Psychographic Segmentation

Dividing a market based on the psychological and lifestyle characteristics of consumers

Used in conjunction with demographic characteristics to identify and develop a

complete target audience or end-user profile. Often based on internal psychological
characteristics such as personality, values and motivations, these factors are used by
designers to influence and support design decisions

Attitudes and Priorities and

Personality Social status
values, motivations
lifestyle
Helps business create a comprehensive understanding of their target market
Sustainability in Design: Evaluating the Environmental Footprint of Smartphones

Smartphones are an essential part of modern life, but their environmental impact is
significant throughout their lifecycle. From the sourcing of raw materials to the disposal
of old devices, the design and production processes of smartphones contribute to
environmental degradation. Designers can play a crucial role in minimizing this impact
by adopting sustainable practices throughout the entire lifecycle of the product.

Material Sourcing is the first stage where environmental concerns arise. Smartphones
require metals like gold, copper, lithium, and rare earth elements, which are often
mined through practices that cause habitat destruction, water pollution, and carbon
emissions. To address this, designers can prioritize the use of recycled materials, as
seen with Apple’s use of recycled aluminum and rare earth metals in its devices.
Sustainable sourcing of materials, along with the use of ethically mined components,
helps reduce the negative impact on the environment.

During the manufacturing phase, smartphones are produced with significant energy
consumption and often rely on non-renewable energy sources, contributing to carbon
emissions. The production process also generates waste, including hazardous
chemicals like cadmium and lead. Designers can mitigate these impacts by integrating
cleaner production technologies and using renewable energy sources. Additionally,
designing products with modular components can facilitate easier repairs, reducing
waste from damaged or outdated parts. Fairphone, for example, creates modular
smartphones that allow users to replace individual components, extending the device's
lifespan and reducing e-waste.

The use phase of a smartphone’s lifecycle can also lead to environmental harm.
Frequent upgrades and software obsolescence contribute to a high turnover rate, with
older devices often ending up in landfills. To reduce the environmental footprint during
this phase, designers can focus on energy efficiency and ensuring that smartphones
remain compatible with software updates for longer periods. Encouraging consumers to
keep their devices for extended periods through improved durability and functionality is
another key strategy for sustainability.

Finally, the end-of-life phase presents a challenge in terms of electronic waste (e-
waste). Many smartphones are not recycled properly, and valuable materials are often
lost in the process. To address this, designers can create devices that are easier to
disassemble for recycling, use recyclable materials, and establish take-back
programs to ensure proper disposal and reuse of components. Apple’s efforts with its
Material Recovery Lab, which uses robots to recover valuable materials from old
devices, are an example of how to handle e-waste responsibly.
When preparing files for printing or sending them to a printer or publisher, there are
several key design conventions to consider to ensure the final product meets the
desired quality and is properly formatted. Here’s a breakdown of important
considerations:

1. File Formats (e.g., PDF, JPEG, TIFF)

• PDF (Portable Document Format) is one of the most common formats for print.
It preserves the formatting, fonts, and layout across different devices and
platforms. PDFs are ideal for multi-page documents, brochures, or complex
designs.

• JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a raster image format often used for
photographs. However, it is not ideal for printing large images due to its lossy
compression, which can degrade quality. It’s best for web use or when file size is
a concern.

• TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is preferred for high-quality images because it
is lossless, meaning it doesn’t lose any image data during compression, making
it a good choice for printing high-quality photographs.

2. Resolution (e.g., 300dpi)

• DPI (Dots Per Inch) refers to the resolution of an image, indicating how many
dots of ink are placed per inch of paper during printing. For high-quality prints,
images should be set to 300dpi at the size they will be printed.

• Lower resolutions (e.g., 72dpi) are suitable for digital displays but will result in
pixelated or blurry images when printed. A 300dpi setting ensures that the print is
sharp and detailed.

3. Colour Space (e.g., CMYK vs. RGB)

• RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the colour model used for digital screens (e.g.,
computer monitors, smartphones). However, printers use a different model.

• CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) is the colour model used for
printing. It is based on the four ink colors used in traditional printing presses.
When designing for print, you should work in the CMYK colour space to ensure
that the colours you see on screen match what appears on the printed page. RGB
colours are often converted to CMYK, but this may cause slight colour shifts.

4. Bleed Area

• A bleed is an area around the edges of the design that extends beyond the actual
size of the document. It ensures that the print goes all the way to the edge of the
 paper without any white borders after trimming. Typically, a 3mm to 5mm bleed
is recommended.

• If a design has an element (like a background color or image) that goes to the
edge, it should extend into the bleed area to avoid having unprinted edges.

5. Trim and Safety Margins

• Trim refers to the final size of the printed document after it’s cut down. It’s
important to ensure that no critical content (like text or important images) is too
close to the edge of the page.

• Safety margins (usually about 5mm to 10mm from the trim edge) should be
included to ensure that no content is cut off during trimming.

6. Font Embedding and Licensing

• Fonts should be embedded in the file (especially in PDFs) to ensure that they
appear as intended on the printer’s system. This avoids the issue of the printer
substituting a different font if they don’t have the exact one you used.

• Ensure that the fonts you use are licensed for commercial use and printing to
avoid legal issues.

7. File Size and Compression

• When sending files to a printer or publisher, the file size is important. If the file is
too large, it can be difficult to transfer, but if it's too small, the quality may suffer.

• Compression should be used carefully. Lossy compression (such as in JPEGs)

reduces file size at the expense of quality, while lossless compression (like TIFF
or PNG) retains image quality.

8. Paper Type and Finish

• Different paper types (glossy, matte, textured) affect how the design looks when
printed. Designers should consider how the colours and images will appear on
various paper finishes. For example, glossy paper can make colours appear more
vibrant, while matte paper offers a more subdued look.

• It's also important to discuss with the printer whether any special finishes (like
embossing, spot UV, or foiling) are needed, as these require specific design
considerations.

9. Color Proofing

• Before sending the final design to print, it’s essential to ask for a proof from the
printer. This proof is a sample print of the design that allows you to check the
colours, alignment, and overall layout before the full print run begins.
Creative Design Thinking Strategies

Techniques used to generate a large quantity of ideas. The following strategies help
prompt imaginative and unfiltered concepts that can build on past ideas and inform
new ones:
• concept maps
• visual brainstorming
• forced associations
• Bloom's action verbs
• SCAMPER
• Six Thinking Hats® system
• synectic triggers, for example:
▪ subtract
▪ repeat
▪ combine
▪ add
▪ transfer
▪ empathise
▪ animate
▪ superimpose.

Critical Design Thinking Strategies

Techniques used to filter ideas and support decision making. The following strategies
can help ensure the most suitable and effective design outcome is presented for
implementation:
• PMI
• SWOT analysis
• compare and contrast
• persuasion map
• graphic organisers
• Six Thinking Hats® system.