Research articles (Dept of Industrial Design & Technology)http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1312024-03-28T10:15:36Z2024-03-28T10:15:36ZProduction system optimization: case study of a local textile companyMonageng, RobertKommula, Venkata ParasuramMapfaira, HerbertGandure, JerekiasMaroba, Kagohttp://hdl.handle.net/10311/24622022-08-05T00:00:58Z2017-10-01T00:00:00ZProduction system optimization: case study of a local textile company
Monageng, Robert; Kommula, Venkata Parasuram; Mapfaira, Herbert; Gandure, Jerekias; Maroba, Kago
The manufacturing sector in Botswana has been rapidly growing in recent times. Glam Collections used as a case study organization in this research, is an SME textile manufacturing company with its base of operations in Gaborone, Botswana. The company manufactures a wide range of products in-house and supply to the local market. The company has been growing in terms of scale of production in recent times and this has necessitated it to obtain a larger base of operations which requires an overhauling of their current processes and operations. Hence this research main objective is to demonstrate how Muther’s Systematic Layout (SLP) has been effectively used for departmental layout evaluation and facility design. Lean manufacturing tools were employed in the research together with the SLP technique in order to map and analyze the business processes before the systematic layout could be carried out so as to remove waste in the current process flows and standardize the company operations.
2017-10-01T00:00:00ZProduct analysis based on Botswana's postcolonial socio-cultural perspectiveMoalosi, R.Popovic, V.Hickling-Hudson, A.R.http://hdl.handle.net/10311/6142016-08-13T00:15:53Z2007-01-01T00:00:00ZProduct analysis based on Botswana's postcolonial socio-cultural perspective
Moalosi, R.; Popovic, V.; Hickling-Hudson, A.R.
Products designed and manufactured in any country are influenced by local factors, such as the availability of raw materials, human skills, tradition, and socio-cultural values. The tendency to use available natural resources is in harmony with the eco-system. It is expected that culture plays a crucial role in designing contemporary, socially-acceptable products. This paper describes a comprehensive experimental study analysing several products made in Botswana and identifying the underlying socio-cultural factors that influenced their design. The study was conducted in collaboration with design students at the University of Botswana. Visual and textual data were collected. The results indicate that materials, emotional socio-cultural factors, and social practices have not yet been incorporated convincingly in contemporary product design. The paper proposes how designers can integrate socio-cultural factors by 'conscious design efforts' rather than by 'accident,' thereby leading to innovative, culturally-oriented and cherishable products with wider product acceptance.
2007-01-01T00:00:00ZStrategies for infusing cultural element in product designMoalosi, R.Popovic, V.Hickling-Hudson, A.http://hdl.handle.net/10311/5972016-08-13T00:11:43Z2007-01-01T00:00:00ZStrategies for infusing cultural element in product design
Moalosi, R.; Popovic, V.; Hickling-Hudson, A.
There is little in-depth research that can assist designers to use culture as a catalyst for designing innovative products within Botswana’s context. This is supported by evidence from the literature which indicate that from an African perspective, there is no solid theoretical framework which can assist designers to consciously integrate users culture in designing products. This challenges designers to gain a deeper understanding of users culture and find strategies on how they can use culture as a resource in product development. The concept of culture and design are intertwined, thus modification in the former evolution both reflect and determine developments in the latter. For example, design changes culture and at the same time is shaped by it. The paper discusses an experimental design study conducted at the University of Botswana. Participants were challenged to transform a set of socio-cultural factors and encode them into recognised product design features that reflect Botswana's culture. The data generated by participants was analysed using the qualitative content analysis methodology. The paper concludes by discussing a culture-oriented design model which has shown one way on how to consciously specify, analyse and integrate socio-cultural factors in the early stages of the design process. The design model challenges the way products are designed for different cultures and supports the use of local content in solving design problems.
2007-01-01T00:00:00ZStrategies for infusing cultural elements in product designMoalosi, R.Popovic, V.Hickling-Hudson, A.R.http://hdl.handle.net/10311/5792016-08-13T00:15:09Z2007-01-01T00:00:00ZStrategies for infusing cultural elements in product design
Moalosi, R.; Popovic, V.; Hickling-Hudson, A.R.
There is little in-depth research that can assist designers to use culture as a catalyst for designing innovative products within Botswana’s context. This is supported by evidence from the literature which
indicate that from an African perspective, there is no solid theoretical framework which can assist designers to consciously integrate users culture in designing products. This challenges designers to gain a deeper understanding of users culture and find strategies on how they can use culture as a resource in product development. The concept of culture and design are intertwined, thus modification in the former evolution both reflect and determine developments in the latter. For example, design
changes culture and at the same time is shaped by it. The paper discusses an experimental design
study conducted at the University of Botswana. Participants were challenged to transform a set of
socio-cultural factors and encode them into recognised product design features that reflect Botswana’s culture. The data generated by participants was analysed using the qualitative content analysis methodology. The paper concludes by discussing a culture-oriented design model which has shown one way on how to consciously specify, analyse and integrate socio-cultural factors in the early stages of the design process. The design model challenges the way products are designed for different cultures and supports the use of local content in solving design problems.
2007-01-01T00:00:00Z