1. Gendered Product re-design
This project is a re-design project, which involves improving and adapting an existing design. Using the design process you will analyse one of the products below from a manufacture point of view, user point of view and an aesthetic point of view. You are required to select a suitable company as a brand name for the the product at the beginning of the project. Choose one of the following:
- Standard mains light switch
- Babies bottle
- Household cutlery (fork, knife, dessert spoon and teaspoon)
- Stanley knife
- Computer mouse
- USB Flash Drive
You must analyse the product by a process of reverse engineering and in respect to its preceived gender. From this research produce a new product which has added benefits and one with an opposite gender.
Deliverable 1 Design Context:
As methods for this stage of the design process you must complete the following using sketches and a 5 min power poiint presentation .
- Its manufacture details- how is it made? What from? Cut in in two- look at its section.
- Its functional elements and features
- Its gender with respect to its aesthetics and its tactility
- Its strengths
- Its weaknesses
- What are its measurements? Use vernier calipers (see Billy Scampton) and document in a graphite drawing
- Then start to create a 3D model using Ashlar Cobalt *
Stages 2-5 of the process deal with the re-design
How can you make it better?, What additional market niche can it compete in?, What extra functionality should it have?, How should it look? How can you change its gender? What's its personality/ attitude?
Deliverable 2: Design Concept
- Mood Board showing the styling direction and brand identity
- Concept generation sketch pad (30 pages)- every idea counts!
- 5x Experimental renderings using markers and pastels of favourite ideas
- Finish 3D CAD model of Existing product
Deliverable 3: Design Development
- Concept development Sketch pad (20 pages)
- Package drawings/ space envelopes of new idea in respect to ergonomic considerations (2D CAD)
- Sketch models either in Foam and/ or 3D CAD model (block model)
- 3 x A3 colour renderings using marker and pastel or photoshop
Deliverable 4: Design Resolution
- Development sketch pad (10-20 pages), exploring the product details. for example manufacture, or its functions
- 3D CAD developed
- Experiential renderings either by marker and pastel, Photoshop or CAD
Deliverable 5: Design Implementation
- 2x A3 colour renderings promoting your product (marker and pastel, Photoshop or CAD)
- 5min Power point presentation describing a summary of your new product design and features compared and conrasted with the original design.
* Ashlar Cobalt and graphite are available in MF116 (V6.2) and all the apple macs (V5.2). To work across both versions, always export as version 4 of Cobalt. Billy Scampton will be available for demonstration of the software from weeks 7-14, you will also receive some teaching within class from myself from weeks 1-6. These classess are compulsory as part of this module.. Please also see the following tutorials . It is recommended that you practice as much as possible with the tutorials. they can be submitted as evidence of your development during assessment.
