A Level Notes

User-Centered Design

  • User-centered design creates products that:

    • Fit the user's size, shape, form, and aesthetics.

    • Are popular and commercially successful.

    • Compete well in the market.

    • Encourage research and development.

  • Good design involves research, design, testing, and evaluation to meet user needs.

  • The iterative design process includes prototyping, testing, and evaluation.

Needs, Wants, and Values

  • Designers must understand user groups to develop successful products.

  • Consider user needs, wants, values, mental and physical abilities.

Research Methods

  • Investigate user groups using:

    • Market research

    • Interviews and focus groups

    • Human factors

    • Product analysis and evaluation

    • Ergonomic and anthropometric data

  • Interviews allow designers to discuss exact client/user requirements.

  • Focus groups collect a range of views at one time.

Competition Analysis

  • Analyzing existing products helps develop better products and identify areas for improvement.

  • Product evaluations help designers cherry-pick the best design features and identify market gaps.

Anthropometric Data

  • Anthropometrics is the study of human body size and proportions.

  • Data sets ensure products are ergonomic and specific to the target market.

  • Factors such as age, gender, and ethnicity cause differences in anthropometric data.

Using Anthropometric Data

  • Design can cater to:

    • Average users (e.g., a handle)

    • Extreme users (e.g., a door frame)

    • Adjustability (e.g., an office chair)

    • Adaptability (e.g., a booster seat)

Ergonomics

  • Ergonomic products are easy and comfortable to use and are a result of correct application of anthropometric data.

  • Ergonomic design affects product form, color, texture, and symbols.

  • Ergonomic testing is performed throughout the design process.

Design Development

  • Research informs design development and models.

  • The iterative design process involves continuous designing, prototyping, testing, and evaluation.

Prototype Planning

  • Planning what to test and evaluate helps decide the materials needed for prototypes.

  • Prototypes can be made by hand or using CAD/CAM.

Evaluation and Improvement

  • Prototypes are tested and evaluated to inform further development and improve market appeal.

Design Styles

  • Designers are often recognised by their style, influenced by historic design movements.

  • Key styles:

    • Arts and Crafts (approx. 1850-1915)

    • Art Deco (approx. 1910-1940)

    • Modernism (approx. 1880-1940), e.g., Bauhaus

    • Post-Modernism (approx. 1972 to end of 20th century), e.g., Memphis

Arts and Crafts (approx. 1850-1915)

  • Celebrated handmade and crafted designs in reaction to industrialization.

  • Key characteristics: Simple designs, quality materials, repeated patterns, natural ornamentation.

Art Deco (approx. 1910-1940)

  • Fusion of styles like Bauhaus, Cubism, Modernism, and Art Nouveau.

  • Characteristics: Decorative, elegant, functional, geometrically symmetrical shapes, curved features, sleek lines.

Modernism (approx. 1880-1940)

  • Influential in Western society, grew from re-examination of living in an industrialized world.

  • Key Principles: 'Form follows function'. Common materials: tubular steel, glass, stainless steel, plywood and concrete.

Post Modern (approx. 1972 to end 20th century)

  • Reaction to bland, functional designs of Modernism.

  • Characteristics: Eclectic, creative, decorative, emotive; use of abstract designs and shapes.

Designers and Their Products

  • A designer's work includes:

    • Problem-solving to enhance lives

    • Improving existing products

    • Responding to consumer lifestyle changes

    • Utilizing technology to improve efficiency

    • Minimizing environmental impact

    • Creating a connection between product and user

Consumer Society

  • A society that buys new goods, especially unnecessary ones, highly valuing ownership.

  • Links between mass production, increased choice, consumer demand, and a throw-away mentality.

Sustainability

  • Since the 1970s, resource consumption exceeds Earth's replenishment rate.

  • Practices for sustainability:

    • Rethink and regulate consumption

    • Develop sustainable practices.

    • Meet demands of future generations.

Designing the Future

  • Designers and manufacturers need to focus on:

    • Environmental sustainability

    • Economic sustainability

    • Social sustainability

Carbon Footprint

  • Carbon footprint measures greenhouse gas emissions from individuals, companies, or countries.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

  • LCA considers environmental impact throughout a product's life cycle.

Environmental Perspectives

  • Environmental considerations influence decisions in design, development, and manufacturing.

Pollution and Emissions

  • Farming, extraction, processing, and manufacturing release pollutants (e.g., carbon dioxide, methane).

  • These pollutants can causes long term issues related to air, water and soil.

