design descisions

• critical evaluation questions on budget constraints

  • how much are customers prepared to pay?
  • will cost affect materials selection, production methods & cost of labour?
  • will new technology improve value and maximise profit?
  • can cost saving be made via speed of manufacturing, reduction in materials, reduction in size or process redesign?
• critical evaluation questions on timescale

  • will production time be cut?
  • is a time investment in staff training needed?
  • what lead time do customers expect?
• critical evaluation qs on user

  • how can technologies help the product fulfill customer needs?
  • has the target market been researched?
• critical evaluation qs on materials used

  • have the materials been tested for the required use?
  • will improvement outweigh any increased cost?
  • are materials sustainable?
• critical evaluation qs on manufacturing capabilities

  • will the new technologies influence the way a product is made?
  • will automated assembly lines produce high-quality, customised products?
  • will new technology enable a flexible reaction to demand?