Unit 3 - Area of Study 1: Designing for end-user/s

Outcome 1

Investigate and define a design problem, and discuss how the design process leads to product design development.

Examples of learning activities

• Design a series of posters to show the parameters of each of the product design factors. Using the posters as stimulus, participate in a group discussion about which product design factors need to be taken into account, for example:
  • Materials – characteristics and properties:
    Which materials are available and appropriate?
  • Human centred design – human needs and wants:
    How large does the writing or image have to be so it can be seen easily?
• Divide the class into four groups and assign each group a stage of the product design process. Ask each group, in sequence, to explain the steps and purpose of each step. Ask students to give an example of how the stages link together, for example, what is the relationship between steps 4 and 5?
• Annotate the product design process diagram (p.10 of the study design) to show understanding of the intended outcomes of each stage and step.
• Investigate how designers can gather relevant information about processes (construction or decorative methods), ergonomics and design inspirations that could be suitable for a product design; produce a table of findings, acknowledging all sources of information.
• Watch LEGO Designers videos on YouTube discussing the design problems they face with each new product design.  Describe how designers resolve each problem.
• Analyse a product entered in the Premier’s Design Awards and explain which product design factors would need to have been considered by the designer.
• Watch LEGO shares plans by C.F. Møller for a new office complex in Billund on YouTube showing the design for the new LEGO headquarters building in Denmark. Identify the aspect of the design which reflects the product design factors of human-centred design, purpose function and context and sustainability.
• Visit the Victoria and Albert Museum website and ask students to view images from the furniture or clothing collections. Choose products from the collections and respond to questions in the Teachers’ resources for secondary schools and colleges section of the website.
• Complete a flowchart and explain how a product from the Top Designs exhibition could have been developed using the product design process. Use a range of digital tools to develop their flowcharts such as Smart Art in Word or Inspiration. Visit the annual exhibition between March and July each year.
• Explain how the end-user/s influences the designer in the product design process. Research companies often enable and encourage end-user/s participation and feedback in the process. Refer to Product Review to find an example of a customer product review or product related comment that has been responded to by the company.
• Students read a relevant designer profile on the Powerhouse Museum website. Each student explains to the class how the designer’s activities relate to the steps of the product design process.
• Watch ABC’s The Checkout’s Electric cars clip on YouTube and ask students to discuss the issues an end-user/s would consider when deciding whether to purchase an electric car.
• Plan a visit to a designer or invite a designer to speak about their work and how they establish and respond to the end-user/s’ needs and requirements, particularly in relation to the function and appeal of a product.
• Visit a footwear manufacturer’s website and ask students to choose a product from its range and write a design brief that could have been used for the product.
• Annotate a design brief to outline where the scope, considerations and constraints are located. Also annotate which sections of the brief relate to each of the product design factors.
• Bring a product to class, for example, backpack, ski jacket or toy, and discuss key research questions a designer would need to ask to find out relevant information before developing design ideas and options. Ask students to draw a concept map/Mind Map to show which methods a designer would use to collect information about the design for the product. A range of digital tools could be used to create the Mind Map such as Inspiration and Bubbl.us.
• Read the Forbes article Having it their way: The big opportunity in personalized products that focuses on end-user/s customising their own products. Discuss how end-user/s influence the product design process through customisation.
• Discuss the role of a ‘beta tester’ for video gaming products. i.e. someone who will be end-users of the products. How do beta testers work with game designers and developers to influence the product’s development?
• Watch and discuss video case studies about how a designer collects, records and develops relevant research about a design problem; discuss how the needs and requirements of the end-user/s are determined and written into the design brief; refer to the product design factors in discussions.
• Provide a design brief for students to practise writing a four-part evaluation criterion. A design brief can be developed for a product such as swimming goggles. Ask students to choose a set of goggles from a manufacturer’s website and develop criteria to evaluate the success of the product.
• Discuss the role of designers and how they use market research to establish a need or end-user/s’ requirements. Read articles on the various end-users of protective and emergency clothing and equipment at Australian Defence Apparel. Students can choose one of the end-user/s, for example health workers, and generate a list of questions the designers would need to ask for market research.
• Produce a graphic organiser to show information that a designer would need to collect about a specific design situation. For example, a scenario could be based on a homewares shop at a beach resort (furniture and textiles products) or on a local community building such as a local library.