GCSE Graphic Products
Moral, Social, Cultural, Economic
and Sustainability issues
Summer Examination 2011
Moral issues: are points the designer has to make to decide if something could be
dangerous or controversial. They are not covered by any law or design regulation,
and are usually related to a specific target market.
Example
Jigsaws are on sale for children and adults of all ages. They vary in complexity
depending on who they are aimed at. A company will want to sell as many as
possible, providing they meet safety requirements and standards they are sold in
shops without restrictions.
Jigsaws for younger people have simpler images and larger pieces for ease of
handling and are also harder to swallow, so are less likely to choke a child.
It is difficult to estimate exactly how big the pieces should be for a small child of each
age group, so manufacturers have a moral duty to print a suitability warning on the
box.
Moral Issues
Social issues: these are points to consider when the product is being promoted for
use, or consumption that may not be in the best interest of the customer. They are
usually related to the wider public in general.
Example:
Designers often work on campaigns to promote unhealthy fast food and high sugar
drinks that damage teeth. They are not breaking the law, but they are actually
encouraging children to damage their own health. This is a widespread problem and
is therefore a social issue that is often beyond the control of adults.
As children become older and have the money and time to
make choices, they are influenced by promotions and trends.
Some fast food outlets have a healthy range, but this is just a
small selection. If the designer has done a good job though it
will still generate a large number of profits from the sale of fast
food and sweets to children.
Social Issues
Cultural issues: these are points that need advertising or product decisions; these
issues are changeable and dependent on the actual target market.
Example:
Certain animal products are offensive in some religions, and their followers are not
allowed to eat them. It is a similar cultural issue when we consider groups of people
such as vegetarians. There are legal requirements that mean manufacturers have to
display certain nutritional information. Many responsible manufacturers have
packaging designs showing a large green ‘v’ in a prominent place to show a product
contains now animal products.
Certain numbers and colour are lucky in some cultures, in China for example,
red is considered to be a lucky colour, and the number ‘6’ is considered
good in business. If you were going to design a product solely for use
in China, then this information is very useful.
Similarly the number 13 is considered to be unlucky in north America,
and so you will not find the number 13 in certain situations such as in
life, or hotel. Some houses on streets even avoid the number 13, and
jump from 12 – 14.
Cultural Issues
Sustainability and environmental issues
All products that we use have some impact upon the environment. The materials
they are made from have to be extracted, transported, processed and manufactured.
The products are transported to the consumer and need to be maintained.
New laws being introduced all the time, make designers and manufacturers
increasingly consider the environment. Consumers are now becoming much more
aware of the choices that need to be made when choosing a product.
Products that can be reused: one choice for the consumer is whether or not to buy a
product that can be reused, or only products that can be used once. A plastic milk
bottle is used once and disposed of, however a glass milk bottle can be reused
several times.
Sustainability
Products that can be replaced: some products are designed so that only parts of
them need to be replaced, this avoids having to replace the whole product. To
improve the sustainability of a product, designers should look to decrease the
number of parts to be disposed of.
Examples of these may include shaving razors.
Other Sustainability issues
The designer, manufacturer and consumer all need to consider
the environmental impact of materials used and the processing of those
materials to make a product.:
 Are materials made from a sustainable source?
 Are huge amounts of energy needed to process materials, and transport them to
the consumer?
 What happens to the material s used for the product at the end of its life cycle?
Sustainability
The law and recycling
The European union (EU) has been introducing new laws to insist that manufacturers and
consumers consider the environments when a product comes to the end of its life cycle.
End of life vehicle directive (ELVD)
The ELVD redistricts the use of toxic materials in new vehicles, all plastic parts have to be
labeled to aid recycling. Vehicle manufactures have to publish information about how to
dismantle the vehicle.
Waste electrical and electronic equipment directive (WEEE)
Similar to as above, the encourages consumers to take their old devices to WEEE
collection points. Manufacturers have to arrange collection from these points, and
designers have to make products easier to dismantle.
Energy Labeling directive
All electrical items such as washing machines need to be labeled to
describe its energy efficiency rating. This is eco - labeling and is used
also in other products.
Sustainability
Making products easier to recycle
Smart materials can be used to make products easier to take apart at the end of their
lives. Shape memory polymers and shape memory alloys are material s that can be
designed to change shape at specific temperatures. By replacing screws, rivets and
clips with fastenings made from smart materials, a product can be designed to fall
apart, with different materials releasing at specific temperatures. This process is
active disassembly.
Making new products from recycled materials
When products are recycled at the end of their lives, it often
produces a brand new material. Designers and manufacturers
have to work together to invent new uses for these new
materials. Examples of this may include:
 Plastic bottles being used to make clothing. (fleeces)
 Old car tyres ground up and re-bonded to make flooring for
children's outdoor playgrounds.
Sustainability
The 6Rs
Six key words summarize approaches that can be taken by the consumer, designer,
manufacture, and retailer – the 6 Rs:
Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, Refuse, Rethink, Repair.
Reduce – consumers need to look to reduce the umber of products they buy, or
consider buying products that use less energy. Retailers can reduce carbon emissions
by transporting products straight to the consumer.
Recycle – products are converted back to their basic materials and remade into new
products, product examples may include paper, cardboard, packaging, steel,
aluminum cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars.
Reuse – glass milk bottles are an example of a material or product that can be
reused, as are printer ink cartridges.
Refuse – the consumer has a choice as to whether buy the product or not.
Rethink – do consumers really need the product? Can things be manufactured
differently?
Repair – designers have the responsibility to make products that can be repaired
more easily.
Sustainability