Graphics product development, evaluation and ICT
A designer must work with the client, user and manufacturer to make a good product. Product development involves the the brief, market research and the specification. Products have a lifecycle which can be split into four stages, which determine when a new product is developed.
Designers apply various tests to evaluate products, including using the product, performance testing, and testing for appropriateness. Quality of design must also be checked. ICT is used throughout graphic design and production, and allows designers to produce models and prototypes.
Roles within graphic design
Client
The client employs or commissions the designer. They set the brief for the designer to work to. The client decides if a product can go into production.
Consumer
The consumer or user is the person the product is designed to be used by. A successful product needs to meet the needs of the consumer. Users want products that are:
· reasonably priced
· good quality
· functional
· attractive
Designer
The designer is responsible for planning the design of the product. They recognise a need for a new or improved product, which could be caused by:
· demand from consumers
· competing product launched by another manufacturer
· a manufacturer wanting to increase market share
· new manufacturing methods
Occasionally a product will be designed simply because the designer feels that it is needed or because demand will be created by the very existence of the product.
Models
Designers present ideas as models, mock-ups and prototypes. Models are usually 3D but they can also be 2D, such as drawings or CAD simulations. Models show clients and consumers ideas so they can evaluate them and the client can decide if they want to go into production.
Manufacturer
The manufacturer evaluates models and advises on the best way to make them. This means choosing the safest and most effective method of production and the best organisation of equipment and people. The manufacturer also decides the quality control methods.
Development
Product development can be split into stages:
Brief
The brief is the problem that needs to be solved.
Market research
Market research means finding out what people want from a product. It includes studying trends and shopping habits. This can be done by conducting surveys, questionnaires, and telephone interviews.
Specification
The specification describes the needs of the product. It includes:
· size
· shape
· costs
· materials
· equipment
· aesthetics
· target market
Product lifecycles
All products have a limited life. Different products last for different lengths of time but their lifecycles follow this curve:
The lifecycle shows the four stages for the 'working life' of most products. These are:
1. Introduction
2. Growth
3. Maturity
4. Decline
In the launch and growth stages sales rise. In the maturity stage, sales and profit flatten out. In the final decline stage, sales start to fall.
Manufacturers must know where a product is in its lifecycle, so they know when to launch a new product or develop a newer version. For example, a chocolate bar manufacturer might make a new flavour.
Evaluating graphic products
Evaluation means assessing a product and it is done throughout the design and production process. To evaluate a product, a number of questions have to be considered, such as:
· Does the product meet the specification?
· Does it meet the needs of the user?
· Is it fit for purpose?
Designers need to evaluate their own products and products that already exist.
Testing
Products can be evaluated against the original specification through testing. This can be done by using the product, performance testing, and testing for appropriateness.
1. Using the product
This involves asking the following questions:
· Is the product easy and convenient to use?
· Does it do its job?
· Does it appeal to the user?
2. Performance testing
The product is tested to see that it meets its specification. The following questions are asked:
· Does it do the job for which it was designed?
· Does it fit into the place where it is used?
· Does it meet other specification requirements?
3. Testing for appropriateness
This is a check to see if a product meets the needs of the user and the environment. The following questions are asked:
· Does it suit the needs of the user?
· Are the materials used transported over long distances?
· Is it made in the local area?
· Is it made from renewable energy sources and materials?
· Are the use of the product and its disposal after use, friendly to the environment?
The concept of quality
'Quality' in graphics can refer to two things:
· quality of design - how well the product meets the user's needs
· quality of manufacture - how well the product has been made
A product can be well designed, but poorly made, or well-made, but poorly designed.
Quality of design
Product quality checklist:
· Does the product meet the user's needs?
· Have appropriate materials been used?
· How easy is it to maintain or replace the product?
· How easy is it to dispose of the product without polluting the environment?
Meeting the user's needs
To be able to meet the user's needs, the designer must research what they are. This can be done by:
· Talking to the user and asking them what they want.
· Observing the user interacting with similar products or prototypes.
· Researching the user's lifestyle by looking at newspapers, magazines and books.
ICT in graphic design and production
ICT speeds up the design and production process by allowing changes to be made more easily. Designers can build simulations showing what the finished product will look like and how it will behave.
There are two main ways ICT is used in graphics:
· Computer-aided design (CAD) is used to help design products
· Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) is used to standardise and automate manufacturing of products
CAD and CAM consist of input devices, processes and output devices:
Input devices / Processes / Output devices /· - keyboard
· - computer mouse
· - scanner
· - digital camera
· - graphics tablet
· - tracker ball / · - CPU
· - operating system
· - memory
· - software / · - monitor
· - printer
· - plotter
· - cutter
· - milling machine
· - stereo lithography machine
Modelling and prototyping
ICT allows designers to create 3D models and prototypes, by using the techniques of virtual prototyping and stereo lithography.
· Virtual prototyping software produces a 3D representation, which can be manipulated and viewed from any angle.
· Stereo lithography software makes a physical 3D prototype. A model of the product is made on the computer and sliced' into many thin layers. Each slice is cut into resin by a laser, and assembled into a complete prototype.
Video: The development of a package to transport flowers
Watch this Learning Zone Broadband Class Clips video to find out how CAD is used to design packaging.