The information you need will likely come from a variety of sources!
Think about "who" might collect, publish or share information that you need:
In some cases needed information may simply not be readily available. If you can't find a specific fact you need, broaden your search or geographic location. Perhaps a Canadian statistics is not available but one from a US source is - use the US source and relate it to your customer/market.
Try our Summon Search and find resources across our entire library collection - books, journal articles and more! Good for overview of resources that might be available. Tip! Filter your results to "Full Text Online"
Search the Library Catalogue for books by entering keywords that decribe what you are looking for.
You can also search by author name, book title or subject heading.
The Design Process by The following databases contain full text online content from books:
Ebooks spanning a wide variety of disciplines. It includes many scholarly and academic publishers as well as some non-scholarly content.
The interface for this and all our other EBSCO databases will change mid-2025. Click here to try out the new interface early!
Ebooks spanning a wide variety of disciplines. It includes many scholarly and academic publishers as well as some non-scholarly content.
Search tips
Use the Advanced Search screen
Combine terms to be more precise using the 'AND' command
e.g. clothing AND smart materials AND Canada
Find synoyms using the 'OR' command
e.g. international OR global
Use single quote marks to match multiple words exactly
e.g. 'protective clothing' (Note: Summon using double quotes)
Use shortcuts to find words with different spellings:
e.g. correction$ will find correction, corrections, and correctional (but not corrective)
Find the library subject terms for your topic
e.g. if you browse by SUBJECT for the keyword Taser (which is a brand name) you'll see that libraries use the term stun guns instead
"Show me the numbers!"
You may have already have an idea about who is your customer or target market, where they live, and why they might buy your product. But what evidence do you have? You will need to do some research to find facts and data to support, or possibly tweak, your ideas. You need demographic and psycho(demo)graphic information.
Demographics - Who is buying? - You will want to collect some facts about age, gender, education, or population group that your customer might belong to (e.g. Baby Boomer? Generation X? Millennials or Generation Y? Tweens?) etc.
Psychographics - What people buy? Why they buy? You will also want to collect some information about the personality behind the facts, or psychographic information about your customer. What are their values, ethics, attitudes, taste, hobbies, interests? What is their lifestyle? What characteristics will help predict what or why people behave or purchase in a certain way. Does your customer belong to a population group or generational group (as above, Baby Boomer? General X? Millennials of Generation Y? Tweens?)
Geographics - Where does your customer live? You will need to research geographic information such as how many of your customers live within your geographic area (local, regional, national, worldwide)
Governments are a good source of statistical information at national, provincial/state, or local levels. Statistics Canada, for example, "produces statistics that help Canadians better understand their country—its population, resources, economy, society and culture" so it would be likely be a great source to consult.
Associations may also gather information about their members, populations they serve, or target markets.
Library books and databases may also contain the information you need.
Start here!:
FP Markets - Canadian Demographics - This book is a great place to start! Contains population data and characteristics (e.g. income levels, education levels) for Canada, each province, and major cities. Also provides psycho-demographic descriptions and numbers! (Please note this annual volume ceased in 2012 but it is still a great place to start!)
National
Statistics Canada :
"Statistics Canada produces statistics that help Canadians better understand their country—its population, resources, economy, society and culture."
Provincial
Local
Check local government sites as well (e.g. Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, etc.) for information about the people that live and work in particular communities. A simple way to zero in on information is to do a web search for the city/community with terms such as "demographics" or "population" or "statistics".
For example: Richmond statistics
See also our Library Guide for Statistics
Search for articles using the term "psychographics" or "characteristics" as an added descriptor, or search on a group name (e.g. Seniors, Baby Boomers, Generation X). You may find that group name definitions are "fluid". Have a look at these sites and compare! From WJS Generations X, Y, Z and others; From Knoema Population by age and generation; From Pew Research Millennials Overtake BabyBoomers...
Start with articles indexes like:
Scholarly and popular articles for all business disciplines.
The interface for this and all our other EBSCO databases will change mid-2025. Click here to try out the new interface early!
There are a variety of sources to consult for information about an industry (industry overviews, outlook, trends). These will include library databases and government sites.
Start your searches with keywords that describe the industry you are researching, but be on the look out for mention of NAICs codes!
Look up your NAICs code here
Start with these library databases:
Business, Management and Trade - scholarly and trade journal articles, dissertations, market reports, industry reports, business cases and global and trade news
Major Canadian newspapers as well as many small-market newspapers.
Journals (online)
B Magazine - Currently unavailable for circulation
Canadian Apparel Markets - Currently unavailable for circulation
Also try Associations and organizations
Scholarly and popular articles for all business disciplines.
The interface for this and all our other EBSCO databases will change mid-2025. Click here to try out the new interface early!
Look for Company Websites
Is the Company you're researching Public? or Private?
Access to the Fashion module of WGSN, a leading resource for design-related trends, content, and technology. KPU students and employees can create an account to access by using their KPU email address.
Funded by the KPU Teaching & Learning Commons.
It is important to keep track of the resources you consult, as well as your search terms.
You may wish to utilize citation generators such as Zotero that will help you manage, organize and generate citations.
When writing a research paper, you must always cite any sources that you have consulted. You must acknowledge when you are using the ideas, information, arguments, phrases or any other intellectual or creative output by another person. Not to do so is referred to as plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense that carries with it severe academic consequences, but that can largely be avoided by always citing your resources.
We cite:
Common examples of plagiarism:
Find out more about Plagiarism
