Blog Post 2

Design Specifications
Height - 15''
Length - 7''
Width - 5''
Cup Height - 5.75''
Cup Base - 3.25''
Stir Rod - 6''

This product had a couple of requirements of the customer. First, they had to have access to some sort of power in order for the machine to work. Secondly, they had to have the ability to operate the machine, meaning that they needed a working knowledge of milkshake mixers. Finally, they had to have money to pay for the cost of the machine, as well as any materials needed.

From this product we can draw some conclusions about the people that purchased it. Most obviously, these people had a desire for milkshakes and the ability to make them in their own homes. Also, these people had money to spend on a mostly useless machine. Aside from making milkshakes and a few other drinks, these machines don't really do anything else. You can also make milkshakes from a variety of other machines, therefore these people clearly had money to spend on products that they could do without.

The cost to use this product once varies depending on the size and type of milkshake desired. Different milkshakes require different ingredients, resulting in a difference in cost. However, the variance in cost is not very large. Therefore, for an average milkshake, assuming 1 cup of milk and 4 scoops of ice-cream, the cost to run the product once is about $1.50 ($0.22 for the milk, $1.25 for the ice-cream, and $0.0015 for the electricity cost).

For this type of product, there are a couple added features and functionalities. For example, one version might have multiple speeds as opposed to the single speed of our product. Other versions have a tilting head for easy release and attachment of the stir rod and cup. Still others have the capability to create two or three different milkshakes at the same time. Because of these added features, a direct rise in the cost of design can and should be expected. Different speeds require additional hardware to be added to the appliance, and on average result in a price increase of about $20. A tilting head doesn't require much in terms of design, so the price is generally around the same as basic unit. However, having multiple spindles means that you must also have multiple motors, a much larger frame, increased power, and additional safety features. All of these greatly increase the cost of design.

The cost of this product says a few things about the society as a whole. As stated before, the fact that people were wiling to spend that much money on such a non-essential product indicates that they were not too worried about their financial state. In other words, individuals had money to spare, so the society in general must have been in a good state. Also, this product indicates that the society as a whole was somewhat lazy. People were developing easier ways to complete non-essential tasks, and consumers were paying for them.

- Jake Martin

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