Lesson video

Hello, thank you for joining me for your design and technology lesson today.

My name is Mrs. Conway, and I'll be guiding you through your learning today.

So our lesson outcome today then is I can explain how and why product analysis is used in industry.

So gonna be really delving into what product analysis actually is and why it is used.

So our keywords for today are product analysis, user needs, and innovative.

I'll go through each one of those as we work through the lesson.

First thing we're gonna start with is the purpose of product analysis.

So product analysis involves examining a product's design function and performance.

It's used in industry, so to improve products before they actually reach the market.

So for example, a clothing brand can analyse fabric durability, or a smartphone company could analyse the battery life of their smartphone.

Now, companies use product analysis for several different reasons.

The first one would be to improve designs.

By studying how a product works and collecting feedback, companies can improve functionality as well as usability and aesthetics.

If you look at these different examples of a chair, one style of chair may be more functional, usable, or aesthetically pleasing compared to the other, and a product analysis would help us work that out.

They also use product analysis to ensure quality.

So by testing materials and features, it helps to identify defects and also ensure that the product meets quality standards.

So little example here, I'm sure this has happened to some of you.

By testing, we can identify kind of common flaws that may occur, and hopefully flaws like this wouldn't happen too easily.

Companies also use product analysis to really just stay competitive.

They need to understand market trends and also how competitors' products perform.

By knowing this, companies can create better products that stand out from their competitors, which obviously gives them an edge.

So the food and drink industry is an example of this.

This is an incredibly competitive industry, and by being aware of what other kind of companies are doing and the market trends, that's gonna give them a little bit of a head start.

Let's just do a quick check for understanding on that.

What is one key benefit of product analysis in industry? Is it A, it guarantees a product will never need changes? B, it helps companies improve their products and stay competitive? C, it is only used for identifying flaws in a product? Or D, it is used to design new packaging for products? Feel free to pause the video here just to take a moment to think about that.

And the answer was B.

So one key benefit of product analysis in industry is it really helps companies improve their products and stay competitive.

Now, product analysis isn't just about fixing problems, it's also a strategic tool to really drive innovative ideas.

By being innovative, companies are able to introduce new and improved ideas, and being innovative is key for them to stay ahead of their competitors.

Now, companies continuously go through this cycle of analysing and improving their products.

I'm just gonna explain that cycle to you.

So through product analysis, the first thing they do is product testing.

They then gather user feedback before looking at improving the design, before then going to actually launch it.

So let's just consider this product analysis against a popular smartphone brand.

The product analysis will actually allow them to really investigate the product, first through that product testing stage.

So the product testing stage will allow them to evaluate things such as battery life, camera quality, and processing speed, all through some form of testing.

They then can get the user feedback, and this is where they either collect the feedback on things such as performance and usability of that phone.

Now, this is their chance to then improve design.

Now, improving their design will allow them to analyse competitive products to identify further features that could be improved.

Now, once confident that their product will actually compete really well with others, that's when they then can go on to the market launch stage.

Okay, let's just do a quick check for understanding on that product analysis process.

Which of the following is not a method of product analysis? Is it A testing B, user feedback, C, analysing competitors, or D, ignoring market trends? Feel free to pause the video here just to take a moment to think about that.

And the answer was D, ignoring market trends.

So ignoring market trends is not a method of product analysis.

Well done, if you got that right.

Now, onto your first task then, you're going to use the cycle diagram below to suggest how a company might conduct a product analysis to an office chair.

Make sure you use each of the cycle steps.

So product testing, use feedback, improve design and market launch.

Pause the video here to have a go at this task.

Alright, how did you get on? So remember, I was asking you to use a cycle diagram below to suggest how a company might conduct a product analysis to an office chair.

Let's have a little look at what you could have written.

So under product testing, they could look at evaluating fabric durability, and also breathability, as well as testing adjustable mechanisms for function and ergonomics.

Under user feedback, again, we could collect that user feedback and any suggested improvements.

And really it'll be quite interesting to get them how they feel about that chair in terms of how comfortable it is, and also things like aesthetics.

Then under improved design, we really wanna analyse the competitive products to get an idea on aesthetics and form that are typically being used with competitive products.

And then lastly, as we mentioned before, if the company's confident that their upgraded version will stand out against competitors, they can send that to market launch.

