INDIVIDUAL FINAL YEAR PROJECT: IDEAS & LEADS
SOME TRAINS OF THOUGHT TO GET YOU THINKING:
SO WHERE DO NEW PRODUCTS COME FROM?
New products are often innovated from new technology discoveries or
the results of unexpected experimentation or testing outcomes whilst
working with designers and engineers. These could be related to such
things as a scientific, engineering, electronic or production
developments. Innovative products can also be driven by new
materials, new manufacturing processes or techniques and laboratory
research.
In addition, pioneering products and services are initiated and created
by designers who are investigating the possibilities to improve or
advance the purpose and effectiveness of existing products. They may
be looking to widen the usage or effectiveness of a product, or to
combine one with another to produce a totally new type of product that has improved
functionality and usefulness, (i.e. product convergence).
HOW OFTEN ARE NEW PRODUCTS DEVELOPED?
These days it is relatively rare that a totally new product is originated that has never existed
before it one form or another. For example, one could say that the
mobile phone is a recent product innovation that before about the
late 1980’s hadn’t been invented. However the fact
is that there had been several devices already
devised and manufactured that served the same
purpose (including portability), going all the way
back to the 1940’s. In addition the mobile phone is
only a portable version of the generic telephone
that has been around since 1876! So to be totally
factual, it was actually the telephone that was the
totally new product, born in the late 19th century!
Try to think of a wholly new idea recently created (in
the last 10-15 years), that has given rise to a totally
new product, never used before? It’s not easy.
THOUGHTS, PHILOSOPHIES AND TECHNIQUES FOR INITIATING A PRODUCT/PROJECT
IDEA:
There are two important areas of thought towards which you could concentrate to help
initiate and develop further ideas for final year major projects and so tangible products.
1. AREA 1 - Cognitive and practical, ‘Design Theories & Philosophies’:
Most innovations and creations in design are related or designated to a particular design
theory or specialism. Using and learning about this categorisation will assist and direct the
eventual product towards a successful and well defined conclusion.
‘Some Design Theories & Philosophies’ to investigate:
 User Centered Design – see:
www.designcouncil.org.uk/About-Design/Design-Techniques/User-centred-design
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 Emotional Design – see:
arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,11710,1166468,00.html
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3175506.stm
 Socio-Centric Design – see: http://sociocentricdesign.com
 Biomimicry – see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomimicry
www.biomimicryguild.com/guild_biomimicry.html
www.biomimicryinstitute.org
 Sustainable Design – see
www.cfsd.org.uk
www.designcouncil.org.uk/About-Design/Business-Essentials/Sustainability
 Others include: perceptual, cognitive and environmental psychology; human–
computer interaction (HCI) & interaction design.
These are just a few to start and there are many that have similar genres but different names,
so be specific. Use the above suggestions as a research and interest tool to think about
design in general and how these philosophies may be applied to solve a problem or used to
generate or create a better solution to other product ideas.
It is important to also think logically and realistically about the above, so that when using
these theories and philosophies, they are applied in context to correct and suitable types of
products or services.
2. AREA 2 - ‘Lifestyle’ and ‘Need’ based product/project generators:
At the core of most new product innovations is the ‘Need’ to create or improve a
product so that it either operates or functions more efficiently, addresses a users
requirements more effectively and/or looks more aesthetically pleasing or suitable.
Some ‘Lifestyle’ and people’s ‘Needs’ (improvements & enhancements), to consider:
 Sleeping - (lack of proper sleep, waking,
comfort, noise, etc).
 Eating - (locations, rituals, waste, utensils,
habits, social, health, etc).
 Clothing - (materials, fashions, functionality,
practicality, etc).
 Modes of transport & transport implications (time, contact, tiredness, etc).
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 Leisure/Sport - (eating, social interaction, drinking, society implications, etc).
 Other daily life issues - (washing & hygiene (water usage, appliances, travel,
convenience, etc).
 Modes of communication - (email, text, voip, voice, light, smoke! , etc)
 Personal item transport - (luggage, work bags, tool-cases, etc).
 Work place environments - (‘in-the-field’- i.e. practical & site
working, offices, meetings, trains, productivity, working hours,
flexibility, peer pressures, etc).
