Analysing and Evaluating products

• standards


  legislative requirements for a range of processes and products
• accredited


  having qualification necessary to carry out a function such as awarding certification for conformity
• BSI kitemark and CE mark


  symbols used on products that conform to appropriate standards
• market research


  independently executed inquiries relating to products and their use by consumers
• focus groups


  market research activity utilising the views of a particular demographic group
• demographic group


  a specific category of the population
• conformity


  reaching appropriate standards to obtain certification
• specification


  a set of key points summarising the main requirements to be incorporated in a design
• evaluation


  report of the effectiveness of a design (or elements of it) in meeting its specification
• critical anaylsis


  in-depth objective study of a design or elements of it
• product recall


  taking products off the market and asking consumers to return them, due to faults that must be rectified, usually for safety reasons
• objective (third party) views

  opinions that are independent of any influence from interested parties
• critical anaylsis


  evaluates how effectively ideas and products satisfy the requirements of the specification
• critical analysis of commercial products

  consider:

  - target market

  - purpose of product

  - the specification

  - disassembling the product
• testing and evaluation in industrial or commercial contexts

  - if products aren't tested properly and are found to be harmful or unsafe - can result in product recall
• example of product recall

  ford pinto
• third party feedback


  views from people not involved in the designing or manufacturing of the product
• what can be learned from focus groups

  - attitudes towards colours and finishes

  - level of comfort experienced

  - how easily can they change components e.g., batteries