WHAT INFLUENCES PRODUCT DESIGN: The universe and its five different worlds of influence. This was a most interesting chapter of our INDD 378 text book called “Materials and Design” by Ashby and Johnson. Chapter 2 moved past the discussion of how materials and design relate (chp 1) to discussing what influences product design. The authors make a distinction early on that there are different types of influence, direct influence and indirect influences. A major point at the chapter developed throughout was the need to meet present  day markets and their unique complexities by designers in product design. The authors divide the areas they think are of important consideration into separate worlds of relationships and variables. They list five worlds that include people and the market, science and technology, sustainability and the environment, economics and investment, and the world of aesthetic. The first world of people and the market are dependent on how developed the economy is…developed countries vs non-developed countries. In a developed country, like the US, many products directly affected by the market, saturating them in the process, this means that it becomes a "want" instead of a "need.” This shifts the focus of industrial designers, shifting the focus of structural materials towards materials make the product attractive. The author notes that trends, desires, and products do trickle down from developed nations to their undeveloped counterparts. I think one aspect we especially see this is in the tech area. You will found laptops and cellphones in some of the least developed areas of the world. The focus for Designing products does take a different approach with different parameters when working in non-developed nations. I found the authors division of the aspects affecting product design to be relatable and understandle. They made compelling points about each world from economics to aesthestic, and then tied them together back to full universe of products for the chapters conclusion.

There were some great diagrams throughout this chapter. We talked about one in class and May drew it on the baord. This is that Great Infographic for the inputs in the design Process:  (I want to get a poster of this printed!)