Course Title: Develop a product range to meet market opportunities
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2020
Course Code: GRAP6373
Course Title: Develop a product range to meet market opportunities
School: 375T Vocational Design and Social Context
Campus: Brunswick Campus
Program: C5382 - Diploma of Product Design
Course Contact: Robin Blood
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4683
Course Contact Email: robin.blood@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Nominal Hours: 144
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to design and produce a product range with a set of variations on a specific product made to appeal to different market segments. It requires the ability to research and analyse market segments, establish design requirements, develop design options, plan the design process and provide visual concepts to the client before making the models for the product range. No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VU22262 Develop a product range to meet market opportunities |
Element: |
1. Research product market |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Gather information on market or market segment for a product range in accordance to the brief |
Element: |
2. Establish design requirements |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Determine financial, physical and human resources and timeframes required for developing design concept to production stage |
Element: |
3. Develop product range options |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Create a range of design options to meet design brief requirements and cater for varying market segments |
Element: |
4. Develop design proposal |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Plan the design proposal representing the design vision |
Element: |
5. Plan the design process |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1 Identify all components required to produce the design option |
Element: |
6. Deliver visual concepts to client |
Performance Criteria: |
6.1 Present the product design and proposed timelines for production to client, including rationale for any changes |
Element: |
7. Realise product range design |
Performance Criteria: |
7.1 Develop the product design range model using devices, tools, techniques and materials to meet conceptual vision |
Learning Outcomes
This unit applies to product designers who design and produce products to meet new market opportunities by discovering unmet customer needs or by making improvements to products for competitive advantages. This includes the development of related products that can be marketed together to similar market segments. As part of the conceptualisation and design process, product designers undertake market research and analysis and explore design solutions to meet marketing, manufacturing and financial requirements to achieve the ideal design of a product. They consider both functional and aesthetic aspects and pay attention to ergonomics. They select components and materials and decide on assembly and manufacturing details. They prepare visual concepts to assist in the decision-making process and models and prototypes to demonstrate and test products and support marketing efforts. This work could be carried out independently or as part of a product development team.
Details of Learning Activities
This course will be delivered through face-to-face classes across the 3 different areas - Design, Materials and Marketing (Blended Delivery) and by utilising the learning support material and resources in Canvas.
In the Marketing component you will learn the fundamental building blocks of Marketing Strategy and how a product's target market is identified. You will explore the importance of every facet of segmentation of a market as well as commonly used techniques used in the Marketing Industry. This is an online delivery with face-to-face lectures scheduled throughout the semester.
The design and materials areas will be delivered in the studio environment and will focus upon some of the tools that you can use to expand upon the idea for one product or service and create a family or range of products. As well as a variety of conventional materials and process to fabricate and make your products, the Materials class will encourage you to research, experiment with and apply new and sustainable materials and processes to the design of contemporary products.
Teaching Schedule
Weekly Schedule_Design
| Week | Topic | Readings and Activities | Assessment |
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Week 1
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Intro to course content. Task 1_Issue Task 2_Issue |
Q&As |
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Week 2
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P&F Past student examples |
Studio | |
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Week 3
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Marketing - PF_01
|
Studio | |
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Week 4
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Task 1_Present & Hand in | Task 1_Present & Hand in | Task 1_Present & Hand in |
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Week 5
|
Task 2_Mid assignment review |
Task 2_Mid assignment review | |
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Week 6
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Studio | ||
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Week 7
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Studio | ||
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Week 8
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Task 2_Present & Hand in | Task 2_Present & Hand in | Task 2_Present & Hand in |
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Week 9
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Marketing - PF_02 Studio |
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Mid semester break 10.04 - 17.04.2020 |
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Week 10
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Task 3_Issue | Q&As | |
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Week 11
|
Lighting design - Visiting Talk |
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Week 12
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Lighting designers | PPT_MT | |
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Week 13
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Task 3_Mid assignment review | Task 2_Mid assignment review | |
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Week 14
|
Studio | Studio | |
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Week 15
|
Marketing - PF_03
|
Studio | |
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Week 16
|
Task 3_Present & Hand in Assessment week |
Task 3_Present & Hand in Assessment week |
Task 3_Present & Hand in Assessment week |
Weekly Schedule_Marketing
| Week | Topic | Readings and Activities | Assessment |
|
Week 1
|
LECTURE Introductions
Unit outline – Why? Where does marking info come from & what is it? Content outline Assessment outline
Concept of Market Segmentation. Concept of Consumer segments Segmentation Strategies |
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Week 2
|
ONLINE Describing consumers and defining consumer segments . Demographics Psychographics (opinions, attitudes, beliefs)
Usage Writing Consumer Descriptions
Workshop |
Weekly Discussion Submission |
|
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Week 3
|
ONLINE Understanding Consumers.
The path to purchase. |
Weekly Discussion Submission | |
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Week 4
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ONLINE Needs. Value. Involvement. Types of product – the risk/time equation.