Your answers won't be exactly the same as mine, but just compare them to the examples.

Okay, next we're gonna look at product analysis methods.

So product analysis can also help companies understand user needs as well.

Now, user needs are the requirements and expectations of who you are designing the product for.

We sometimes call the user our client as well.

Now, three methods that companies use to improve their products are testing, user feedback, and analysing competitors.

And we saw these on that product analysis cycle diagram as well.

Now, testing can typically include quite a few different things, so safety is one of them.

Safety would ask questions such as, is it age appropriate? Are there small parts or sharp edges? We would also check and test the durability of the product.

This is asking ourselves questions such as how long will it last? Are there parts to replace during its lifetime? We would also look at the functionality of that product.

So how well does that actually function? Does it do what it should do? So, does it work as intended? And are there any pain points in there? And lastly, we wanna also consider the environment.

So how does the product perform when subjected to external forces? So in this particular example of environment, we're not talking sustainability environment, we're talking about the environment in which the product will be used.

So how does the product perform when subjected to external forces, but also how does that product perform in different temperatures would be an example.

Now these questions are not an exhaustive list.

There would be more questions within each of these different four categories.

Let's just do a quick check for understanding on that.

Which of the following is an example of a product testing method? A, customer surveys, B, analysing competitor process, C, dropping a product to check its durability, and D, reading online reviews.

Feel free to pause the video here, just take a moment to think about this.

How did you get on here? It was C.

Dropping product to check its durability would be a great test of a product during that testing part of the cycle.

Now, user feedback is really vital to understanding how a product meets user needs.

We can't truly get an understanding of the user's needs unless we actually talk to them or get some form of feedback from them.

And companies gather feedback from customers through different methods, surveys, interviews, online reviews, and focus groups.

Now, this feedback can highlight both strengths and weaknesses in the product that the company may not have noticed.

All of these are excellent ways to gather feedback.

Now, user feedback forms a really integral part of product analysis, and companies also analyse competitor products to see what works well and what doesn't.

And this can include things such as price comparisons, feature comparisons, customer reviews.

Now, by understanding competitors, companies can really pinpoint users' needs.

We need a lot of research to be able to effectively analyse a product.

Okay, quick check for understanding on that then.

What is the main purpose of competitor analysis? A, to gather customer feedback, B, to test the safety of a product, C, to identify strengths and weaknesses in competing products, or D, to improve customer satisfaction.

Feel free to pause the video here just to take a moment to think about your answer.

How did you get on with that? The answer was C.

So the main purpose of competitor analysis is to identify strengths and weaknesses in competing products.

Well done again, if you got that right.

So onto your second task then.

I'd like you to imagine you are designing a new lunchbox.

You're going to use the three methods below to explain how you would conduct a product analysis on an existing lunchbox.

Now, within each of these, there's gonna be some questions that you need to answer.

So the first one is testing.

So under testing, I'd like you to consider this question.

What tests would you perform to check the durability, insulation, and ease of use? Under user needs, I would like you to consider what questions would you ask users to understand their needs.

I'm not asking you to get the answers, just come up with the questions that you would need to come up with to really understand them.

And for competitor analysis, I'd like you to consider what features would you compare between the different lunchbox brands to make yours stand out? Okay, you are gonna pause the video here now to have a go at this task and good luck.

Okay, how did you get on? So I'm just gonna give you some examples of what you may have written, but obviously you might have different answers to me.

So answers could have included under testing, to test your ability, you might have suggested to drop the lunchbox from different heights to check if it cracks.

For testing the insulation you might have considered placing hot and cold food inside, and then measure how well it keeps its temperature.

And you could do that with a stopwatch and a thermometer of some sort just to check that temperature.

And for ease of use, you could be thinking of opening and closing the lunchbox multiple times to check if the lid is secure, but also easy to open.

And also, is it obvious of how to open it as well.

Under user needs, the kind of questions that you could have considered asking could be, which features do you like or dislike about your current lunchbox? Is the size of compartment design suitable for your meals? Does the lunchbox keep food fresh and at the right temperature? And is it easy to clean and carry? Now, for competitor analysis, you might have looked at comparing materials, such as steel or silicon to see which one is more durable.

Or you could have looked at analysing compartment design for cutlery, for example.

