Chapter 2: What Influences Product Design?

Chapter 2: What Influences Product Design?

Chapter 2 explains how today's design process is surrounded by 5 influences. The five influences are the market, technology and science, investment climate, environment and industrial design. 

The Market: Shows that it is desire rather than necessity that leads consumers to purchasing goods.  Every year, consumers desire better functionality and greater aesthetics for their products. However, a successful designer can and will create a need for some function or product before consumers know they need it. This allows the designer to create interest in something new rather than respond to a need by looking at the current market. 

Technology: Technology can greatly influence the design process although it is the least predictable influence by far. Innovations with science and technology can completely change design processes as well as materials whenever they come to be. They create a drive for designers to innovate and take advantage of new developments that open uncharted avenues of design. 

Investment Climate: Turning a design idea into a reality depends on investment as well. wanting to create a product that is innovative and necessary brings about confidence to investors. This is vital for product development and commercial production. These investments should also be backed by the protection from competition;retaining control of intellectual property such as trademarks and patents.

Environment: Sustainability is an important factor in the design process nowadays. Designers need to be aware of our environment and the effect our production has on it." Diminishing the quality of the world in which we now live and threatening the well-being of future generations." Designers must find a better way to solve these issues in the near future. Recycling has seen a rise in popularity among major production companies in recent years which is a great start to this major issue we are faced with. 

Industrial Design: Aesthetics has a huge impact on consumers. It can add beauty to something and create interest. Just because a product is highly functional does not always mean that product will be successful. A product must be designed with appeal as well as function for it to truly work. Industrial design plays a huge role in the consumption of products today.