Skip to Main Content

RFM 3830: Product Development, Evaluation, and Distribution

This guide follows the Product LIne Development Project for this class

Special Populations: Clothing for people with specific body or ability types

Google: use it twice: 

  1. Read background, understand basics  -- All the while gathering words and terms I can take elsewhere to keep looking.

  2. Come back for ideas, vendors, data, orgs, more.

 

EX:

1. For "What do little people want in clothing" Google brings you:

Now you know there are some businesses that are already catering to this market. Compare what's available with the demographics and psychographics you uncover to determine if your product will have a market.  

                     Watch what words are being used, and by whom.  What dos that population call themselves? Is there a medical term? Start a list of terms now. 

2. Now that I have the basics, I can search for specifics: Little People organizations or little people statistics or little people attitudes. 

Critique whether websites know what they are talking about, or are they using stereotyped, misguided, or uninformed projections of bodies othered by the mainstream.  Empathy and sensitivity are a must.  Data, data, data will keep you from making big mistakes.  

 
The Disability Language Style Guide may also help you consider the best words to be using.  
The Institute for Human Centered Design has a stockpile of videos that might include information about your topics. 

 

Some general books on fashion and special populations