The product development process includes everything that has to happen before a product can be put on the market. This is a process that requires design, research, prototyping, engineering and testing.
The development process requires investment and this can be risky, due to the innovation and creative work taking place, which makes accurate forecasting and planning more difficult. However, it can also be enormously rewarding, and the work done here can create value for a company for years to come.
Some companies focus more on innovation and user needs (design-led), while others focus on technical feasibility or market potential, but in practice, successful product development balances all three: desirability, feasibility, and viability.
As product designers, this is where we work. Some specialise in specific phases of the development process, but we take projects through from start to finish, concept to manufacture.
Phase 1: Conceiving & Innovating
This is a process of discovering and defining which includes idea generation, market research and concept development.
- Idea Generation: identifying a need or opportunity. Every product should start with a problem it is trying to solve, whether this is easy to define like a bottle that solves the problem of transporting liquids, or harder to define, such as a toy that is aiming to engage and entertain a child.
- Evaluation, Assess the merits and risks of an idea. During this stage a brief and specification should be written to define the problem and allow it to be communicated to others.
- Market Research: The potential market for the product is assessed; who is the target audience, what competitors are available, where is the gap in the market? What price will the product sell for, route to market or channels and who are its main competitors.
- Concept development, concepts for potential solutions are refined from the original idea, brief and market research. These define the main features of the product. Multiple concepts are considered, and the best is chosen.
- Sustainability, Consider the product’s suitability & inclusivity, assessing the impact on planet and people. Not just the materials but consider life cycle and repair needs.
Phase 2: Learning & Development
The concept is further developed; ideas from the previous phase are tested to ensure the assumptions are correct.
- The chosen concept idea is refined with elements such as general functionality, size, materials, overall shape and form becoming set.
- Modelled in CAD: The design will be modelled and engineered in 3D CAD such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD.
- Prototypes are made to test the product idea to ensure development is progressing in the right direction and addressing the needs of the brief and gain feedback from the target market. These would be in the form of rapid prototyping, 3D printed parts or other suitable materials which replicate the final product as closely as possible.
- Testing: Checking the ergonomics, and integration between parts and subsystems.
- Iteration: learning is taken from the tests and used to re-design elements of the concept, improving it.
Phase 3: Engineering
Now that the design concept is set, it needs to be engineered for effective function and efficient manufacture.
- Detailed Design & Engineering: This includes development of the CAD models, any circuit schematics and software architecture if it has any electronics. Must consider performance, reliability, designed to meet the necessary safety standards.
- Design for manufacture and assembly (DFM/DFA), the product is optimised for production. This includes material selection, tolerance analysis, stress/thermal analysis. This will be heavily dependent on the materials parts and forms required, the factory facilities and the quantity of units being made.
- Full engineering packs are made containing all the information required for manufacturers to work from.
- Protection: Patents, design rights and Trademarks may be sought out to protect the design from copy-cats.
- Sourcing is completed to find manufacturing partners or to acquire parts and materials. A unit cost is agreed.
- Pre-manufacturing prototypes or Alpha prototypes may be made as a final test of the design. Submitted to gain compliance and necessary certification.
Phase 4: Manufacturing
Investment is made into any tools required for production or any staffing, or material orders needed.
- Tooling: many products will require some level of tooling, from simple inexpensive jigs and templates, through to complex moulds. These tools will often be designed with the durability to produce tens of thousands of products.
- Beta/Final Engineering Pilot (FEP): The first product is produced off the production line but in small numbers to test the tools and process. Once this is approved, this will be signed off by all parties and used as a sample to which future products will be compared.
- Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC): Quality control checks are designed and implemented including safety tests.
Phase 5: Production
The product is ready to hit the market.
- Orders and distribution: the product is made in quantity and transported to where it will be sold.
- Market launch: Developing a marketing strategy, creating promotional materials, and launching the product to the target market.
- The performance of the new product is monitored closely with stakeholders gathering user feedback and planning for future updates and iterations.
Key Takeaways
- Product development is the process of creating new products and bringing them to market.
- The product will go through many iterative development stages where the idea will be tested and refined.
- The more time and money can be invested into development, the better the final product will be. Conversely, if development is rushed, the product is more likely to fail or face fierce competition.