Evaluating Principles

• Fill in the blanks about design specification:

  A) Function

  B) Materials

  C) Environment

  D) Performance

  E) Target market

  F) Aesthetics

  
• Evaluating


  Ongoing process of adapting and improving products to make them more useful, appealing and profitable
• Responding to feedback


  • Evaluating ideas, models and feedback
  • Utilised in continuing to adapt and improve products
• Client


  In business, a person or organisation that wants a product manufactured, e.g. a retailer
• Target market


  The group of people a product is made for
• Responding to feedback


  1. Client feedback

  2. Target market feedback
• Prototype


  The first working model of a design used for testing, development and evaluation
• Analyse


  To examine in detail
• Algorithm


  A sequence of logical instructions for carrying out a task. In computing, algorithms are needed to design computer programs
• Quantitative data


  Information that can be measured or calculated numerically
• Qualitative data


  Data that cannot be shown in numbers, only words. For example, the colours of cars in a car park
• Consumer


  In business, a person who uses a product and may also buy it
• Bar chart


  • A type of graph showing values that are represented by rectangular bars
• Electricity used to power a kettle over a year can be plotted on a bar chart, which gives the consumer a visual diagram of their electricity use and peaks</b>
• Electricity use to power a kettle

  Decreases from January to July, is lowest in July, then increases from July through to December
• Iterative design


  A cyclic design process of modelling and testing to achieve gradual improvements to the design
• Iterative design process


  1. Analyse the evaluative feedback received

  2. Use feedback to redevelop the product

  3. Make further improvements

  4. Gather more feedback

  5. Repeat until client and target market are happy with the outcome
• Pie chart


  A chart showing values that are represented as proportionately sized slices of pie
• Iterative design


  • Without the iterative cycle of evaluation and improvement from both the client and the target market, the product may not be the best on the market
  • This will allow another manufacturer to produce a better product that will be more successful
• Design specification


  Document containing details of a product's required characteristics, and all the processes, materials and other information needed to design the product
• Analyse


  To examine in detail
• Design brief


  A set of instructions given to a designer by a client
• Client


  In business, a client is a person or organisation that wants a product manufactured, eg a retailer
• Criteria


  A set of rules or conditions that must be met
• Collaboration


  When two or more people work together to achieve a goal
• Designers will have written a design specification, developed from the design brief and based on the results of completed research
• Working collaboratively can help people see the viewpoint of others and improve creativity
• During the iterative design process, the design specification should be referenced to and designs evaluated against it to ensure the final solution is the best fit
• Considerations when evaluating fitness for purpose

  • How does the product fit within the range of sizes specified?
  • Does the product fit the client's taste?
  • Do the materials and components fit within the specified cost limits?
  • Does the product appeal to the target market?
  • Will the design comply with current safety standards?
  • Will the product have a minimal impact on the environment?
• Evaluate


  To judge the quality and performance of a product
• Target market


  The group of people a product is made for
• Iteration


  Repeating the steps in the design process to get closer to the desired result
• Iterative design is a circular design process that models, evaluates and improves designs based on the results of testing