Factors influencing Product Design

• Purposes of Media Products

  1. Advertise/Promote
  2. Educate
  3. Entertain
  4. Inform
  5. Influence
• Style, content and layout of media products:

  1. Colour
  2. Genre
  3. Language
  4. Positioning of Elements
  5. Style of Audio
• Client


  The company, charity, or a person who commission a product such as an advert, TV programme or a film to be made.
• Client Requirements


  Usually include:

  • the purpose of the product
  • the type of product to be made
  • the style of the product
  • the timescale available
  • the theme of the product
  • the target audience
• Target Audience demographics

  • Age
  • Income
  • Interests
  • Ethnicity
  • Accessibility
  • Socio-Economic
  • Location
• Accessibility

  • visually impaired
  • hearing impaired
• Age

  • Young children
  • Teens
  • Young Adults
  • Adults
• Ethnicity

  • Cultural differences
  • Expectations
  • Content/Language used
• Gender


  Appeal to:

  • Male
  • Female
  • Both
• Interests

  • Sport
  • Music
  • Fashion, etc
• Location

  • Towns
  • Regions
  • Countries
• Socio-Economic

  • Low income
  • Middle income
  • High income
• Primary Research Methods:

  • Questionnaire
  • Videos/Photos
  • Interviews
  • Focus Groups
  • Observations
• Primary Research- advantages

  • Directly from the person
  • Detailed information
  • Up to date information
• Primary Research- disadvantages

  • takes a lot of time
  • expensive
  • could be inaccurate
• Secondary Research Methods:

  • Internet sites/research
  • Books, magazines, TV
  • Sales reports
  • Census
  • Similar Products
• Secondary Research- advantages

  • Cheaper
  • Info available immediately
  • Accurate
• Secondary Research- disadvantages

  • Data won't have exactly the same purpose
  • Info may be out-of-date
  • Info is available to everyone
• Qualitative Data

  Gathers participants' experiences, perceptions, and behaviour
• Quantitative Data


  Data represented numerically
• Qualitative Data- pros

  • In depth
  • Encourages discussion
  • Flexible
• Qualitative Data- cons

  • Sample size can be an issue
  • Bias in the sample selection
  • Lack of privacy
  • Skill of moderator
• Quantitative Data- pros

  • Larger sample sizes
  • Impartial
  • Accuracy
  • Quicker and easier
  • Anonymous
  • Reliable and continuous
• Quantitative Data- cons

  • Limited by the answers on the survey, may not fit one category
  • Research not carried out in usual environment
  • Unable to follow up answers
• Media Codes


  techniques and conventions that help to give meaning, creative impact and engage audience
• What are the three types of media codes?

  • Technical codes
  • Symbolic codes
  • Written codes
• Technical codes


  How the equipment is used in certain ways to create the appropriate content for a media product
• Symbolic codes


  Not part of the media product itself but what something represents or means. They cover a range of media products
• Written codes


  The use of language and how it is written, whether to be written or spoken (dialogue) by actors
• How are technical codes created?

  • Camera Techniques
  • Transitions
  • Movements
  • Lighting
  • Audio
• How are symbolic codes created?

  • Colour
  • Mise-en-scène
• How are written codes created?

  • Style of language
  • Dialogue
  • Typography
• Technical Codes

  • Audio recording
  • Audio editing
  • Camera techniques
  • Lighting techniques
  • Video editing
  • Navigation
  • Animation
  • Games
• Symbolic codes

  • Environment
  • Body Language
  • Colour
  • Mise-en-scène
  • Musical Genre
• Written codes

  • Text based information
  • Storytelling
  • Narrative and dialogue
• Camera Shots (distance from camera)

  • Close up
  • Mid shot
  • Long shot
  • Extreme long shot
• Camera Shots (position of camera)

  • Low angle shot
  • High angle shot
  • Aerial shot
  • Over the shoulder shot
• Camera movements

  • Pan
  • Tilt
  • Zoom
  • Track and dolly
• Transitions

  • Cut
  • Dissolve
  • Fade
  • Wipe