Workshop |
Weekly Discussion Submission | |
|
Week 5
|
ONLINE Influences on consumer’s behavior
Internal Culture Belief systems Personality Lifestyle
External Culture Families, groups Media |
Weekly Discussion Submission | |
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Week 6
|
ONLINE Focus of Appeal, Positioning, Features and Benefits.
|
Weekly Discussion Submission | |
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Week 7
|
ONLINE Marketing Strategies: The Four P’s
|
Weekly Discussion Submission |
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Week 8
|
ONLINE Legal & Ethics |
Weekly Discussion Submission | |
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Week 9
|
LECTURE Consultation: Assessment 1
|
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|
|
Mid semester break 10.04-17.04.2020 |
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Week 10
|
Consultation: Assessment Two |
Weekly Discussion Submission |
ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION Consumer Profile |
| 14.09.2019 - 29.09.2019 - Mid semester break | |||
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Week 11
|
LECTURE In Class Test |
ASSESSMENT: Course Test |
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Week 12
|
ONLINE Presentation Skills |
Weekly Discussion Submission | |
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Week 13
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LECTURE Assessment Consultation |
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Week 14
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ONLINE Assessment Support |
Weekly Discussion Submission |
ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION: Major Assignment - Case Study |
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Week 15
|
Marking |
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Week 16
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Grading | Assessment Week | Assessment Week |
Weekly Schedule_Materials
| Week | Topic | Readings and Activities | Assessment |
|
Week 1
|
Intro to course content. What will be covered how and why? Description of Projects 1 and 2. Class discussion, why are materials important, how are and should they be used? Introduce Task 1. Extrusion Project. Demonstrate and discuss extrusions and sections. |
Bikes and materials video. |
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Week 2
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Students to start database of extrusions and profiles. Discussion of metal forming techniques and limitations. Continue with extrusion/sheet metal exercise. | ||
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Week 3
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Look at fastening systems. Ways of locating and fixing parts in place. | Hands on construction. Tapping threads into acrylic to see the thread in action. | Task 1. Extrusion project review. |
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Week 4
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Sustainable materials. Design things to be re-used. Dirk Van der Kooji. Continue with extrusion/sheet metal exercise. | ||
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Week 5
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Project 1 due. Presentations. Introduce Project 2. Polymers (Arm rest redesign project). Demonstrate issue with arm rests, describe materials and processes that will be covered. Demonstration of 3D scanning and measuring techniques. |
Project 1 due | |
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Week 6
|
Plastic Design considerations. Work through some design guide details and start analyzing plastic moldings.
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Week 7
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Fibreglassing demonstration and discussion. Types of glass and composite materials, structural tricks. Insert materials. |
Hands on layup of glass in molds. | Task 2. Polymers project review. |
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Week 8
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Thermoforming discussion. Exploration of some of the benifits and pitfalls of vacuum forming, undercuts, draft, male/female molds, shrinkage. |
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Week 9
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Continue with Task 2. Feedback and advice on progress. | Generate a large number of manufacturing options for a simple clevis fork. | |
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Mid semester break 10.04 - 17.04.2020 |
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Week 10
|
Task 2. Polymers (Arm rest redesign) project due. Class presentations | Task 2. Polymers (Arm rest redesign) project due. Class presentations | |
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Week 11
|
Laser cutting and bending sheet metal and tubes demonstration. Set Task 3. Sheet Metal project. Discuss and explain technology. | ||
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Week 12
|
Welding demonstrations, may have to split the class into 3 groups. Continue with Task 3. |
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Week 13
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Milling and turning demonstrations.
Continue with Task 3. |
Task 3. Sheet Metal project review. | |
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Week 14
|
Continue with Task 3. |
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Week 15
|
Review and feedback on Project work. | Task 3 due | |
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Week 16
|
Assessment Week. |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
The University Library has extensive resources and provides subject specialist expertise, research advice, help with referencing and support through:
The Learning Lab
https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/study-support/learning-lab
The Study Support Hub
https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/study-support/study-support-hub
English for uni workshops
https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/study-support/workshops/english-uni-workshops
Overview of Assessment
Assessment is on-going throughout the course. Assessment will incorporate a range of methods to assess performance and the application of knowledge and skills and will include:
EXAMPLES
- Practical tasks, a major project
- direct observation including exploration of and experimentation with techniques
- written and/or oral questioning and discussion to assess knowledge and understanding
- completion of a design journal and/or portfolio including personal reflection and feedback
- direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence
The RMIT student charter summarises your responsibilities as a student as well as those of your teachers. http://mams.rmit.edu.au/kh6a3ly2wi2h1.pdf
Assessment Tasks
Materials
Assessment task 1. Extrusions_Materials_KL
Due: week 5
Assessment task 2_Polymers_Materials_KL
Due: week 10
Assessment task 3_Sheet Metal - Materials_KL
Due: week 15
Marketing
Assessment task 1. Initial Definition
Due: week 4
Assessment task 2. Consumer Behaviour
Due: week 16
Assessment task 3. Test
Due: week 16
Assessment task 4. Case studies
Due: week 16
Design
Assessment task 1. Past and Future Object_Engagement
Due: week 4
Assessment task 2 Past and Future Object_Main
Due: week 8
Assessment task 3. Lighten Up
Due: week 16
Assessment Matrix
The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant unit of competency. These matrices are available through Program Administration.
Course Overview: Access Course Overview