Technical Research and Concept Generation | Research

Assignment: 1B – Market research, technical research and concept generation

	2/8				Assignment: 1B – Market research, technical research and concept generation
	Weight				10% (graded and marked)
	Submission process				Uploaded via CloudDeakin (Assignment 1B dropbox) as 1 document
	Format				•   Individual original written report with appendices
					•   1 PDF or DOCX file
					•   Word limit: 1,700 - 2,500 words (references and appendices excluded)
	Objective				This report documents the second part of your background research process from market to technical research as well as your
					concept generation phase. You will use this report too as the resource foundation of your detailed design process.
	Individual vs. teamwork				You write your own report individually from your perspective and with your own words. However, you work in a team. Each team is
					encouraged to allocate data collection tasks among team members. You share collected data and other resources within your team.
					You work on your own concept generation process, but you are encouraged to discuss your ideas with other team members.
					Your report should be data-driven containing only the information relevant for the problem you are solving. As the report is a
					documentation of your
						applied research, there is no need to provide long elaborations on generally known topics (you can refer this
	Report writing				to literature). All your (and your team's) decisions should be well explained. All collected data and main creative outputs should be
					well analysed and explained in nontechnical language in order to be accessible to different type of readers (e.g. managers with non-
					engineering background). Some information can be provided in tables (e.g. benchmarking). It is expected from students to refer
					various reliable resources including scientific journals, professional magazines, governmental reports, etc.
					The report should be readable and visually appealing. Think about the layout and consider to include section headings, appropriate
	Report visual presentation				headers and footers, page numbers, equations, diagrams, tables, charts, figure captions (with references), in text or footnote
					references, etc. Visual representations of your design process are an important part of your product development process and
					communication of its results, so ensure you include images related to your background research (your photographs and referred
					images), photographs/scans of your concepts/designs, etc.
					1.  Perform market analyses in order to design a sustainable and environmentally friendly product. Explore market research
					techniques and philosophies in design and product development to perform the analyses.
	Assessment tasks				2.  Perform technical analyses in order to design a sustainable and environmentally friendly product. Explore technical research
					techniques and philosophies in design and product development to perform the analyses.
					3.  Apply design skills to generate concepts.
					Provided methods (see deliverables) will assist you to complete this task.
	ULOs				ULO2, ULO3
	Each assignment must include *				•   Cover page – Provided template
					•   References – Content related to weekly tasks only
					•   Appendices – Content related to weekly tasks only
					* See 'Visual presentation and readability' for details. 'Visual presentation and readability’ will only be assessed in Complete report
					(Assignment 8), however, it will help you to have your work more organised. Only the content of references and appendices will be
	Important!				assessed in Assignments 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A 2B, their visual presentation, organisation and readability will be assessed in Complete
					report (Assignment 2C). Please remember that High Distinction (HD) marks are associated with a succinct high quality
				discussion showcasing technical, breadth and depth concepts that complies with a word limit criteria.

                                                                                 

                                                                                                                 

Assignment deliverables and rubrics (marking criteria)

	Main concepts			Deliverables			Marking criteria		Didn't meet		standard or not	enough evidence		Working towards	proficiency				Exemplary
							(See also: Each assignment must include;
							Report writing and other)
							Determination of the local and global market size (potential buyers and		0				1.136					2.27
							sellers).
				Local and global market analysis: Individual analysis and
							How is my product placed to compete? What is the customer attraction
				quantification of local and global market.			or purchasing potential of the product (How many units could you sell		0				1.136					2.27
							or how many users could you reach) according to your a) end-user, b)
							market share (competitors)? – local and global data
				Competitor benchmarking: Individual discussion about			Benchmarking analysis table with a minimum of 3 relevant examples			0				1.136					2.27
				relevant competitors’ product solutions (a minimum of 3) with
							per team
				a brief analysis. One table per team, images are desirable
				(shared collected data within team).			Individual discussion on findings			0				1.136					2.27
				Product price point: Individual discussion about the retail			Retail price		0				1.136					2.27
	1. Report Chapters: Market			price you are targeting and why (shared collected data within
	research (25%)			team).			Justification		0				1.136					2.27
				Patent search: Individual discussion about awareness of 3			Patent analysis table with 3 current protected solutions with images per			0				1.136					2.27
				current protected solutions and development avenues that
							team
				have been registered with a brief analysis; can be delivered
				as a table, images are desirable (shared collected data			Individual discussion about the strategies not to infringe			0				1.136					2.27
				within team).
				Legislations and standards: Individual discussion about			Major currently enforced standards		0				1.136					2.27
				currently enforced standards (quality benchmark for design),
				relevant legislation and regulatory bodies (commercial
				product laws – environmental, production, material,			Major Australian regulatory bodies		0				1.136					2.27
				consumers, etc.).
				Market research synthesis: Individual discussion and			Individual proposal about taking your product to market based on this			0				1.136					2.27
				applicability of your market research in your product.			chapter research
							Evidence of current and emerging trends associated with		0				2.5					5
							materials/technologies
				Current and emerging trends: Individual discussion about
							Evidence of current and emerging trends associated with production
				current and emerging trends (technology, tools, materials,					0				2.5					5
	2. Report Chapters: Technical			production processes, product resolution/aesthetics) to be			processes
			considered (shared collected data within team; images are				Evidence of current and emerging trends/tools associated with user		0				2.5					5
	research (25%)
			desirable).				interaction/experience design (UX, UI, ergonomics and dexterity)
							Evidence of current and emerging trends/tools associated with		0				2.5					5
							aesthetics (psychological acceptance)
				Technical research synthesis: Individual discussion and			Individual proposal about implementation of your technical research			0				2.5					5
				applicability of your technical research in your product.			findings in your design direction
				Inspiration board: One digital or readable hand-drawn			Mind-map (text)		0				2.5					6.25
				inspirational board per team. This must include a
	3. Report Chapters: Concept			combination of a mind map (text) and a mood board
							Mood board (images)		0				2.5					6.25
				(images) integrated into one piece.
	generation (50%)
				Hand sketches and storyboards: Individual quick notated			Schematic of form/shape/composition exploration (2 pages)			0				2.5					6.25
				hand sketches/schematics and storyboards representing

SEM721 – Product

			ideas as well as potential user interactions, context, and			Exploration of product context and envoronmental scenarios (where
			scale. A minimum of 4 scanned full A4 pages or equivalent			does the product lives and functions and considerations for the user; 1			0			2.5			6.25
			per student. Images should be included in appendices with			page)
			most relevant sketches directly in the report body; use image
						Scale, user interaction and operation (1 page)			0			2.5			6.25
			captions and basic explanations.
			Mock-ups: Individual evidence of practical learning and			Findings of a study of prototype composition		0			2.5			6.25
			testing to study composition, functionality/ergonomics and			Findings of a study of prototype functionality/ergonomics		0			2.5			6.25
			scale. Take into account user interaction using simple
			physical models. Use captioned visuals, and basic			Findings of a study of prototype scale		0			2.5			6.25
			explanations of your learnings to present in report.
						Total points			0			50			100