University of Cambridge The CES Edu Pack UNIT

University of Cambridge The CES Edu. Pack UNIT 14. Materials in Industrial design: why do consumers buy products? Mike Ashby , Cambridge, UK, 2009 © MFA 2009

Outline • Why is Industrial Design important? • What gives a product its character? • Making charts for sensory properties • Design: creating associations and perceptions Resources: • “Materials Selection in Mechanical Design”, 3 rd edition by M. F. Ashby, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford UK, 2006, Chapter 17. • “Materials and Design, the Art and Acience of Materials Selection in Product Design”, by Mike Ashby and Kara Johnson Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford UK, 2002, ISBN 0 -7506 -5554 -2 © MFA 2009

Product value A product has a cost C a price P a value V the true cost of manufacture, marketing etc. the price at which it is offered to the consumer what the consumer thinks it is worth My Parker pens, 8 euros each Parker special edition 3000 euros Do they write 375 times better? Product success requires that C<P<V What determines cost? Technical design, materials, processes What determines value? Both technical and industrial design; -- aesthetics, associations, perceptions © MFA 2009

Why is industrial design important ? Product maturity and market saturation • ID allows differentiation, enhanced value Corporate identity • ID creates corporate image The environment, in the broadest sense • ID contributes to quality of life © MFA 2009

Technical, industrial and product design Aesthetics Associations Industrial design Perceptions Satisfaction Product must be life-enhancing Product design Usability Technical design Product must be easy understand use Functionality Product must work, be safe, economical Example: the car © MFA 2009

What gives a product its character? Who, what Context where, when why Product design © MFA 2009

Establishing the context Who? What ? Men / Women Children / Elderly Sportsmen / Disabled. . . What expectations? Where ? Home / Office Europe / Africa. . . When ? Context Day / Night All the time / Occasionally. . . Why? To fill a basic need To meet an aspiration. . . These steer all decisions that follow -- they set the MOOD © MFA 2009

What gives a product its character? Product “character” Who, what Context Metals, ceramics where, when why Aesthetics associations Materials polymers, composites Personality Product design Shaping joining Processes surface treatment Product “physiology” perceptions Biometrics Usability Bio-mechanics Product “psychology” © MFA 2009

Technical and industrial design Satisfaction Usability Functionality Product must work, be safe and economical • Sound technical design • Proper choice of materials Plenty of tools to do this • Proper choice of manufacturing process © MFA 2009

Usability (“ergonomics”) Satisfaction Usability Product must be easy to understand use Functionality Three aspects • Interaction with the human body -- biometrics • Interaction with the mind -- intelligibility • Interaction with the human environment Now much researched © MFA 2009

Usability (“ergonomics”) Bio-metric Scale, movement, posture, work height Bio-mechanical Force (<230 N, lifting), Energy (<230 watts) Attention span (related to task) Physical matching Usability Information transfer Operation Feedback Environmental disturbance Noise Vibration Illumination Climate Toxicity Text, icons, symbols Embossed keys, knobs Audible signals Visual signals 30 DB < noise level < 80 DB Acceleration < 0. 2 m/s 2 Light 200 - 3000 lumens Temp, humidity within limits No toxicity © MFA 2009

Examples of bio-mechanical matching © MFA 2009

Industrial design and satisfaction Satisfaction Product must be life-enhancing, rewarding Usability Functionality Three facets • Aesthetics -- appealing to the senses -- sight, hearing, feel, taste, smell • Associations -- what does it remind you of ? What does it suggest ? • Perceptions -- what is your reaction to it ? How does it make you feel ? © MFA 2009

Product personality Aesthetics The reaction of the 5 senses Product personality Associations What does it remind you of ? Perceptions How does it make you feel ? Colour, transparency Form Feel, texture Taste, smell Sound Wealth Military hardware Aerospace Plants/animals Children’s toys (Rolls Royce) (Land Rover) (many US cars) (VW Beetle) (Smart) Playful -- Silly Responsible -- Irresponsible Feminine – Masculine Rugged -- Threatening And - if you owned it. . . Proud -- Disappointed Life-enhancing -- Life diminishing © MFA 2009