 Eating & cooking issues including situations - (on the move, at
the desk, quick but healthy eating, fun, children, etc).
 Current events & issues - (terrorism, carbon footprint,
sustainability, locally resourced, people power – i.e. forums,
blogs, internet, etc).
 Child care - (feeding, nappies, transport, sleeping, security,
occupying)
 Health – (NHS, hospitals, elderly, home help, disability, drug
taking, clinical procedures, current personal health related
issues, etc).
 Security & crime - (travel, domestic, personal, bike, bags, car,
etc)
 Home & house – (space, storage, family unit, entertainment, cooking, eating,
sleeping, working, etc).
 Garden/recreational spaces – (children, entertaining, self-sufficiency, relaxing,
workshop, etc).
Cross-fertilise and brainstorm all the above subject needs but also keep in mind other
associated issues related to the following:
 Materials & sustainability
 New technology implications - (communications, nanotechnology, smart-materials,
biosciences)
 Cultures - (ethics, historic, ritual, societies, beliefs, language, religion, language)
 Trends - (arts, fashions, technology, affluence)
 Political & social change - (new world powers, social groups, local action groups,
union-independence)
 Manufacturing & Production - (techniques, cost, simplicity, availability, transport,
environmental factors).
A FINAL COMMENTS ABOUT THIS YEAR’S FINAL YEAR MAJOR PROJECT:
To provide the best chances of producing a successful and creative
project & ultimate product; you MUST get interested in its core issues
and theories.
If you have already decided on you project subject and have a good
idea about what it is that you want to explore for your Final Year -Major
project, then you must aim to absorb yourself into your chosen domain
whatever it is you have finally decided to explore and continue to
research and conceptualise .
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If you are still undecided; you should designate several areas of personal interest and let
them spin in the back of your mind ready to pick up anything related to them that you may
find useful and of interest.
When I say ‘pick up’- what I mean by this is to let your daily lifestyle influence new areas of
thought and creativity related to a particular subject that is of interest (i.e. a daily brainstorm
of new ideas).
You could for example;
 Talk to lots of people about your project and
proposal to get realistic feedback and help
research a concept.
 Listen and digest the context of related national &
international news issues.
 Search website forums that discuss your project
theme with as many people as possible to gain new
and different ideas/thoughts.
 Research people’s views by posing questions, discussion groups or user centered
observations.
 All moments of your waking hours, absorb everything (sight, sound & Info) and relate
them to your project context. In the first instance you can broadly look at the particular
project issues of the day or the near future, to then narrow down potential points of issue
that need addressing, either as a matter of improvement or urgency. This could be
nationally (UK), Europe-wide or World-wide.
 Try to think of other influencing factors and tangential issues relating to your general
project theme as well. For example you
may find that your proposal has wider
social, cultural lifestyle or environmental
influence? There may be detrimental
effects on local pollution, lifestyle stress and
cultural work routines? How would you recorrect this? Could solving the problem
have beneficial results on say a completely
different subject related issue/s?
 Form regular group social meetings in new
settings to help inspire and brainstorm with
different people who are new to your
project/concept.
Visual Research on the internet – some interesting and useful links:
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http://www.architonic.com
http://www.smarta.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki - (search - New product development)
http://products.asminternational.org
http://www.inqbate.co.uk
www.treehugger.com
www.retrotogo.com
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**IMPORTANT NOTE:
As we approach the beginning of your Final Year at university, (2010-11) – In Autumn term
2010 you will need to decide your major project’s title and write a short overview/definition
about the project theme, the need and problem/s that it aims to address including possibly
what you anticipate the content to include and a predicted vision for the final solution/s.
The official version of this document (as above), needs to be handed to your 1 st supervisor by
Friday, week 2, October 15th 2010.
Please look at your Study Direct subject list for this year 2010-11 and check the ‘Overview:
Design Project (H6052) - Engineering and Design’ for all the timetable dates and explanation
for hand-ins, etc.
We hope the above gets you thinking creatively and effectively and I look forward to
working with you all and helping you innovate some fantastic, ground-breaking and exciting
projects/products this coming academic year.
We will put my best efforts in to help you achieve this.
We wish you the best of luck and an enjoyable year. Arrange to see us if you need.
Regards the Product Design Course leader and tutors …
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