Topic Area 2: Factors influencing product design

2.1 How style, content and layout are linked to the purpose

• Purpose

• Style, content and layout 

• To include:
  • Know the different purposes of media products
  • How style, content and layout are adapted to meet each purpose

Formal language is used in professional or academic settings like business correspondence or academic papers. It follows standard grammar and avoids contractions and slang. Informal language is more relaxed and conversational, often including contractions, slang, and colloquial expressions. It's commonly used in casual communication like chatting with friends or personal emails. The choice between formal and informal language depends on the context and the audience you're addressing.

The positioning of elements in design is crucial as it influences the overall visual impact and functionality of the design. Placing elements strategically can guide the viewer's eye, create a sense of hierarchy, and lead to a more balanced composition. Additionally, the position of elements can affect the flow and readability of the design, drawing attention to key information and creating a harmonious visual experience for the viewer. Therefore, careful consideration of the positioning of elements is essential in creating effective and visually appealing designs.

 The style of audio representation can greatly impact the listener's experience and the effectiveness of the audio content in conveying emotions, messages, or information. Different styles of audio representation can evoke different moods, enhance storytelling, or create a particular atmosphere, making it an important consideration in audio production and presentation. e.g. use of a spooky backing track to or sound effects. 

The style of visual representation pertains to the manner in which visual elements are presented or depicted to convey a particular message or emotion. This encompasses various factors including the choice of colors, use of imagery, typography, layout, and overall design aesthetics. The style employed can greatly influence how the visual content is perceived and the impact it has on the audience. Different styles of visual representation can evoke different emotions, enhance storytelling, and effectively communicate ideas or information. Therefore, considering the style of visual representation is crucial in effectively conveying the intended message and engaging the audience.

The tone of language refers to the attitude or feeling expressed by the words used in communication. It conveys the writer's or speaker's perspective, emotion, and intention behind the message. The tone can be formal, informal, playful, serious, friendly, or authoritative, among other variations. It greatly influences how the message is perceived and can impact the overall communication.

2.2 Client requirements and how they are defined

• Client requirements

• There are a number of client brief formats.

• To include:
  • How to recognise keywords and information in client briefs
  • Know the requirements in client briefs that inform planning
  • Why requirements in client briefs can constrain planning and production
  • How to interpret requirements in client briefs to generate ideas and plan
  • Know the different ways that client briefs are communicated

Client Requirements

The requirements can be separated in to the following areas

Type of product 

Timescales - When does it need to be completed?

Audience - Specific definition of the audience. (Age, Gender, Education, Income, Hobbies/Interests, Location)

Purpose - See above

Client ethos - Compare the ethos of these shops. Each one is unique even though the shops are quite similar. The ethos is what they stand for and want to be know as. It could contain their strapline or slogan but that is part of the ethos of the company. 

Content - What must be included? Think about R094 & R097 you were told you must include particular information or assets. 

Genre, style and theme - Cartoon? Formal? Histortical? What should the product look like?

Ways of communicating the client brief

Client brief formats 

• Written  

  • 👍Scope of project outlined. All parties know what is expected.

  • 👎 Set and can not be discussed or changed. It could be too vague. 

• Meeting

  • 👍 Allows for questions to be asked and ideas to be shared. 

  • 👎 if the meeting details are not recorded ideas might be missed. Not all parties might have the same idea.  

• Formal

  • 👍Like a written brief it outlines what is to be made but has contractual obligations.

  • 👎Can limit creativity as the brief is contractual

• Commission

  • 👍 A one-off element such as a logo or video. One specific purpose 

  • 👎 Might not fit in with the overall ideas or project. 

• Negotiated

  • 👍 Allows for creativity within the project

  • 👎 Could take a long time to come to a consensus 

2.3 Audience demographics and segmentation

• Categories of audience segmentation

• To include:
  • Know the different categories of audience segmentation
  • Know examples of the way audiences are grouped for each segmentation type
  • The reasons for, and benefits of, audience segmentation
  • How audience characteristics influence the design and production of media products 

2.4 Research methods, sources and types of data

• Primary research methods

• Secondary research sources

• Research data

• To include:
  • The reasons for, and benefits of, conducting research
  • The advantages and disadvantages of primary and secondary research and data
  • How research is carried out using different methods and/or sources 
  • The advantages and disadvantages of each primary research method and secondary research source
  • The differences between qualitative and quantitative data/information 

Quantitative questions give a range of options which output a numerical answer. 

“63% of students asked like pizza.”

This data makes users pick an answer - users can not pick 2 options.  It makes the results easy to graph and display however it does not collect opinions.

Qualitative data, on the other hand, is descriptive information that cannot be measured using numbers. It is often used to answer questions such as why, how, or what. Examples of qualitative data include descriptions of a person's personality, observations of behavior, or opinions about a product.

Both quantitative and qualitative data are important in research and can be used to gain insights and make informed decisions. However, they differ in their approaches to data collection, analysis, and interpretation. 

2.5 Media codes used to convey meaning, create impact and/or engage audiences

• Media codes

• Ways that meaning, impact and/or engagement are created

• Research data

• To include:
  • Know the different technical, symbolic and written codes used to convey meaning, create impact and/or engage audiences
  • How codes are used to convey meaning, create impact and/or engage audiences 
  • How the codes used relate to audience, purpose and context
  • How the combination of content and codes work together to convey meaning, create impact and engagement