64 Technology: Engineering Our World Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 8. Which of the following best defi nes ergonomics? A. Making products that fi t the human body B. Designing products that can be mass- produced easily C. The relationship between how a product looks and its cost D. Designing products that are cheap to make 9. Which of the following statements is true? A. Only products made of plastic damage the environment. B. Products made mostly of metal do the most damage to the environment. C. All products have some effect on the environment. D. Reducing the environmental impact of products is expensive. 10. True or False? Poorly designed products can be both dangerous and frustrating for users. 11. True or False? Iconic designs are inspirational and are often copied. 12. True or False? Designing is a way to generate solutions to a real-world problem experienced by humans. 13. True or False? Invention involves the improvement of an existing product or service. 14. True or False? Innovation happens when a designer or inventor produces a better solution to a problem and it is sold in the marketplace. Apply Your Knowledge 1. This activity is designed to get you thinking about the characteristics of well-designed products. A. Copy the table shown using word- processing software. B. Choose three products that you use on a daily basis (e.g., kitchen item, tool, electronic device, health-care product) and write their names in the spaces provided at the top of the table. C. Evaluate each product using the eight characteristics of good design. Give each product a score of excellent, average, or poor for each characteristic. D. Write a short sentence to explain each of your evaluations. For example, if product #1 was your favorite mug, you might evaluate its functionality as excellent because it is the perfect size for one serving of hot chocolate. You might evaluate its ergonomics as poor, however, because the handle is too small to hold comfortably when it is full of hot liquid. Products I Use Characteristic of Good Design Product #1: Product #2: Product #3: Functional User-centered Ergonomic Affordable Environmentally sustainable and responsible Well-made and long lasting Socially responsible Aesthetically pleasing Goodheart-Willcox Publisher 2. Make a collage to illustrate the wide range of designs for any one product available to consumers. A. Choose one product that is used in your home on a daily basis. B. Collect at least 20 illustrations of this product. Sources can include magazines, advertising materials, and prints from the Internet. C. Cut off excess paper from around the edges of each illustration to make it an interesting shape. D. Obtain a sheet of card or foam board approximately 24″ × 36″ (60 cm × 90 cm).