Investigation, Primary And Secondary Data
Overview
Ask a student what their product must do and you will usually get four words: it must be strong. Ask an examiner what that is worth and the answer is nothing at all, because the specimen mark scheme prints it as one of four typical zero mark responses. Strong compared with what? Strong enough to survive what? Tested how? A requirement that cannot be measured cannot be met and cannot be failed, which means it is not a requirement.
This lesson is about turning what people need into something a designer can build against. You will learn how market research, interviews and human factors including ergonomics are used and applied; how focus groups, and product analysis and evaluation, produce information nothing else will; and how anthropometric data and percentiles decide real dimensions. You will carry out investigations in order to identify problems and needs, learn why a designer considers alterations to a brief and modifying the brief as required, and then write the three documents this course rests on: a design brief, a quantifiable and testable design specification, and a clear manufacturing specification. This is designing and making principles content, examined in Section C of Paper 1, where it supplied eleven marks on the specimen paper.
Objectives
- Use primary and secondary data to understand client and/or user needs
- How the following techniques are used and applied:
- market research, interviews and human factors including ergonomics
- focus groups and product analysis and evaluation
- the use of anthropometric data and percentiles.
- Carry out investigations in order to identify problems and needs
- Why a designer considers alterations to a brief and modifying the brief as required.
- Writing a design brief and producing design and manufacturing specifications
- Students should consider their own needs, wants and interests and those of others.
- Developing a quantifiable and testable design specification.
- Producing a clear manufacturing specification.
Mind map
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Investigation, Primary And Secondary Data. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which one of the following is an example of primary data? A. A published anthropometric table B. A competitor's catalogue C. An interview the designer conducts with a user D. A magazine article about the market Answer: C
- Designing between the 5th and 95th percentiles accommodates approximately what proportion of the population? A. 50 per cent B. 75 per cent C. 90 per cent D. 100 per cent Answer: C
- Which percentile should be used to set the height of a doorway? A. The 5th B. The 50th C. The 95th D. Any, since it makes no difference Answer: C
- Which one of the following is a quantifiable and testable specification point? A. It must be strong B. It must not be too big C. It must weigh less than 1.5 kilograms D. It must be easy to use Answer: C
- The main advantage of a focus group over an interview is that A. it is cheaper to run. B. the participants interact and build on each other's views. C. it produces numerical data. D. it reaches a larger sample. Answer: B
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