Learning Objectives To understand what Planned and Perceived Obsolescence means. To be able to identify how a product becomes Obsolete.

The word Obsolete means “no longer produced or used; out of date.” Planned Obsolescence The word Obsolete means “no longer produced or used; out of date.” It is important to note.....More product sold means more money for the manufacturers/companies that sell a product. Planned obsolescence is when a product is designed; To have a specific life span. To convince a consumer that it is a good quality product although it needs replacing. The washing machine is a good example! Designed to last just over 2 years until small parts start to break (usually after the guarantee has run out). After 4-5 years major parts will break. Just long enough so that the customer believes they have had ‘value for money’. This is called built in Obsolescence – Literally built to be obsolete!

Planned Obsolescence Sometimes companies are even cheekier! The various Apple Products: Shuffles, Nanos, I Phones often have different charging jacks! Regularly companies will release a product with one jack design, even though they are already designing the next product with a different improved jack.

Planned Obsolescence Our moral responsibility is to save the environment! Designers need to balance their designs. They need to plan obsolescence into their products. And consider the environment. Sometimes this is done by making a product easier to take apart and recycle the smaller broken parts. Sometimes products are openly built to end. Food has sell by dates, to ensure that we know the food will end (GO OFF). Items such as picnic forks are designed to be thrown away.

Perceived Obsolescence This is where we are led to believe/perceive we NEED a newer version This is often linked to style. A phone with buttons is often not seen to be as modern or as fashionable as a touch screen. Football shirts alter very slightly each season. Advertising often convinces you that you are out of fashion. “If I buy a new touch screen phone people will think better of me” Obsolescence video