1. 131 Product / Service Design AS Edexcel New Specification 2015 Business
By Mrs Hilton for

3. From the specification
a) Design mix:
function
aesthetics
cost
b) Changes in the elements of the design mix to reflect social trends:
concern over resource depletion: designing for waste minimisation, re-use and recycling
ethical sourcing

4. Guidance from Edexcel

5. Lesson Objectives To be able to discuss the elements of the design mix
To be able to identify and assess the changes in elements of the design mix to reflect social trends.
To be able to answer exam questions based on the topic area (taken from 2A legacy papers as there were no suitable samples available at time of writing)

6. Starter
Tell me what you know about this chap…

7. Answer to starter:
The adverts feature Aleksandr Orlov, a CGI fictional anthropomorphic Russian meerkat and his family and friends. Orlov is portrayed as being of aristocratic stock and the founder of comparethemeerkat.com: the campaign centres on his frustration over the confusion between his website and comparethemarket.com, playing on the similarity between the words market and meerkat. Orlov's catchphrase is "Simples".
The campaign, launched in 5 January 2009, was created by Darren Walsh at Passion Pictures, who designed the characters and directs the adverts. The adverts proved popular and became a commercial success for comparethemarket.com, which became the fourth most visited insurance website in the UK as a result. A book featuring Orlov was published in 2010, and other merchandise has been created in tandem with the ongoing campaign.
From the wiki:
Yes its got a wiki!

8. Definition of Design Mix
product design is meeting the design mix/identified market needs e.g. function / aesthetics / economic manufacture
Aesthetics
Function
Cost

9. Function Will the product or service be fit for purpose?
What does the product do? In a Dyson vacuum cleaner it cleans without needing a bag inside which lost suction when it got full…
How well does it perform? In a car this may be its mpg or its top speed or its 0-60
Ergonomics, usability, safety, reliability, functionality..

10. How important is it that these products have function in mind when designed? (rate 1 Not so much and 10 very)
Function

11. Aesthetics
Consumers are asked through marketing research about their feelings towards products. This is the aesthetic, how it looks, tastes, feels.
How the senses respond to the product.
More stylish and beautiful products tend to sell better and can have a premium price charged.
What emotional attachment consumers have with the product
(watch the Budweiser puppy advert)

12. Do products look more appealing with clever design?
Green thing is a tea strainer

13. Cost ££££££
Questions the design team might ask the production department…
What is the minimum cost that we can make this product for whilst retaining quality?
Can this product be made using productive capacity? Can it be made efficiently?
Can it be produced for a lower cost than the competitors?
Links should be made that a lower cost of production will give competitive advantage…

14. Competitive advantage
If a business gets this design mix right – a balanced product that looks good, works well and is a great price – then they should get competitive advantage over their competitors…
Aesthetics
Function
Cost
The Design Mix

15. Changes in the elements of the design mix to reflect social trends
concern over resource depletion: designing for waste minimisation, re-use and recycling
Watch a video that shows clear plastic bottles being made into fabric for clothes
Do aesthetics have to be sacrificed when re-using?

16. What do you think this is?
This is a stool made from bottle caps:

17. What do you think this is?
This is a bed made from old piano parts

18. What do you think this is?
This is a chair made from old spray cans

19. Ethical sourcing
Starbucks Ethical sourcing, take a look at the website here
Watch the short video:
Ethical sourcing also means 'ensuring that the products being sourced are created in safe facilities by workers who are treated well and paid fair wages to work legal hours', and it also implies 'that the supplier is respecting the environment during the production and manufacture of the products.'
Quote taken from:

20. Example of an old product given a new twist
Fries get fancy! London's latest hipster restaurant serves nothing but CHIPS... with exotic toppings including curry, smoky bacon and Marmite
Come Fry With Me is London's first restaurant to serve only chips 
Customers can enhance their fries with exotic flavours and toppings 
Latest single item eatery after cafes serving cereal, porridge and toasties 
Read full article here

21. Standard design vs Bespoke
Dyson website
Hoar Cross Hall bespoke weddings see website here

22. New Product Development interactive here
Read the article here
New Product Development interactive here

23. Sample question 1
4 mark question Case study on Dyson on next slide Knowledge = 2 Application = 1 Analysis = 1

25. Answer question 1

26. Sample question 1 7 mark question
Taken from one half of a 14 mark question
Case study on Toyota on next slide
Levelled response – needs an evaluation
[7]

28. Answer question 2
Knowledge – level 1 < 1 mark> e.g. product design is meeting the design mix/identified market needs e.g. function / aesthetics / economic manufacture Application (context) level 2 <2-3 marks> e.g. faster cars/design cheaper to manufacture e.g. accessories such as sat nav, passenger airbags Analysis level 3 <4 marks> There must be a reference to at least one aspect of the product design/design mix e.g. There will be a marketing advantage resulting from improved car design in terms of the product element of the marketing mix such that sales should increase as customer requirements may be met Evaluation level 4 <5-7 marks> e.g. balance between design and quality is required to ensure customer satisfaction e.g. reduced cost of manufacturing cars to ensure competitive prices may compromise quality/safety of the Yaris e.g. advanced product design is essential in the competitive/dynamic car market but price is important in a period of recession

29. Revision Video 10 futuristic products available now

30. Glossary Function; what the item is used for
Aesthetics; what the item looks like
Resource depletion; reduction in the earth’s natural resources such as precious metals
Waste minimisation; business way of making sure that there is no waste in the production process, for example making other goods from offcuts
Reuse; when a product is reused for example a bag for life
Recycled; when a product is turned into something else, a tin can becomes an airplane part
Ethical sourcing; buying from sustainable sources, for example trees from forest suppliers who replant