Product Design Decision-Making at BestPick
Great product design is absolutely critical for most consumer products companies. But how do these companies know when a design is right? How do they make those tough design decisions? That’s the challenge that faced Chuck Jones. Chuck is the chief designer of BestPick, a fast-expanding mid-sized electrical appliances producing and marketing company. Chuck’s realization that the process of making design decisions needed to be improved came after a meeting with the Company’s new CEO. Chuck was used to make design decisions intuitively. However, his “trust me, I’m designer” argument didn’t convince the new CEO. Chuck knew he had to come up with a better way. He resolved to make his design decisions more rational. Now, assume you are Chuck… Question 1> Give a conceptual review of what decision making is. (25 marks) Question 2> You would make design decisions by yourself alone as you have been. Illustrate hypothetically step by step with specific details and, wherever appropriate, numbers (i.e., quantitatively) how you could evaluate more rationally TWO design prototypes of a new refrigerator with the six-step systematic decision making process (that we discussed in class) by assessing your satisfaction level on such two new designs along a 10-point Likert scale. And, in the decision making process, you consider that a design has five dimensions, namely, aesthetics, craftsmanship, technical performance, ergonomics, and usability. (25 marks) Question 3> The six-step systematic decision making process you provided in your answer to question 2 refers. Instead of making decisions alone, explain whether you would consider asking your subordinates to join you and participate in the systematic decision making process. (25 marks) Question 4> The six-step systematic decision making process you provided in your answer to question 2 refers. Other than involving your subordinates, elaborate on what further improvement you could do on the systematic decision making process. (25 marks) ——————————————————- Basing on the case information provided above and your class learning, submit a written assignment (2500~3000 words excluding bibliography) answering ALL the case questions. IMPORTANT: Please follow strictly the word limits. Answer the questions in the order they are asked and answer each question separately instead of weaving several questions together. Indicate clearly which question you are answering and make use of headings/subheadings wherever appropriate to facilitate your instructor’s reading and understanding of your answers.
