it in the first place? think about the '10 things of good design'.
take the following product and consider the evolution of it, and how the user is positively impacted by the way it now looks and operates.
Can you think of any products that have had a negative impact on society?
Don't forget to
SWOT
+
faster
lighter
adjustable
repairable
modifiable
available
There are wider issues to consider too:
Bigger demand on materials/ resources
increased disposal
manufactured abroad
transported
why do we follow fashion, trends, taste and style
first and foremost, its human nature for people to have the best and be seen with the best. Some people are not bothered by this, but for the most, its true. And as we live in a world where everything is so accessible, it's so easy to be one of those people. So how do we know what is 'trendy'?
Is it because it:
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has a technical or practical function
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It has aesthetic appeal
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(or is it because your favourite celebrity has one)
What used to be fashionable?
Design Styles
Victorian Design Style
1830's - 1890
Arts & Crafts movement
1950 - 1914
Art Nouveau
1890 - 1905
Art deco
1925 - 1935
pop art
1960's
There are plenty of other design styles and some of the dates may be slightly different. What is your favourite though?
one of the most rapidly changing industries it the fashion one, with fashions changing by season, genre or celebrity influence. this can have a huge impact on peoples buying trends but also has a huge impact on the environment - think about the product lifecycle of clothing.
another thing which is contributing to our ability to 'be seen' is to have customisable products. from pens with your name on to bespoke stitching in your luxury car, many products can be specifically styled for you.
Do you get these mixed up?
Trend forecaster:
who foercasts upcoming trends?
what era or design movement does it come from?
Classic
A product that is original. Old.
Retro
A product that looks old but is manufactured in a modern way and includes modern technology/ details
A modern product - has it been more ethically considered?
fashion, trends, taste and style
marketing and branding
marketinG
Promotion and selling products
understanding your consumer (TM)
Technology push - new technologies making new products available
Market pull - consumers have a need for a new product
branding
Naming or creating a logo for a company or a product.
If i said 'swoosh', you'd say...
(A well branded product)
which brands do you recognise? why do you recognise them? what is your feeling towards them?
'if you make a product, i will make it better, sell more and be richer.'
true?
So how do you know what is going to be popular? what people want? what new technology or process is available for manufacture? how much people are willing to spend? what the competitor has available?
market research - that's how.
AKA inbound marketing
Primary market research -
collecting first hand research:
questionnaires
focus or user groups
surveys
field research
product trials
+ precise
+ current
+ specific to the project
- expensive
- time consuming to gather
Secondary market research -
sourced data (books/ websites, etc
agencies
statistics sources
+ prepared and cost effective
-could be out of date
-may not be specific for the project
research can help to find out about:
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buying trends of groups
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consumer needs
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appropriate pricing
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competition
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user feedback
marketinG mix - how does a company promotes its product or brand?
4 p's
Product
The core product (product benefit)
Convenience of a car
the tangible/ physical product
the actual car
The augmented product
any aftersales support
Consider:
The quality of the product
aesthetics, performance, maintenance opportunity, durability, features, etc
Product Unique selling point (usp)
Price (can depend on)
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demand
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costs
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taxes
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competition
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stage in product lifecycle
Pricing methods
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Penetration pricing- set low, then increased
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Price skimming - start high, then reduce
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psychological pricing - £199, not £200
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predatory pricing - undercutting others
The 4 P's
Promotion
how to gain customers.
promotions
exhibitions/ tradeshows
publicity campaigns
sales reps
targeted advertising (SMM)
AIDA - attention, interest, desire, action
An alternative to the 4p's is SAVE:
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solution = not just a product > a solution instead
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access = how do you access the product > not just which shop (place) do you buy it from?
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value = not just about price > is it good value?
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education = More than promotion > it's not just an advert - reviews, testing details e.g. can be shared
Place/ Placement
where the customer can purchase from
(the shop, online, tv shopping)
Consider what you (C) buy and who provides it
m > C
M > R > C
M > W > C
M > W > R > C
(M = manufacturer, C = consumer, W = wholesaler, R = retailer)
imagine if each contact doubles the price. What's the cheapest way to purchase something?
Advertising
How do you tell people about your products or service?
Each have their own advantages and disadvantages, but some examples include:
TV
radio
newspaper
magazines
billboards/ posters
online
social media
How would you advertise best to these different people?
