A Research to the Influences of Operating Product on the Preference for Form Factors – A Case Study of USB Flash Drive

• Main Authors: Cheng-chieh Hung, 洪政頡
• Other Authors: Chin-Yuan Lo
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/70214500753695833460

碩士 === 大同大學 === 工業設計學系(所) === 96 === USB flash drives are currently most popular portable storage hardware. Their compactness and lightweight, but not at an expense of storage capacity, are the reasons for such popularity. When the qualities of different brands reach certain standards and do not vary much, as to the popular product, how to be better than other ones and attract consumer's preference, it will be purpose of the research. This paper aims to examine the preferences for product form factors before and after the use of USB flash drives and identifies the factors that influence such preferences. As far as the preferences of product form factors are concerned, colors, shapes and materials are the key considerations, followed by styles and functions, when pictures are used as samples. Before the actual use of USB flash drives, the results are the same as the ones based on pictures alone. However, after the use of USB flash drives, the results are different for the samples. Some do not even have degrees of variances. Therefore, the actual use of USB flash drives has significant influence on the preference of product shapes. According to the results of this paper, most preferences go for rectangle shapes. The preferences for colors are mostly black, silver and white, as frequently seen in technology products, and trendy colors such as bright orange, pink and pale purple. Materials may be ABS, acrylic, metallic or materials with transparent look-and-feel. There are not many unusual presentations in addition to logos or product names. Innovative features in USB connectors are fairly popular, as tucking in connectors is a novel mechanical design. In addition to the hole for stringing, some products are designed to resemble necklaces. This has attracted the attention of an increasing number of female consumers.