Harry Fradley is creating a GCSE product design portfolio for 2013. His research plan includes conducting preliminary and secondary questionnaires, creating an inspiration board, and interviewing potential customers to inform his design of a product range inspired by the 20th century Bauhaus design movement. The products will be sold through a mail order company targeting design-conscious consumers interested in theming rooms in their homes.

1. GCSE PRODUCT DESIGN
RESEARCH PLAN
Name: Harry.Fradley-GCSE Portfolio
House: St. Patricks
Year: 2013

2. Research
 Design Brief and analysis.
 Research Plan.
 Preliminary Questionnaire.
 Preliminary Questionnaire Results.
 Inspiration Board.
 Questionnaire.
 Target Market.
 Interviews.
 Existing Products.
 Product Analysis.
 Location Analysis.
 Summary of research, key findings.
 Design Criteria.

3. Design Brief and analysis.Context: Designer Influences
The work of a specific artist/designer/chef or Art/Design movement could be
the source of ideas for a new range of products aimed at a design conscious
consumer market. When completing the task you should ensure that the designs
developed into prototypes are not copies of existing work but reflect the
general influence of the chosen source and might be viewed as “in the style
of…”.
Design Task
A mail order company wishes to offer a range of products based upon the 20th
century design movement. You are required to choose one such movement
and to design and make a product or range of products which reflect the
essential featured of the movement. You will need to investigate a specific
target market who may wish to create themed rooms in their homes. Products
such as the following might be considered:
Lighting
Photo/mirror furnishings
Soft Furnishings
Music Players/radios
Tableware
Small Scale Storage Units
Clocks
Analysis
Aesthetics
Costs
Retail product will
cost more than it
is to make
Environment
Living room
kitchen
bedroom
Safety
Electric shocks, cutting
yourself
Size
Depends what space
there is
Function(s)
Look good
Does something
Material
Wood, plastic, metal,
electronical components
(ACCESSFM)
Modern, 21st
century design
movement
Bauhaus
Pop art
Memphis
Customer
People who
want new
furniture

4. Existing Products.
Picture Aesthetics Costs Customer Environment Size Safety Function(s) Materials
Modern, hi-
tech
£42 People who
are in need of
speakers.
A place where its
dry and the
speakers can be
heard and not
damaged.
Big
enoug
h for
the
sound
to be
heard.
Electric
shocks
Enhances
sound.
Plastic, metal
components,
wires.
Simple,
natural.
£114 People
buying their
first house.
Dry big
enoug
h for a
family.
Splinters,
sharp
edges.
Place things on. Plastic, metal
components,
wires.
Luxurious, rich £47 Office
workers,
people who
are after a
comfy chair.
Offices, bedroom,
study room.
Big
enoug
h for
an
adult
to sit
down.
Stable,
ergonom
ically
designed
to be
comfy.
To sit on. Plastic, springs,
leather.
Simple, natural £59 People
buying their
first house or
university
students.
Bedroom,
wardrobe.
Depen
ds
what
you
keep in
them.
Sharp
corners,
heavy
object.
To store things. Wood.
Modern, sleek £64 Office
workers,
Bedroom, office,
study room.
Big
enoug
Electric
shocks,
Creates light. Plastic, wires

5. Research Plan
What I need to find out How will I find out How will it help me
design my product
How useful wa
section
I need to discover a target market that will be
open to accepting the product I produce.
I will produce a Preliminary
Questionnaire that I will hand out to
people aged between 13 to 50. I will
hand out 10 questionnaires to a
number of age ranges to discover
which has the strongest trend.
Gives me a general insight as to who I’m
targeting and what they want allowing me to
produce a product what they will want.
What designs and colours I could use to make my
product look good and work well.
I will produce an Inspiration Board,
which I can then use to draw designs
and try to produce something that
everyone is satisfied with.
Reviewing visual ideas, getting inspired when
starting a new project, a collage of images
meant to kick-start your imagination.
I need to discover general information about the
target market I will be aiming my product at. Such
as age, gender, size, what colours they want and
want materials are suitable.
I will find the information out to
complete a Target Market summary
page from my research found in my 2
questionnaires.
What colours and decorations will be used,
anthropometric designs to influence
measurements.
I need to use this questionnaire to find out more
detailed such as, the cost they are willing to pay,
the colours and designs they would want, size and
materials that would be suitable.
I will produce a secondary
Questionnaire which I will use to
gather more detailed information
about the needs of my Target Market.
Gives me more insight on what my target
market requires from the product.
I can find out more in interviews that
questionnaires as they are more open and can
offer more feedback and opinion than
questionnaires.
I can find out more about my target
market by having an Interview them
and asking them questions which will
be m0re personal.
I will be able to ask more personal questions to
get a good idea as to exactly what people want.
What designs and aesthetics have already been
used so I wont be copying anything.
I will search for Existing Products
that have already been made and I
can use these to look at
anthropometrics and to influence on
the electrical parts I will use.
It will give me an idea as to what is already been
made and I would like to make something
unique.
How much my product will be sold for and who
they will be sold to.
Once I have created my design and
decided on what materials I will use
Product Analysis to wrote notes on
This will help choose my materials to determine
what cost they will be sold to and I will need to
use materials suitable for that age group.

6. Questionnaire

7. Results from Preliminary
Questionnaire
1. What gender are
you?
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Male
Female

8. Results from Preliminary
Questionnaire
2. How old are you?
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
13-15
15-20
20-30
30-40
40-50

9. Results from Preliminary
Questionnaire
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Bauhaus
Memphis
PopArt
De Stijl
Modernism
3. What design theme do
you like?

10. Results from Preliminary
Questionnaire
4. What product
do you like?
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Lighting
Photo Frame
Soft Furnishings
Mirror Frame
Music Player/Radio
Tableware
Small Scale Storage
Clocks

11. Inspiration Board Product
Speakers
Made
from
plastics.
Electrical
components
needed.

12. Inspiration Board Theme
Bauhaus Bauhaus uses
simple designs.
Bauhaus
emphasis
es the
function
of the
product.

13. Target Market
A target market is a group of customers that the business has decided to aim its marketing efforts and ultimately its
merchandise towards.
My product will
be designed to
appeal to a
male audience
from the age of
13 to 30.
My speakers will
be in the style of
Bauhaus.

14. Questionnaire

15. Interviews