What are the rules about advertising?
See the bottom of the page to explore the different generations
Product launch - when do you do it?
smart timing - the 4 factors
offering unique features
offering relevant features
offering superior features
having it available now (ASAP)
would you launch a kids toy in January?
2.2 why is it important to understand technological developments?
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*other popular phone brands available.
although, link back to branding (above). what has made the iphone so popular?
Take the very (very) popular iphone. this isn't just a product that appeared in millions of pockets around the globe, but a product that has been developed over time due to the significant development of all of its components, the manufacturing abilities of each part and the developments of the materials they have been manufactured from.
Things that have allowed for the development of products:
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technological advancements
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manufacturing advancements
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material developments
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digital modelling and testing
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the combination of each of the above - allowing each of them to happen.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Iterative design
this is a continuous design process where the success of the design is refined and perfected. The process includes many stages of modelling, testing and evaluation.
james dyson created 5127 prototypes before getting it right
as part of the process its key to consider:
is there a real point to the product?
how will it effect users and society?
Where will all the parts come from?
product evolution - the Iphone, or the ford fiesta are perfect examples of this. clearly recognisable but clearly evolved and improved, version by version. these
changes have come because of new/
emerging technologies integrated
into their design.
enter examples here...
Innovation
without it there would be no 'different' design. so what is it?
designing something that is a little bit different. It could be that it's new, brave, blue-sky, risky, etc.
emerging technologies
one of the more recognised emerging technologies it the development of additive manufacture, or 3d printing. This development has revolutionised the way designers are able to model and test their ideas in a physical form. a welcomed alternative to injection moulding at a one-off level of production.
failure happens too
on some occasions, no matter how much market research, product development and clever marketing goes on, some products just don't become popular. sometimes it can make the difference between a successful brand and a failed one.
2.3 why is it important to understand both past & present developments?
Just like human kind, products have evolved over time. As discussed above, this has been down to many reasons - the needs or wants of people, material and technological developments, specific 'inventions'. or just straight forward refinement. a key thing
to remember though is that to be able to move forward, you must reflect on the past.
'historians focus on the past, designers focus on the future'
*completely untrue - you would be a fool to ignore past creations
Reasons to focus on past and present designs
past influence (design movements & designers)
form or function?
technological development
manufacturing practices
component developments
emotional connections
users needs & wants
evolution
what makes something iconic?
Why do some products never go out of fashion?
Industry and enterprise - how do companies keep ahead of the game ?
Many designers/ engineers have a strong team behind them to keep ideas fresh and up to date. Keeping ideas innovative and creative is key for them to ensure their products are the best, take for example the founder of ikea, Ingvar Kamprad, he couldn't possibly have made the brand as successful as he did without a team of experts helping him. Other examples include Dyson, Alessi & Nike.
Consider all of the products components and the specialists involved in researching, designing, developing a, manufacturing and the assembling them. It's not a one person job.
Lifestyle, culture and society - what impact have products had on these and how can we improve their impact with new products?
Impacting the environment
There is no simple way to put it, as a species, the human race has had a hugely impacting affect on planet earth and up to more recent times, none of it has been for the positive. There are huge numbers of companies now doing things to lessen the disasterous impact we are having, from the development of electric cars, right through to the replacement of plastic stawrs with grass straws.
This is quite a substantial document but the intro to it outlines the key things that Europe is focussing on to help out...
What were we doing wrong?
Use of raw materials
Non-renewable energy use
sticking things in landfill
Planned obsolescence
making the Wrong choice
What are we doing better?
using recycled materials
renewable energy use
DFMA focus on disassembly/ repair
recycling
making the right choice
Locally sourced
Energy efficient
Biodegradable materials
How did we get into this mess?
We live in a very disposable society - we want it, we buy it. throw away the one that's still working. who cares??? Well...
Unfortunately this has been the approach by the western world for too long and now it's starting to catch up with us. whether its phones, cars, clothes, straws or the left overs from dinner. What we throw away has a huge impact.
The things that we surround ourselves by haven't just appeared, they have come from the brilliant inventions and developments of a huge number of products and components. Some of which you can see below:
historical movements and influential people
invention of:
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www.
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3G
the stored program computer
(isolation of) Graphene
the microchip
Influential people
influential people
product design
design engineering
some others...
