5) Innovation and Design

product life cycle

a description of the presence or behaviours of a product in the market place over time

key stages of the product life cycle

• launch

• growth

• maturity

• decline

planned obsolescence (built in)

a policy of planning/designing a prdocut with an artificially limited useful life

style/fashion obsolescence

designers alter product aesthetics to reduce appeal of older styles and encourage more frequent purchases

functional obsolescence

reduction in the usefullness or desirability of an object

tech obsolescence

is a form of function obsolescence: due to rapid tech advancements

predictability

the ability to anticipate when a product will become outdated, especially in fast moving tech industries, based on regular patterns of innovation and product replacement

unpredictability

the difficulty manufacturers face in accurately forecasting a products life span due to uncertain consumer demand, especially during the development phase

product versioning

the practice of offering multiple models of the same product at different price points to appeal to varrying customer preferences and percieved value

target market

the sectors and segments

target audience

a specific group of people within the target market

market analysis

evaluates the economic viability of a proposed design by addressign potential users, market demand and associated costs

economic viability

an activities ability to sustain itself financially over time

fixed costs

remain constant regardless of output

variable costs

fluctuate with production volume

user needs

ivolves identifying essential product requirements to meet market expectations and consumer demands

Moslows hierarchy of needs

a motivational psychology theory

list of Moslows hierarchy of needs

1. psychological needs

2. safety needs

3. love and belonging

4. esteem

5. self actualisation

inventor

a lone inventor is an individual, often isolated, who is dedicated to creating a novel product that challenges the status quo

product champion

an individual usually working within an organisation who develops enthusiasm for a particular idea and ‘‘champions’’ (influences) it within the organisation

entrepeneur

one who can take an invention to market, often by financing the development, production and diffusion of a product into the market place

act of insight

a sudden image of a potential solution being formed in the mind (usually after a long period of time)

adaptation

applying an exiting technology or solution form one field to create a new product or solve a problem in another.

consumer pull

when a new idea is needed as a result of demand from the market place and designers often produce ideas for products in response to market forces.

tech push

when scientific research and tech advances, they drive the development or redesign of products, often due to new materials, processes, or manufacturing methods.

transfer

where a tech, manufacturing process or material is transferred to another field to provide the bass for an invention

chance

an unexpected discovery that leads to new ideas

diffusion

the process by which an innovation is communicated thorugh certain channels overtime among the participants in a social system

4 elements of diffusion

1. innovation

2. communication channels

3. time

4. social system

innovation (element of diffusion)

new product

communication channels (element of diffusion)

how message spreads

time (element of diffusion)

speed of adoption of the innovation

social system (element of diffusion)

interrelated stakeholders that are enagged in the process.

social roots of consumerism

lie in the ideology that promotes the continual acquistion of goods and services, often beyond basic needs as a marker of social and economic value

influence of social media on diffusion of innovation

enables consumers to raise brand awareness, rally for support or opposition and promote new products through platform

Rogers 5 characteristcs

1. relative advantage

2. compatibility

3. complexity

4. obersvability

5. trialability

Rogers 5: relative advantage

how imposed an innovation is comapred to previous generations

Rogers 5: compatibility advantage

how compatible is the innovation with an individual life

Rogers 5: complexity

if the innovation is difficult to use, one is less likely to adapt to it

Rogers 5: observability

the extent of the innovation being visible to others.

Rogers 5: trialability

to what extnet can innovation be explored

invention

discovering a principle and the process of discovery (a technical advance leading to a novel product

invention (definition)

the creation of new onjects, ideas, or systems usefull im achieving certain objectives.

inventors resposibility

to have an idea and put it into practice

drivers for invention

• desire to make money or help others

• scientific or technical curiosity

• personla interest

• motivation

• creativity

• constructive dicontent

lone inventor - ‘creative champion’

an individual who is so commited to the invention of a novel product, they often become isolated because they are so obsessed.

