[SOLVED] ARTD2106 PRODUCT MANAGEMENT Academic Year 2024/25 Prolog

Module Code

ARTD2106

Assessment Type

(30%) 5 minutes Digital Presentation

(70%) 2000 word Illustrated Report NB: Format for ALL pages is to be landscape only

Module Title

PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

Weighting

30 CAT

Assessment Brief Introduction: Constantly refer to the Module Learning Outcomes, against which you are assessed.

The Product Management module will challenge you to use your creative and commercial critical thinking skills to identify market opportunities and how a business can respond to these opportunities in the development of products from concept to shop floor and or ecommerce. You will develop your strategic thinking in the innovative management of products. You will examine consumer preferences and how buying merchandising, design, and sustainability (BMDS) impact brands as they seek growth opportunities.

The aim of this module is to build upon your introductory business knowledge and skills. It will enable you to examine the fashion market as a professional Fashion Buyer/ Merchandiser would do in industry. You will develop knowledge and understanding of the key BMDS skills involved in developing a product range for your chosen brand, that include Competitor Analysis, Macro and Micro analysis like a SWOT and PESTEL, Trend Evaluation, Product Development, Supply Chain Ethical/Sustainable Strategies, Range Building and Planning. You will gain an understanding of UN sustainable development goal 12 (Responsible consumption and production) and how it impacts the BMDS role.

Assessment Brief:

An Ethical & Sustainable Vision: The role of Head Office Buying teams or independent brand buying teams is to build a business strategy for the product that fulfil the needs/wants of its consumers. Please select one of these three brands as your focus:

a. Lucy & Yak,

b. Kemi Telford,

c. Nobody’s Child

You will assume the role of a fashion buyer and propose an exciting new ethical and or sustainable range that delivers an innovative new product direction linked to the mega trend you have developed for ARTD2107 Trend Forecasting. Your ideas should align with the brand identity and include a new sustainable fabric innovation in a collection that will launch in A/W26 and beyond.

ASSESSMENT IS IN 2 PARTS:  PART 1: (30%) Digital Presentation and PART 2: (70%) 2000-word Illustrated Report

· Use of your own tables, graphs, and infographics in both parts will help you visually communicate your understanding of the brand, in-depth research and creative proposal.

· Demonstrate critical awareness by using a wide variety of sources to evidence you are writing as an informed writer. We will be looking for a lengthy and varied reference list.

· Using your own primary and secondary imagery throughout would support the assignment but remember to label all imagery correctly.

· Theoretical underpinning is also essential in both parts to demonstrate criticality.

· In both parts you are being assessed on your business knowledge as well as your presentation skills.

30% Part 1: A PPT Digital Presentation of 5 slides maximum (LO’s: A1, B1, C1)

A competitive product analysis and ethical/sustainable proposal for your chosen brand, that should include the following:

d. SITUATION ANALYSIS – Scope out your chosen brand: The brand’s identity, their consumers and competitors. What market level do they operate at? Use macro and micro frameworks that can include a SWOT and PESTLE. This must include a focus on their ethics and sustainability perspectives. Does the brand align with the UN sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible consumption and production? If not, in what ways could they align?

e. COMPETITIVE SHOPPING REPORT – A basket analysis of the existing product range considering shape, fabrication, colour and/or print, price and country of origin, but also choice, quality and positioning.

f. PROPOSAL – A proposed new direction for Gen Z clubwear or festival wear., considering new products and multi-functional fabrics, reflecting the mega trend developed for ARTD2107. What does the brand need to include in their collection to drive towards an ethical and sustainable future. For example, can this range be multifunctional and or inter-seasonal and be worn beyond the clubwear or festival trend.

The body of your Digital Presentation should be no more than 5 slides long and created using PowerPoint. In addition, you can include an Intro page and a reference list. You will be invited during week 7 to deliver your presentation live to your tutors and a small group of peers. This delivery should take no longer than 5 mins. There will be an opportunity for Q&A in the remaining 5 mins. Please note your PPT needs to be submitted prior to week 7 and to Blackboard by Thursday 07/11/24.

70% Part 2: 2000 word Illustrated report (LO: A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, D1)

The illustrated report must be created in InDesign and saved as a single high resolution landscape PDF. It will deliver an innovative range that takes the brand in a new ethical and or sustainable direction. Use the following essential sections to organise your report:

a. ACADEMIC STRUCTURE

· Be sure to leave enough word count for an introduction and conclusion.

· You will also need a title page, contents page and numbered pages and figures

· The reference list, bibliography and appendices do not count in your word count.

b. CREATIVE PRODUCT & CONCEPT – approximately 700 words

· FABRIC INNOVATION – A well-supported introduction to your new innovative fabric. How is it ethical and or sustainable? Can the fabric be multifunctional and versatile to help consumers increase cost per wear. Can the fabric be durable to prevent discarding after just a few uses and help reduce textile waste.

· GROWTH OPPORTUNITY – Having received feedback on your proposal, scope that range out in further detail here, justify in depth the growth opportunity for your retailer. It could be a completely new line, or a collaboration with an artist/charitable enterprise but must include a new fabric innovation. Is there a benefit and opportunity for the brand to align with the UN sustainable development goal 12 using a strategic marketing approach through product information on the items branding and or on the ecommerce site.

· RANGE IDEA – What will the range be? Scope this out in terms of shape, fabrication, colour and/or print and price. Your range plan should include visual representations of your products, created using Adobe Illustrator.

· USP – How will your range stand out in the market, what sustainable and or ethical attributes does it have, is it multi-functional, is it durable, is it versatile, is it inter-seasonal, can consumers increase cost per wear?

c. THINKING STRATEGICALLY – approximately 1000 words

· STRATEGIC DIRECTION – What is your strategic direction? How will your concept help your brand grow? How is it relevant to a fashion business (and its consumers) of 2026 and beyond? Think about how sustainability will be introduced.

· SOURCING STRATEGIES – How will you support the flow of product from concept to shop floor/ecommerce site? Where will you produce your products? Where is your fabric sourced from? Create a supply chain map

· CHALLENGES – Think ahead, what challenges will need to be overcome?

d. MECHANDISE PLAN – approximately 300 words

· RANGE PLAN – From your market research, create a detailed merchandise range plan detailing your new collection. There should be 10 garments in your range plan. The colour options you detail are in addition.

· DETAILS – Set the buying plan of the product range based on the retail value to include the following:

o Product mix analysis (fabric type, colour, print etc.).

o Country of origin mix.

o Retail price strategies and justification.

o Units and size ratios you plan to buy for each item.