socio-economic influences
DESIGN LIMITATIONS
design with no restrictions allows anything to be produced however there are many restrictions. events that have had major effects of social progress and economic activity are the industrial revolution, WWI and WWII
time
money
quality
political events
environment
regulations
culture
religion
target market want
workforce
technological capabilities
lifecycle
fashions
age
WWI
world war one had a major effect on consumerism, as consumers did not have access to what they wanted, so necessity advanced technology with new mass production technqiues being developed to counter large material defect
restrictions on resources screated scarce material supply, especially of steel aluminium, canvas, fabricm copper wires, leather and wood
after WWI designer developed the Bauhaus design movement with simplistic shapes and simple technology, utilising the new materials such as steel tubing. mass production also developed further with the new-found capability of factories. planned obscelence started with Henry Ford moving from aluminium to steel car production
WWII
despite new technology materials were still scarce, especially with the introduction os rationing. groups such as the utility furniture advisory commitee started to prodvide needed products to newlyweds and people who lost their homes. other movements started, with the controlled commodity and the idea of make-do and mend mentality
utility furniture developed as an early iteration of flatpack furniture, and the arts and crafts movemment made a resurgence with simple sturdy products needed. the main mantra of thei movemement of design was ‘fit for purpose’
CONTEMPORARY MODERN TIMES
after the war, products move to streamlining, such as the VW beatle in 1934 and Morris Minor in 1948 using minimal materials. the council of industrial design was started in the UK to help promote global development starting the Britain can mait and festical of Britatin exhibitions to promote manufacturing
fashion and mass production meant that manufacturing developed quicker after WWII with new plastics such as Bakelite and possibilities to injection mould batches of new plastics, this polymer boom allowed more consumerism as more products were being produced. fashion also meant that products would flood tge market with thier new short lead times, as a result consumers bought to fit in not out of necessity
fashion is now often influenced by social media with influencers and advertisments being the largest promoter of new products, with this product life-span has also decreased
one new modern material that has potential to develop and help advance product technology is graphene with its potential to be used in micro USB, due to its one atom thick structure and ability to conduct eletricity