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Flynn is an award winning product development house based in the south west. We help business take it to the next level with next gen product design
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PRODUCT DESIGN WORKSHOP BREAKING DOWN THE PRODUCT DESIGN PROCESS
1 THE BRIEF Creating a brief is arguably the most important stage of the product design process as all subsequent stages will be based on what the assumptions that this document outlines. A product is therefore only ever as good as its brief. Getting a brief right is about understanding the starting point of a product idea or concept. Do you need to go back further, in order to understand the motivations and inputs that have led to initial assumptions?
2 RESEARCH The next stage involves researching the target market, including the competition and the study of other related or similar products already on the market. This will allow you to discover areas of differentiation, which will set your product apart.
3 BRAINSTORMING AND IDEATION This is done off the back of the research, especially those areas that have identified differentiation between your product and what’s already out there. Sketches are still in a very basic prototype form but will begin to flesh out the look and feel of the product, as well as functionality, interface and mechanics. This is the point at which you need to connect with the core problem your product is addressing, allowing ideas to flow freely.
4 CONCEPTUALISATION At the conceptualisation stage, the ideas that have come out of the brainstorming and ideation sessions are further fleshed out through a process of evaluation and synthesis. Often, more than one concept is created and these are further evaluated for their merits. If feasible, then a prototype could be created for each concept.
5 COLLABORATE This stage is where the product designers present the concept to stakeholder or the client. At this point, the evolution of the process that leads to the concepts is explained and the pros and cons of each design laid out. An evaluation is then made by the stakeholders or client as to which concept works best and this is then agreed upon as the final design.
6 VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING / CAD DEVELOPMENT The development stage is the creation part of the process in which the product is modelled using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software in order to get a scale computer model that can be used to test its physical properties, as well as resistance to theoretical stresses and strains that it may encounter in its real-world application. Any problems will be addressed and if need be.
7 PROTOTYPING During this phase, you will create prototypes (experimental models of your ideas) that are in line with user needs and the analysis you conducted during the discovery stage. These prototypes will then be tested, by your team and with potential end users. Start slow and small. Introduce only the basic features of your product, make sure your users understand how to use it, and then gather their feedback.
8 TESTING Although testing and evaluation take place during every phase of the design process, the main testing phase itself will help your team see that the design that you’ve conceptualised actually works. This can take the form of: • In-house testing, wherein your own team will use the product and give their feedback. • Usability testing, where you’ll find/hire participants, then gather their feedback. Confidential focus groups are an ideal way to let potential customers get hands-on with your prototype. • Diary study, where you ask participants to keep a diary over X amount of time while they use your prototype.
9 MANUFACTURE DFM ( DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE ) Once the prototyping phase has been concluded then it’s time to begin manufacturing the final product design and bringing it to market. This is far from the end of the journey for the developers, as marketing, PR and audience feedback will all play big roles in the future success of your final product. It does represent the end of the product design process, however.
10 PRODUCT SUPPLY CHAIN AND LAUNCH Getting the technicals of the product right are paramount, but so are the details, whether that’s finish, feel & fit. The role of product designers does not end here, the client will enter with varying requirements and varying skill sets and resources. A good industrial design process factors in support all the way through past product launch and into Year 1-3 Product reviews.
CONCLUSION Product design goes way beyond the aesthetics and artistry involved in creating a catchy looking end product. It is an entire system aimed at crafting products that will meet your customers needs, whilst standing out from your competitors. Although I’ve laid out a linear process here, it’s important to understand that product design is a Nonlinear process, actually a parallel set of Design Cycles, where some stages may take place before others and it’s likely that you will have to loop back to previous stages at some point in order to make sure the final product achieves everything you have set out in the brief and more. Whether a physical, digital or virtual experience, your product needs to put end users’ needs and wants are at the very centre of the product design process. This concept lies at the heart of design thinking, which I’ll cover in another article.
