Factors Affecting Design

There are many factors to think about when designing.

Aesthetics

Function Human Form

Ergonomics Scale

Resource Availability

Ethical

Socio-cultural Safety

Cost

Environmental

Function
A designer must make sure the design works for its intended use. Functions can be assessed using the following factors: safety, strength, ease of use, efficiency, simplicity, durability.

Aesthetics
Refers to the way something looks, the beauty of the design.

Ergonomics
This is the study of the relationship between people and their physical environment. Designers need to consider the application of their design and how it will interact with people and the immediate environment.
Ergonomic Keyboard

Cost
The cost of the design encompasses financial costs of production, environmental costs and social costs.

Safety
The safety of a design in terms of its production, use and disposal will influence its success. The design should not pose any health hazards to the designer, producer or consumer.

Scale
Scale is the ability to change the size or proportion of a design or object without changing its shape or form. The scale of an object needs to be appropriate to its function. The difference in scale of furniture for children compared to furniture for adults.

Ethical
It is important that a design is ethical. This means that it is original and complies with Copyright laws, it does not harm the environment and that it is accepted by society e.g. It is morally correct, it is not offensive, racist, sexist or prejudice in any way.

Environmental
It is important to consider the environment when designing. A designer needs to not only look at resources and sustainability of the environmental resources that they will use, but also the immediate physical environment of the design or object.

Legislation
Legislation is a set of rules that are put into place by government bodies in order to provide designers with a set of standards. These standards inform designers of limitations and criteria that need to be met when developing or producing their designed product or object e.g. Occupational Health and Safety Legislation.

Socio-cultural
How is a designer meeting the needs of our society? How is the design providing an improvement to the standard of life? Is the design relevant to cultures in our society?

Physical and Material Properties

When designing and constructing a project it is important to consider what materials are going to be used and the physical properties of these materials. Does the material need to be suitable to the outdoors? Does it need to be strong? Flexible? Light? What is the function of the project and is the a suitable material available/ accessible?

Resource Availability
Not only do you need to consider if the materials are suitable for the function of the project, but also if they are available; is a particular type of timber able to be shipped in from another country? Other resources that need to be considered include time, money and people power.

Human Form
When designing it is vital to consider the human form; that is ensuring that the design solution reflects the need of the individual that will be using it. Is it ergonomic for the persons height, age, gender, weight?