Deforestation

  • Trees used faster than replanted; deforestation contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, habitat loss, and soil erosion.

Climate Change

  • Effects of climate change include melting ice, rising sea levels, desertification, and extreme weather.

Prolific Plastics

  • Waste plastic becoming a major problem due to increased use, low cost, and durability.

Single Use Plastics

  • Single-use plastics make up a large portion of litter.

  • Deposit return schemes and taxes can help reduce plastic bottle usage.

Circular Economy

  • A circular economy aims to rethink how products are made and used to re-balance consumption.

Linear Economy

  • The linear economy model works by extracting resources, making products, and disposing of them.

Natural Answer

  • Nature works in a circular way like plants growing from seeds.

Circular Economy Implementation

  • To build a circular economy, products must be designed for maintenance, repair, and use of sustainable or recycled materials.

Responsible stakeholders

  • All Stakeholders like Governments, Designers, Manufacturers, and consumers must play a role in changing habits and creating green products.

Six 'R's of sustainability

  • Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, and Recycle.

Repair and Maintenance

  • It's vital to throw away less, instead opting to repair broken products.

Cradle to Cradle®

  • Design that fits into the circular economy by reusing waste and reducing carbon footprint.

Planning for accuracy

  • For measurements to be accurate it must conform to a defined specified value.

  • Increased accuracy with help with:

    • Quality

    • Waste

    • Cost

Project Management Efficiency

  • Various project management systems are implemented to help optimize practices in all manufacturing areas.

Increased Business value of Efficiency

  • Reduced time to market

  • Competitive advantage

  • Increased market share

  • Satisified customers.

Environmental benefits to increased business efficiency

  • Fewer resources used

  • Less energy used

  • Lower levels of pollution

  • Less waste created

Product design specification (PDS)

  • The PDS should be consistently referenced during design, development, Prototyping, testing, production planning, and production

Accurate Modelling with CAD

  • CAD software is better for making working drawings compared to making them by hand.

Product Assessment

  • 3D CAD modelling and physical prototyping allow designers to realize designs before production and test them in the following aspects:

    • Anthropometrics and ergonomics

    • Function and usability

    • Form and aesthetics

    • Tolerances Consumer testing, research methods, are used in pre-production to gain insight into Prototype products

Efficient Product Design

  • Cutting components from the edge of a material saves Space and minimizes wastage CAD & CAM systems are now readily employed to nest patterns for efficient cutting Computer aided manufacture enables accuracy used in batch, mass, and continuous production methods

International product standards

  • Standards are an agreed way of demonstrating a product has met certain predetermined expectations including:

    • Compliance with regulations or directives

    • Environmental Impact

    • Fair global trade

    • Compatibility

    • Quality

    • Safety

British standards Implementations

*The industrial revolution led to the implementations of standards in response to the for High precision machine tools, and Interchangable Parts

ISO implementations

*ISO 9001 is a quality standard used for the certification of ISO, which is a group of seven quality management principles like:
*Leadership Improvemnt
*Customer focus
*Process Approach
*Engagement of people
*Evidence Based decision making

Understanding Quality Assurance

*QA is a a procedure or system which is followed in order to achieve the desired level of quality.

Tools for meeting Quality standards

*Gantt chart
*Kaizen/constant Improvement
*scrum Framework
Six sigma processes
Critical Path Analysis (CPA)

Critical assessment

*Critical Assessment opportunities Include:
*Product analysis, Task Analysis.

Working on solution design:

Through, continues Improvement James Dyson created a new type of vacuum cleaner

To ensure Specification is a workable must have the following characteristics to gulde the designer during product specifications

*Materials, aesthetic, Prices and dimensions must be realistic
*Must be Technical
*Must be justified through Researh and measurable

Iterative Design for production:

Prototyping, testing Analyzing the refinement Client feedback continuous.

Inclusive designs Includes::

British institute definition: the design of mainstream products and/or services that are accessible to and usable by as many people as reasonably possible.
inclusive design versus exclusive, designer, must be aware of the design decisions they may make or may exclude certain user groups and therefore they should:
Understand, diversity of their potential user groups
Be aware of variations and capability and need
Make informed decision
Small changes that can make significant difference

Safety laws :

Health and Safety at work Act HSA 1974 control other substances has it just to health regulations cosh 2002

What are the Hazards ?

*Toxicity, Flammability, and corrosion.

Risk assessments

  • Step-by-step guide to preventing accidents

  • Assess-risk

  • Take precautions

  • Control exposure

  • Follow procedures.

  • Monitor exposure

  • Plan and train, an incident.