Or you might have looked at checking the pricing for similar items. Now, remember, this is not an exhaustive list, and you might have other things that you've included here.

That's absolutely fine.

These are just examples of what you may have included.

So just compare your answers to these and see if you've missed anything.

Okay, lastly then we're gonna look at the benefits of product analysis.

So being innovative means introducing new or improved ideas, and companies must remain innovative, as I've mentioned before, just to make sure that they can keep up with market trends and also changing consumer preferences.

Without any innovation, businesses will just risk falling behind competitors and they just will not be competitive in the market.

So here's an example of a new smartwatch model with updated features.

Now, this is an example of companies remaining innovative.

They're always looking at new things they can put into their products, new features, new apps, or whatever it is, just to make sure that they're remaining innovative as much as possible.

Now, companies use product analysis to support innovation in the following ways.

They do this by identifying gaps, by tracking trends, encouraging new ideas.

So for this example, we've got electric car companies that they actually analyse battery performance to create longer lasting, faster charging models.

And as electric cars have been on the market for a while, they are getting longer battery life.

And by being really innovative and following product analysis, they're able to keep creating those longer lasting, faster charging models.

Let's just do a quick check for understanding on that.

Why is product analysis important for innovation? A, it helps companies find ways to make products cheaper, B, it allows businesses to copy competitor designs, C, it identifies areas for improvement as well as new opportunities, or D, it ensures all products are made from the same materials? Once again, feel free to pause the video here just to take a moment to think about your answer.

And the answer was C.

It identifies areas for improvement as well as new opportunities.

So understanding what customers actually want is really key to making a product successful.

Companies can conduct the following just to find out what works and what doesn't work.

So things such as surveys, reviews, and market research are all really effective ways just to find this information out.

Now, ensuring that a product actually solves a problem and addresses the user needs, makes it more appealing to the buyers.

If it's more appealing to the buyers, they're going to buy it, and eventually you can turn a profit.

In this little example, a company will actually find out that users prefer backpacks made from lightweight waterproof materials and then adjust their design accordingly based on that information.

A further example is the evolution of the vacuum cleaner.

Now, vacuum cleaners once had bags that actually affected suction.

As the bags filled up, they found that they lost suction.

So until a new bag was put in, it would actually lose efficiency the more it was being used.

Now, companies analyse consumer complaints about performance and engineered a better alternative, which is bagless, which doesn't lose any suction.

Now, this innovative solution came about from conducting a product analysis of several different models on the market really to fully understand the user's needs.

Okay, let's just do a quick check for understanding on those points then.

How do companies use customer feedback in product analysis? Is it A, they ignore negative reviews and focus only on good feedback, B, they use feedback to understand what works and what needs improvement, C, they changed the product entirely based on one review, or D, they only look at competitors' reviews instead of their own? Pause the video here just to take a moment to think about your answer.

Okay, how did you get on with that? The answer was B.

They use feedback to understand what works and what needs improvement.

Okay, onto the last task then.

A company wants to improve its lunchbox design to meet user needs and also stay competitive.

I'd like you to describe two ways it could use product analysis to make the lunchbox more innovative and also user friendly.

Right, pause the video here to have a go at this task and good luck.

Right, how did you get on with that last task? Now, these are things that you could have suggested.

So a company can improve its lunchbox design using product analysis to meet user needs and to drive innovation.

User feedback helps identify improvements.

If customers say their food gets cold too quickly, the company could add better insulation, making the lunchbox more effective and also user friendly.

By analysing products from other competitors, the company can find ways to be more innovative.

And if other brands will use eco-friendly materials, they might develop a more sustainable design, for example.

Now, you'll have a slightly different answer, and as I always say, that's absolutely fine.

This is just examples of what you could have included in your answer.

So just compare yours to the example.

Okay, let's summarise the lesson from today.

So today we've been looking at product analysis.

And product analysis helps companies improve designs, ensure quality, and also stay competitive in the market.

By understanding user needs through testing and feedback, it allows businesses to create better and more functional products.

And companies use product analysis methods, like competitive research and user feedback to identify areas for improvement.

And lastly, that key piece of information, innovation is key to success.

Analysing products helps businesses develop new ideas and meet changing customer demands, which is absolutely vital to make sure they can still turn a profit and still remain relevant.

Well done for the lesson today.

Thank you so much for joining me, and I will see you soon.