2.4 what can be learnt by examining lifecycles of products?
What do wed to consider when looking at the lifecycles of products?
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products have limited life
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product sales go through different stages
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profits rise and fall
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products need different strategies at each stage
products have limited life
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Damage
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update
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fashion
Product sales go through different stages
product profits rise and fall
products require different marketing strategies throughout their lifecycle
Introduction - new products being released into the market
Key things to consider at this stage:
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target market
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wider stakeholders
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market penetration
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financial investment
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pricing strategy
Price skimming
Start high - move lower
Penetration pricing
Start low to attract new customers - increase
Growth - product popularity is increasing and sales are growing
Key things to consider at this stage:
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Introduction was a success
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products are being purchased
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Continued advertising and marketing required to gain new customers
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Product development considerations for the next model
Maturity - product interest and sales has matured.
Key things to consider at this stage:
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sales level out and profit margins decline
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is the market saturated?
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do your competitors have a better product?
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other markets could be explored (international)
Decline - sales are reducing
Things to consider at this stage:
Did the company predict when this would happen (forecasting)
Is there a new product ready to launch in the market?
creating demand and maintaining popularity
No
1
So you want to be number 1? Like Apple, or Nike? Well how do you do it? Essentially by extending sales and generating interest. But how?
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increasing the uses of the product/ multiple functions
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reducing the price
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Creating a USP (unique selling point)
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introducing promotional offers
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new advertising campaigns
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appealing to another target market (new branding)
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keeping technology up to date (updatable)
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attracting new markets
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Consider the example in the textbook and the discussion had in class - the fiat 500 was reinvented after its previous sales declined decades ago. The relaunch with what a current consumer wanted brought back its popularity.
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Also discussed in lesson was the example of nylon - a material which has a deep history of development and reinvention. May product have benefited from this.
The year is 2022 ... how do you tell people about what you have?
Newspapers
Town cryers
billboards
tv
radio
Traditional marketing methods
some of these methods are still widely used and are successful ways of reaching particular target markets. Key things to consider though are:
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who are you targeting?
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when do you need to target them?
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do you need to show or tell people about something?
A much more current method of marketing is through the use of social media. There are a huge number of platforms that can share and reach instantly, for free.
Social media can be used in many ways, from sharing content, gathering and analysing interest/ interaction and reviewing products.
Passive use - Consumers sharing reviews and recommendations
Active use - companies actively using SMM to interact with consumers
Social media marketing
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instant connectivity
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sponsored influencers (opinion leaders)
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celebrity use (opinion leaders)
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widely used
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cross platform availability
think about bloggers, vloggers & celebrities and the numbers of followers they have
COBRA - consumer's online brand related activities
analysis of the use of online sharing - seeing what's popular, when and who with.
ewom - electronic word of mouth
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recommendations
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positive & negative reviews
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honest
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quick - star ratings
caution of fake reviews
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people like to share
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people go to the internet for advise
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people trust other people
SEO - search engine optimisation
this is about making your site 'findable'. paid advertisement or a popular search result will help with this.
this is why some companies used to call their companies 'AA' something - they would be first in the phone book (ask your carers if you don't know what a phone book is)
With all of the above being considered, the fundamental thing marketing comes down to is who are you aiming your product and how are you going to get their attention. people buy things for different reasons and in different ways. Examples...
incremental design
baby boomer
Gen
X
Gen
Y
Gen
Z
Gen
Alpha
blue-sky thinking
1940 - 1959
1960 - 1979
1980 - 1994
1995 - 2009
2010 - 2024
Digital marketing... watch out for those cookies
if you don't know, everything you do on the internet is traceable. the websites you look at, the things you share, like and download, the people you message, it's all traceable.
Some companies have a focus on using this info for seeing who likes what, shares what and buys what. This info can be used to help companies get ahead... here's 4 ways how:
Digital branding
It's all about connecting with the consumer, through the most immersive way possible.
Customer experience design
using customer data to enhance brand experiences for the customer
Demand generator
This is all about creating online traffic and generating sales from online marketing (websites, SMM, SEO etc)
Product innovator
Identifying, developing and launching new digital products
Time to test your knowledge. Click on the link below and enter the room ncbdttwo
Access exemplar exam questions for this section here
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test your section 2 key terms understanding here
log into memrise and then click below
Design Technology @ NCB
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