Core Technical Principles Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is JIT Production?
Just in time production ensures that materials, components etc arrive at the facility when they are needed. This reduces storage costs however there must be cooperation between the supplier and customer.
+ amount of product depends on demand
+ reduces waste of time and materials
+ if product becomes obsolete then wont be left with large quantities of out of date componenets that have to be discarded
+ ONLY GOT ONE SHOT! Essentially due to having the specified amount needed, the room for error is small leading to pressure on workers which enables products of higher quality
+ Mimised stroage, elianting the need for large warehouses to store stock saving money on rent of warehouses.
- dependent on suppliers delevering when needed, if they dont then delays can occur = longer production = leaving target market dry
- little room for mistakes (one shot as mentioned)
- ## inabiloty to meet expected orders, unexpected surge cant be met as componenets have to be ordered again, cant saisfy that market
Why is Customer Service important?
Customer service is providing service to a customer to make them feel valued. This enhances their satisfaction of the experience with the company.
Maslow’s 1943 Hierarchy
Humans have five needs that can be put into a hierarchy:
- Physiological Needs - hunger and thirst
- Safety Needs - protection
- Belonging Needs - affection and friendship
- Self Esteem - self respect
- Need for self actualisation - fulfilment
The first two is what a person requires where as the rest causes how humans behave therefore its important that manufactures use market research to gather customer needs. For instance a company may need to figure out fashion can improve self esteem.
Concept of quality by designers and to consumers
A quality product will come from a source of quality like a quality design, manufacture and advertising. Must be marketed to ensure that the quality is shown and apparent to the user and they are aware of what they are purchasing. (quality marketing). A customer will judge the quality of a product base on its performance, some see quality to cost (value for money) or quality with delivery time.
Client profiles and identifying target markets
addressing the correct market is vital, ensuring that you know your customer/clients and that the design represents them and their needs/wants. same with target markets, knowing the requirements of that market, their needs/wants so the whole market is driven to your product
Product life cycle effect
big influence of potential market and customer. Allows companies to anaylse each staeg of product from start to finish of their life and ensure sales remain high and profit is good. if they notice there product not doing so well they can advertsie or introduce a new product before sales decline too mcuh.
Stages (Learnt at AS)
- Introdution - new to market, profit is low due to advertsing efforts
- Growth - sales coming in
- Maturity - reached peak sales and profit, other companies recognise success and begin on making similar product
- Decline - outdated product in terms of technology and design used. Advertising efforts are used to sell remaining stock. new improved products have bee realised
Life Cycle Analysis
To determine environmental impact of a product from design to manufacture to use and disposal. Cradle to grave. Using this method, companies can reduce or rethink areas that can be more efficient and environmentally friendly. can reduce carbon footprint, rethink using global manufacture
Planned obsolescence
Planned obsolescence is when a product is made to fail. With the iphone, iphone 3 and 4 cant be bought or fixed due to incompabiloity with new technology.
For consumer…
+ gives user better quality product and access to new technology
+ gives reason to buy
For designer/manufacturer…
+ provides jobs in both fields
+ desiging something to fail is argubaly easier
+ constantly manufcturing - energy efficient especially mass
Perceived obsolescence
own peer pressure to buy new things.
+ keep up with trends
SWOT Anaylsis
strategic planning technqiue used to identify internal and external factors that could impact the product.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Oppertunities
Threats
Strenghts and Weaknesses are internally related (in your control), come from inside the organisation like staff skills, equipment etc. Opportunites and Threats come from the outside world (out of your control) like market trends, competitors actions
Market Environment
Refers to factors which affect a firm’s ability from building and maintaining relationships with their customers
Micro Environemnt - close external forces that affects the companies ability to serve its customers. E.g suppliers, competitiors, customers
Macro Enviroment - broader, less controllable forces that affects the business. E.g Technological (new innovations or shifts), Demographic (population changes, age distrubution)
Meso Environment - industry market in which the company operates
Feasibility Studies
A feasibility study is a short investigation that assesses whether a project or idea is realistic, practical, and worth doing.
+ desire to ‘get it right’ before comitting investment
+ could encover new ideas that may change the scope.
5 Areas -
Technical - Can the product be made with available tools, materials, and processes?
Economic - Is the product affordable to make and sell? are the materials and production costs within budget?
Legal - Is the product safe, responsible, and within legal limits? is this ethically and sustaiblly sourced? leglisation or copyright issues? (e.g patents, trademarks)
Operational - Refers to how well a proposed product or system will function within its intended environment
Scheduling - Can the product be designed, developed, and made in time?
Market Pull and Technology Push
Market Pull refers to the need/requirements for a new product or solution that comes from the market place. The need is identified by potential customers or market research. (Example is Ipod)
Technology push is when research and development in new technology drives the development of new products (Example is Touch Screens, Dual Cyclone)
Standard
Document providing rules or guidelines which are used to ensure things like products and processes are fit for their purpose, are unifrom and of good quality
E.g ISO 7810 is used for identifaction cards to ensure that cards are the same size around the world so if you buy a wallet in a foreign location it will hold the card comfortably
