Section 6 Designing Principles

Question 1

Considering AVAILABILITY when selecting materials or components

Answer 1

Amount of stock
Price
Demand
Stock form (size)
Ease of obtain

Question 2

Considering CULTURAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS when selecting materials or components

Answer 2

People: colours, religious views, age, gender, lifestyle
2 types of design:
Adaptive design - specific for one person - for disabilities
Inclusive design - suitable for everyone - eg. door frame heights

Question 3

How aesthetics are considered in the design of the modern products compared to older ones

Answer 3

Modern manufacturers try to give their design a ‘wow factor’ so it will appeal to customers more and they will buy one brand over another
Use of bright and bold colour schemes to attract potential customers and ‘draw the customer in’
Use of quality materials and construction processes to improve the looks of the vacuum cleaner over time, eg self-coloured/finished polymers for body parts which can be wiped down and scuff marks removed
Aesthetics can be damaged with poor quality materials or finish of materials making a product look of low quality and something discerning customers won’t want in their homes
Battery powered vacuum cleaners. Lithium ion batteries have removed the need for any trailing cables when in use, improving appearance
Compact nature of cordless/battery cleaners means they can be stored discretely improving product aesthetics when stored as well as that of the room
Futuristic and ‘high tech’ looking designs, eg robotic cleaners moving around a room unaided

Question 4

How iterative design may have been used to improve a specific product over time, such as vacuum cleaners

Answer 4

Vacuum cleaner needs to allow the user to keep their home clean as efficiently as possible
They want a vacuum cleaner that requires as little effort as possible to use as the user could be an older person
It needs to manoeuvre into tight and awkward spaces to ensure no dirt is missed
The user will want to know when the vacuum cleaner is full and needs emptying and be able to do this without creating any extra mess