Department of Mechanical Engineering, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
ME30294 Product design and development |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Honours |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: EX50CW50 |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must take ME20025 and take ME20026 |
|
Aims:
* To illustrate the stages of product design processes, methods for creativity and styling, awareness of human factors and ergonomics. * To provide awareness of the product design discipline and typical activities undertaken. * To introduce strategic, cultural, organisational and technological aspects of product development in a global context, including consideration of knowledge management issues, models of the new product introduction (NPI) process, management of the NPI process, product development strategies, sustainable development issues. Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to: * Describe typical product design processes; appreciate user requirements such as style, form and interaction. * Identify the key elements of successful products. * Describe the historic context of global product development. * Outline strategic, organisational, human and cultural factors that should be taken into account when developing products for a global market. * Describe approaches to sustainable development. Skills: Problem solving; numeracy; working independently; written communication. Content: Product design: user requirements, form, styling, functionality. Creativity, concept generation, concept evaluation. Human factors, ergonomics. Examples of successful products and best practice. Product development: historical and cultural context. Human aspects: communities of practice; critical situations; methods for knowledge sharing, cultural issues. Strategic aspects: managing the design process; product platform and strategy; mass customisation; late and local configuration, issues of and approaches to sustainable development. Topics for self study that could be examined. |