Material personalities NO intrinsic personality? -- materials acquire one through the way they are used? Wood in fine furniture -- craftsmanship in railway sleepers -- cheap utility Gold in jewelry -- luxury, wealth in micro-circuits -- technical efficiency Glass in a camera lens -- precision engineering in beer bottle -- disposable packaging Made of polished walnut ? Or made of polystyrene foam – recycled yoghurt pots ? © MFA 2009

Material moods Wood, leather Aesthetics: tactile, warm, textured, it ages well Associations of fine furniture, musical instruments Perceptions of craftsmanship, tradition, heritage, quality Metals Aesthetics: cold, clean, hard, stiff, strong, often ages well Associations of machinery, precision instruments, weapons Perceptions of strength, precision, durability, quality Ceramics and glass Aesthetics: hard, abrasion resistant, permanence of colour Associations of culture, luxury, sophistication Perceptions of refinement, quality Polymers “Cheap plastic imitation” Aesthetics: colourful, warm, soft, smooth, flexible, do not age gracefully Associations of mass production, substitutes for metals, glass, wood Perceptions: deceptive, cheap, imitation …. but adaptable. © MFA 2009

Warm/Cold - Soft/Hard © MFA 2009

Acoustic pitch and brightness © MFA 2009

Creating associations and perceptions Context The office Continuous use…. . Context Children Bedroom Intermittent use …. Materials Pressed Steel Powder coated Materials injection molded acrylic Office desk-lamp. Aesthetics: colour cream, angular metallic shape, smooth texture, heavy. Associations: Colour and form like that of computer consoles and keyboards. Perceptions: Subdued, modern, efficient; rugged, fit for task but also: dull, impersonal, suggesting the work-place Lamp, same spec. Aesthetics: Primary colours, smooth curves, translucent, light Associations: Form derived from nature, cartoons, comic strips. Perceptions: Funny, playful, cheerful, clever. but also: eccentric, frivolous, fragile © MFA 2009

Materials create perceptions Bang & Olfsen Roberts Brushed aluminium, black enamel Wood, leather, suede Aesthetics: use of primitives; brushed metal, black/matt finishes Aesthetics: soft shape and material, muted colour. Associations: Organ pipes, precision instruments. Advanced technology. Trend-setting design Perceptions: High tech, advanced, sophisticated Quality. Symbol of discerning taste. “Only the best is good enough”. Associations: Handcrafted furniture and fittings. Perceptions: Old style craftsmanship, durable reassuring design © MFA 2009

Five products: redesign them for a new market Hairdryer Toaster The KOODI CODE, U. of Arts and Design, Helsinki Shaver Iron Mixer © MFA 2009

Redesign 1: cuddlesome TURBO-PUFF dryer HISS iron PIGGY toaster The KOODI CODE, U. of Arts and Design, Helsinki LOLLIPOP shaver JELLIMIX mixer © MFA 2009

Redesign 2: ruggedized M/95 heavy duty hairdryer JUNKERS FRONT LINE toaster The KOODI CODE, U. of Arts and Design, Helsinki BOLT ACTION iron STEALTH shaver KALASHNIKOV mixer © MFA 2009

How did they do it? The “loveable” toaster Primary colours in contrasting /panels Bold curvilinear forms Obvious, easily understood, controls Explicit, spherical legs and handle © MFA 2009

Mood boards A mood board captures aspects of • Context Who? What? Why? Where? When? • Aesthetics • Associations • Perceptions • Materials © MFA 2009

How did they do it? Mood boards, sketches. © MFA 2009

Case study: the compressor What aesthetics? What associations? What perceptions? What is the designer

Robust “industrial strength” design § § § Angular, straight-edged forms Repeated horizontal Upward-converging diagonals Subdued color Use of texture to create contrasts Minimal decoration © MFA 2009

The low-cost air compressor § § § Angular, straight-edged forms Repeated horizontal Upward-converging diagonals Subdued color Use of texture to create contrasts Minimal decoration © MFA 2009

So what? 1 (1) See product as a whole (2) Think of it in more than one way § What does the product do? § Who will use it? Where? When? Why? Satisfaction Usability § What are their aspirations, self-image…? Functionality (3) The element of satisfaction is central to contemporary product design © MFA 2009

So what? 2 Train yourself - look at products and ask: § What aesthetics? Why? § What associations? How did the designer do it? Why? § What perceptions? What made you perceive it that way? How (intentionally or unintentionally) did the designer do it? § And finally: what was the designer trying to say? © MFA 2009