Intellectual property (IP)

the legallly recognised exclusive rights to creations of the mind

• copyright

• trademarks

• patents

patent pending

signals a field patent and warns the potential copiers of future legal and financial consequences

trademarks (TM) and service mark (SM)

distinguishes products and services from other providers

copyright ‘C’

gives creator control over how their original work is used and stored, so they can earn from it

registered trademark ‘R’

shows the source of goods or services and gives the owner exlusive legal rights to use it

shelved tech: cost effectiveness

shows that the technology exists but isnt used until its affordable for consumers, often delayed to protect patents or due to high production costs

shelved tech: social reasons

can delay technology adoption due to market resitance, safety concerns or cultural and religious beliefs

shelved tech: technological factors

delays products when the core science exists but the ‘tech’ isnt advanced enough for practical use

shelved tech: timing or strategic release

strategically releasing products to avoid market confusion and maximise success

innovation

the act or business of putting an invention in the marketplace and making it a success (they should make a difference)

innovations fail reasons

• marketability

• financial support

• marketing

• needs

• price

• resistance to chnage

• risk

kick starters and other crowdsourcing platforms

raise funds online from many people to support a project, product or service.

sustaining innovation

a company improving their already existing product to further generations till it reaches the end of its life-cycle

innovation: feature additions or fixes

new generations of product could seem more progressed due to feature fixes/additions, similar to apply iphones (camera)

innovation: cost reductions

as product scales grwo, raw materials costs decline, and design improvements simplify production or allow for cheaper materials

innovation: product line expansions

offering different (adittional) sizes, colors, etc.

disruptive innovation

simple, low cost products that transform markets by displacing existing solutions and attracting ppreviously overlooked cusotmers

process innovation

the implementation of a new or signficantly improved production or delivery method: including changes in technqiues, software or/and equiptment

architectural innovation

modifies the structure or configuration of a product by reordering existing components without altering the core technologies

modular innnovation

maintain the architecture but modify the modules software

configural innovation

change is made in technology and organisation.

• involves assembling predefined components in allowed ways to meet specific requirements and constraints through selection, alocation and interfacing.

Innovation diagram

diffusion of innovation

a theory to explain how, why and at waht rate new ideas and technoloy spread through cultures

Rogers 5 stages of diffusion

1. knowledge = awareness

2. persuasion = interest

3. decision = evaluation

4. implementation = trial

5. confirmation = adoption

suppression

the delayed adoption of an innovation due to factors like patent disputes, resistance from established players and institutional inertia that protect existing technologies and slow disruptive change

SWOT Analysis

A strategic planning framework: Strengths (internal advantages), Weaknesses (internal disadvantages), Opportunities (external favourable factors), Threats (external unfavourable factors). Used to evaluate a product, company, or design concept in its market context. Strengths and weaknesses are internal; opportunities and threats are external.

PEST / PESTLE Analysis

A framework for analysing the macro-environmental factors affecting a design or business: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental. Used to identify external forces that could influence product development, market entry, or design decisions. PESTLE adds Legal and Environmental to the original PEST model.

BCG Matrix (Product Portfolio Analysis)

A framework for analysing a company's product portfolio: Stars (high market share, high growth — invest), Cash Cows (high share, low growth — exploit), Question Marks (low share, high growth — decide), Dogs (low share, low growth — divest). Helps companies allocate resources across products based on market performance.

The Design Process Stages

Brief → Research → Specification → Ideation → Development → Testing → Evaluation. Brief: client outlines the problem. Research: investigate user needs, context, existing solutions. Specification: define measurable criteria the design must meet. Ideation: generate multiple concepts. Development: refine chosen concept. Testing: verify against specification. Evaluation: assess success and identify improvements. The process is iterative not strictly linear.

Design Brief vs Design Specification — The Distinction

Design brief: a broad statement from the client describing the problem to be solved, the target user, and general requirements — qualitative and open-ended.

Design specification: a detailed, measurable list of criteria the final design must meet — function, size, materials, cost, safety, ergonomics. The brief is the starting point; the specification is the testable standard against which the final design is evaluated.

Stakeholder Analysis

The process of identifying all individuals and groups who have an interest in or are affected by a design — users, clients, manufacturers, retailers, regulators, communities, the environment. Analysing their needs, influence, and potential conflicts allows designers to balance competing requirements and manage expectations throughout the design process.

Push vs Pull Marketing

Push marketing: the manufacturer pushes products toward consumers through advertising, promotion, and retailer incentives — creating demand. Pull marketing: consumer demand pulls products through the supply chain — manufacturers respond to expressed needs. In design: technology push creates products from new technology then finds a market; market pull designs products in direct response to identified consumer needs.

Open-Source Design

A design philosophy where product designs, plans, and specifications are made publicly available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. Encourages collaborative development and rapid iteration. Examples: RepRap (open-source 3D printer), Arduino (open-source electronics platform). Challenges include quality control, intellectual property, and commercial viability.