In this project, you will be conducting primary research on a target audience / market. Since our products will be sold at the UNIS Hanoi WInterfest event, our target audience are the UNIS Hanoi Community members who will attend that event. This includes: 

• Parents

• Students

• Teachers

In the first step of the Design Cycle, it helps to explain and justify why we are even developing a product in the first place! To do this, we sometimes ask people who are a part of our target audience to help us understand the need for a solution to a problem.

Since this is your first project, your Design teachers have provided you with the Problem Statement for this unit. In future units, you will be asked to come up with your own.

Classroom Instructions:

Now that we know the problem to solve, let's consider the research we will need to conduct to learn how to address the problem. To do this, we can break our research plan into two areas that identify and prioritize our inquiry: 

1. Client Research: First, it makes sense to ask of our target audience / market what type of product might solve the Problem Statement.

2. Skills Research: Once we know what the client wants, we can research the skills we need to learn in order to make that product. 

It also helps to classify our research as either Primary or Secondary. To learn more about this, check out this video! > > > > >

• Research the Cúc Phương National Park & EPRC websites to gain a better undersatnding of the wildlife you will be visiting. Also look at previous examples of Winterfest objects to give you some ideas. This is considered Secondary research.

• Research the previous UNIS Hanoi Market Scan Results with your teacher in class. Use the template in Criteria A: Teacher Feedback This is considered Secondary research.

• Brainstorm ideas with your classmates and follow the directions below to capture your ideas. 

Design Process Documentation:
Now it's time to document your Client and Skills Research!

1. Open up Toddle and go to your Design Class Stream

2. Select Criteria A: Teacher Feedback Summative Assessment and open up the workbook submission template. 

3. Drag and drop your previous screenshots from the Adobe Illustrator training work into the first slide and Save. 

4. Click on Slide 2 and read the Research Questions section carefully. Note the difference between Primary and Secondary research.

5. Discuss the questions with your classmates and fill in the first 2 blue highlighted answers and click Save. 

6. HOMEWORK: Conduct a primary source interview with your family members and fill in the blue highlighted answers. Click Save. 

7. Consider the Skills Research question (#4) that is provided. Try to come up with one more optional skills question you may need to research before attempting your first original 2D vector illustration! 

8.  Brainstorm how you can adapt your ideas to cater more to your target audience. For example, if you wanted to create a Pangolin bookmark, but your target market really wants necklaces...then how could you change your idea to sell more items. 

Exemplar & Rubric:

Classroom Instructions:

Now that you have gathered research from your potential clients and considered the skills you need to learn, it's time to get some inspiration! Designers usually don't start from scratch...so let's being looking for some existing products that might be similar to what you have been brainstorming. 

Research and analyze 3 existing products and use the following technique:

SWOT Analysis

1. Strengths

   • List positive aspects about the product.

2. Weaknesses

   • List negative aspects of a product.

3. Opportunities

   • List ways to improve the product to make it more relevant to your target audience.

4. Threats

   • List things you don't control that could limit the success of your product.

Design Process Documentation:

1. Open up Toddle and go to your Design Class Stream

2. Select Criteria A: Teacher Feedback Summative Assessment and open up the workbook submission template.

3. Click on Slide 3 and begin researching existing products. Try to find laser cut objects that you think could spark conversation and action!

4. HOMEWORK: Arrange a time to discuss the options you researched with your family member(s). Select which option, or combination of options, they think you should start creating. 

5. When finished, review all slides in your Criteria A: Teacher Feedback Summative Assessment and press Save.

6. Complete the Student Evaluation and Mark as done
   
   

Exemplar & Rubric:

Classroom Instructions:

Now that you have a pretty good idea of what your client would like you to create, it's time to think about how your design will actually look in reality. Generating Design Ideas is specific to the type of product you are creating. It's important to check the Resources section to consider how to conceptualize your ideas > > >

It's also a good idea to include important notes, or annotations, about your product to help you and others get a better understanding of what materials you may need to create your product. For example, 

• Details: What is it?

• Materials: What is it made of? Wood or acrylic? If acrylic, also include color...

• Size: Height x Width in mm 

• Thickness: How think will the wood or acrylic be? 3mm - 6mm maximum

• Extra materials (i.e. keychain, necklace string and clasps, earrings)

Classroom Instructions: 

1. Pick the Cúc Phương sketch you would like to make the most and place it into Illustrator. 

2. Use your pen tool skills to trace your drawing. 

3. When you are finished, hide your original image layer and prepare your fill and cut lines. 

4. Remember, to engrave something, your fill or stroke color needs to be 100% black in the RGB color mode. If you want to cut somethjing out, it needs to be 100% Red in the RGB color mode...AND your stroke needs to be set to .001 pt. MAKE SURE YOUR CUT LINES ARE CONNECTED AND THERE ARE NO GAPS!!! If not, the laser will not cut all the way through your outline. 

5. Show your final file to your Design Teacher and / or TA before filling in the below form. 

6. When you have approval, use the Design Job Request form to send your AI file to be laser cut. Please note, this will likely only be ready the next class so be sure to have this done by November 29th so that you have time to prepare your products to sell.

Design Process Documentation:

1. Open up Toddle and go to your Design Class Stream

2. Select Criteria B: Self Assessment Summative Assessment and open up the workbook submission template.

3. Click on Slide 2 and paste in a screenshot of your final traces.

4. When finished, click Save.

Exemplar & Rubric:

Classroom Instructions:

Present your final design by documenting the following: 

•  A picture of your final laser cut product that is well lit and cropped performing it's intended function. For example, earrings, necklaces, bracelets are all being worn by someone. Keychains are hanging off backpacks. Ornaments are hanging in a tree.

• A short video of the product functioning as intended

• Description of key features of your design (i.e. 3mm thick plywood laser cut keychain with metal clasp) including a price point. If you don't know how much to charge, consider looking at the Developing a Pricepoint slideshow.

• Image of your final product or solution that is cropped and framed well with good lighting.

• List of all the changes and modifications you made to your product after the test cut and parental feedback.

When finished, use the slideshow below to develop a Price Point

Design Process Documentation:

1. Open up Toddle and go to your Design Class Stream

2. Select Criteria C: Peer Assessment Summative Assessment and open up the workbook submission template.

3. Click on Slide 1 and paste in a picture of your final laser-cut product and short video of the product functioning. List all changes & modifications made since your test cut and add the key features of your design. 

4. When finished, click Save.

Classroom Instructions:

Congratulations on finishing your design and selling your product at Winterfest. Now it's time to reflect on how well your product was received by the target audience and what improvements you could consider making to increase your impact. To do this, it's a good idea to look back at our initial Problem Statement and consider if we have made an impact in solving the problem.