In this unit we are going to look at importance of design specification. We are going to: look at the function of design specifications. deciding which specification points are important. content of a design specification. Design specifications

In this unit we have combined the expertise on three individuals to show you how they use design specifications. I have my own design company and I will show you how commercial designers work. I have taught pupils how to design for a number of years, testing a number of strategies Having worked as a graphic designers, I have combined some of the methods we used there with ones we use in the department.

The KIAE furniture company has asked you to design a desk for a child’s bedroom. Working in pairs, design an idea that you could present to the company. You have 10 minutes. Task

Design idea 1 How many of your ideas were similar to these ? Design idea 3 Desk Design Design idea 2 Desk Design

Ok an interesting range of ideas, but your teacher left out some important details that you needed to know when designing – any thoughts? Was the task clear? What the designer thought of the designs ideas. Children can range in age from 3 to 12. You had to guess at which age range to aim the product at. Guessing can lead to mistakes.

As you have seen, a general brief such as “ Design a desk for a children’s bedroom ” is so vague, that it is difficult to know exactly what is needed and how to respond correctly to the customer’s requirements. To overcome this problem, designers use a design specification to describe in detail what the finished product will have to do in order to be successful.

Before you go back to designing the desk for the 5 year old, yes I remembered to tell you the age this time. It might help you to try out the these tasks. For each of the products select which statement you think is : an important aspect of that product or not important. Have a go.

 1. Cheap to produce and sell. Biro 2. Fits comfortably in the hand. 5. A substantial number can be produced at one time. 4. Writes well 3. Stirs coffee 6. Handy for head scratching 7. Dependable Answer

 1. Cheap to produce and sell. Stapler 2. Fits comfortably in the hand 3. Dependable 4. Nice colour 5. Water resistant 6. Flexible 7. Can staple a number of pages together Answer

 Trainers 2. Comfortable fit 3. A substantial number can be produced at one time. 4. Look good. 5. Water resistant 6. Flexible material 1. Cheap to produce. 7. Sell cheaply. 8. Lightweight Answer

The child’s age? maybe if it’s a boy or a girl? – what do they like? – what it needs to look like? – age, gender, appearance. What they are going to use the desk for? painting, writing, storing books – function. What size will the child be? – measurements. How safe will it be for them to use? sharp edges - safety So what information do we need to design this desk?

2. Function. Practical – writing, colouring, painting. Storage for colouring equipment – crayon, colouring pencils, colouring books Specification:- 1.Appearance To attract the attention of a 5 year old child. Effective use of colours. Based on characters suitable for a 5 year old child. 5. Measurements. Size suitable for a 5 year old child. 4. Safety Safe to use, no sharp corners. Non toxic finish. From the previous questions we asked ourselves, we drew up some guidelines that should make sure that the product, will be successfully designed. 3. Sustainability Source materials that have a low environmental impact.. Well designed, long lasting so that it can handed on.

Lets look at these in further detail in the next unit. Appearance Safety Price Durability Weight Sustainability Function Size We have seen how important it is to make a specification clear. Containing enough information so the designer knows exactly what the products needs to, for example, do (function) or look like (appearance). There are a number of specification details that need further consideration – any thoughts ?