Text 1 stages in design process

Read the text using a dictionary.

_{Look at any manufactured product and you will see evidence of design. It may be beautiful, but appearance is only one aspect of design. It must also function well. The design process is series of stages or steps. It begins when someone notices that there is a need or problem in society which must be solved. It ends when a product is manufactured which meets or fulfils that need. There are the stages of the design process.}

_{I. For example, when certain cooking pot is heated, the handle becomes too hot to touch. Sometimes the designer may have to invent a new product to solve the problem. At other times he or she may modify, or change, an existing design to improve it.}

_{II. (also called the design specification)This is a simple, clear statement of what is to be designed. For example, design a handle that remains cool when the pot is heated.}

_{III. The designer asks questions and finds out information to help design a good product. Who will use this product? What will it do? How will it look? What materials are available? How much will they cost? Do they have the right properties (such as durability)? How will the product be made? How can it be made safe?}

_{IV. Here, the designer thinks of different ideas, writing them all down without evaluating them at first. He or she will then produce sketches, or simple drawings, of the different designs.}

_{V. Here, the designer chooses the design which best solves the problem. He or she also considers cost, time, available materials, manufacturability (i.e. whether it can be manufactured using available skills, tools, and machinery).}

_{VI. (also called the realization stage, when a design is realized or made into a real object) A detailed drawing is made, probably using CAD software. Then a model or prototype (= first working version) is manufactured (or a computer simulation may be used).}

_{VII. The prototype is physically tested and then evaluated to answer these questions: Does it work? Does it met the design brief? Can it be improved in any way?}

_{VII. If the final evaluation is positive, the company may decide to manufacture the product.}

1. Read the text again and put the stages in the right order:

_{a) Choose the best solution b) Manufacture}

_{c) Write the design brief d) Make a model or prototype}

_{e) Test and evaluate f) Do a research}

_{g) Identify the problem h) Develop alternative solutions}

Text 2 product design and evaluation

Read the text and translate it using a dictionary.

Successful product design involves learning from other designs which have features similar to the ones you want in your product. You also need to be able to evaluate the quality of your product.

Approaching design

It is important that you, the designer, are able to identify the features of a product that make it either a success or failure.

The first stage of design of a new product involves studying other products with similar or desirable features, through

identification – the investigation of а product to discover а) the price range, b) the intended user, and c) its function and features.

analysis – а thorough examination of а product, to establish its function, aesthetics, construction and economics.

evaluation – making judgments on the effectiveness of the product and its “fitness for purpose”.

This process helps the designer in a number of ways:

• It avoids copying other designers' work (this is called plagiarism).

• It identifies features or aspects of existing products which could be improved - such as by reducing the cost, adding extra features, making it easier or more comfortable to use or making it look more

attractive to certain groups.

• It can identify technologies or ideas, which could be transferred or applied to a new function or area.

Evaluating design

What makes a design successful? How do you judge a design? Successful product design depends on asking the right questions about the proposed product's function, purpose, shape, form, colour and texture. Product designers need to be able to analyse existing products, and be aware of new technologies and consumer demand for the new product.

Product design analysis

Product design analysis means studying how well a product does its job. When you are analysing the design of a product you need to ask these questions:

What is the function and purpose of the product?

What are the different parts of the product and how do they work together?

How does the product use shape, form, colour, texture and decoration?

What materials are used to make the product?

What components are used in the product?

Which processes were used to make the product?

Who would buy this product?

How well does the product do its job compared with other similar products?

If two or more products are similar and do the same sort of job, what are their unique points?

There are a wide range of methods and strategies for analysing and evaluating designs. The two methods that follow are easy-to-remember acronyms:

F.A.C.E.

Function	What it does and how it works?
Aesthetics	Is it attractive, why and what makes it so?
Construction	What it is made from, how and why?
Economics	How much it costs and is this good value for money?

C.A.F.E.Q.U.E.

Cost	How much it costs and is this good value for money?
Aesthetics	Is it attractive, why and what makes it so?
Function	What it does and how it works?
Ergonomics	How easy or comfortable it is to use?
Quality	The quality of build, materials etc?
User	Who is it for and is it appropriate?
Environment	What effect does the product’s manufacture, use and disposal have?

Tips for successful product design analysis:

• Make sure you understand what the product actually does and how it works.

• Learn carefully how products are made in industry - especially look at what materials are used and how they are cut, shaped, formed, joined and finished.

• Apply this knowledge to the product you are asked to analyse.

• Think carefully about possible markets for different products: Who would buy the product? Why would they buy it? Where would it be used? Who would use the product?

1. Formulate the aim of the first stage of design of а product.

2. How does this process help а designer?

3. What is plagiarism?

4. What methods of design evaluation and analysis are mentioned in the text?

5. Choose any product and analyse it according to one of the schemes.

Product-design analysis involves looking at existing products to see how well they do their job. The passage below outlines some of the things involved. Complete the sentences using the words below:

form function materials style job

When you are analysing the design of a product, you need to ask the following key questions: What is the 1)______________ and purpose of the product? What are the different parts of the product and how do they

work together? How does the product use shape, 2)___________ colour, texture and decoration? What3)_____________ and components are used in the product? Which processes are used to make the

product? Who would buy this product? How well does the product do its 4)_____________ compared with other similar products?

TEXT 3

Read the text and translate it using a dictionary. Think of a suitable title.

Designers often produce ideas for products in response to market forces. This is called consumer pull. Examples of market influences include:

• a demand from consumers for new or improved products

• a competing product is launched by another manufacturer

• a manufacturer wants to increase their share of the market

Products may also be re-designed because of changes in materials or manufacturing methods. This is called technology push. Technological changes may allow a manufacturer to make the produce more cheaply, or more efficiently. This can reduce manufacturing costs.

Occasionally a designer will design a new or improved product simply because they feel that it is needed or because a demand will be created by the very existence of the product. Designs like this may succeed or fail, depending on consumer demand, how innovative the product is, and the state of the market.