• Key stages of the product life cycle: launch, growth, maturity, decline
• Obsolescence: planned, style (fashion), functional, technological
• Predictability of the product life cycle
• Product versioning/generations
• Examples of products at different stages of the product life cycle including those new to the market and classic designs
• Length of the product life cycle considering the effect of technical development and consumer trends
• Advantages and disadvantages for a company of introducing new versions and generations of a product
An understanding of the product life cycle allows the designer to design a product with obsolescence in mind. Doing this at the design stage can potentially eliminate the effect of a product on the environment when it is no longer in use.