Relevant Research

Relevant Research

1. Customer Survey

   • Size
   • Cost
   • Function
   • Use
   • Location
   • Materials
   • Environment (eco)

2. Materials

   • What the customer likes
   • Existing products
   • Materials in the customers price range
   • Recycled
   • Sustainable

3. Finishes

   • Customer likes
   • Existing products
   • Eco friendly
   • Other possibilities

4. Joints and processes

   • Existing products
   • Customer likes
   • Potential solutions
   • Appropiate

5. Adhesives

   • Existing products
   • Appropiate for specific materilas
   • Potential alternatives (eco?)

6. Ergonomic Data/Considerations

   • What key sizes do you need to know to design your product?
   • What part of the user will interact with the product?

7. Anthropometric Data

   • What data do you need on the customer / user to design your product?

8. Technical information/data of Components/Fastenings

   • What construction method are you going to use? Does it have technical information: eg. CAM and Dowel systems to flatpack assembly.

9. Sizes from Functional Considerations

   • What does the product need to be to be successful?
   • How big / small does it need to be?
   • What does the customer want it to do?
   • What do existing products do?

10. Environmental Considerations: Location

    • Where will the customer use the product?
    • Will it be used in multiple locations?
    • Protection from the environment

11. Environmental Considerations: 6 R’s of Sustainability

    • RETHINK - our current lifestyles and the way we design and make.
      • Could you design it / make it in a more sustainable way?
      • What does your customer want?
    • REFUSE - to buy materials and products that are unsustainable.
      • What materials will you use to ensure the product is ECO and sustainable?
    • REDUCE - the amount of energy and materials used to manufacture a product.
      • Can you reduce the material / transport / manufacture labour / carbon footprint of your design?
    • REUSE - the product for something else so you don't need to throw it away.
      • Can you design the product to be useful at the end of its life?
    • REPAIR - the product so you don't need to throw it away.
      • Can you make the design easy for the customer to repair?
    • RECYCLE - finally take the product apart and categorise the parts ready for being converted into another product. This uses a lot of energy.
      • At the end of its life, can the product be easley recycled?

12. Safety

    • Customer safety
    • User safety
    • Law; British Standards
    • Safe for the environment