Italian Industrial Design Solutions
Product Development: How to Make a Product That Works
How to make a new product? What are the steps of the creation and design process? Are there specific strategies to be implemented? These questions concern Product Development, that is the process that will lead the company to launch its new good on the market.
As a team specialized in Industrial Design, we take care of Product Development every day: we transform the idea of the company into a finished object, which responds to the characteristics that make it new, unique, desirable. In a word: a product that works.
What Is Product Development (And What Are the Objectives)
Product Development is the set of strategies and actions implemented to create a new product to be introduced on the market.
To do this, companies rely on a team like ours, specialized in Industrial Design and internationally recognized, to structure the Design and Product Engineering.
What is the goal of this process?
The ultimate goal is to create a product that
- works
- it is aesthetically beautiful
- it is requested by a target of consumers – and therefore sells.
The Product Development process is not random, chaotic, variable depending on the product sector. On the contrary, it is structured in precise steps, which a professional and reliable work team follows rigorously.
Our experience of 20+ years and 50+ projects for international companies has allowed us to define the different steps of Product Development in the most effective way, in order to present a result that reflects the business idea, that is competitive and avant-garde, satisfies stylistic canons, and that it brings new value required on the market.
The Steps of Product Development, From Idea to Implementation
Product Development goes through 4 macro steps:
1. Analysis and Research
2. Concept Definition and Development
3. Style Design
4. Engineering
Each of these phases must be dealt with in a rigorous chronological order, so that the product design is functional, aesthetically appealing, suitable for the needs of the market.
1. Analysis and Research
Before creating a new product and introducing it to the market, it is essential to investigate the chances of success for the target audience. The first step of product development – that of Analysis and Research – is essential to take the right path.
We work closely with the customer’s marketing department to get to know all the dynamics of the market in depth: positioning, direct and indirect competitors, strengths.
Knowing the positioning of the company on the market allows us to better identify the consumer. Working every day for international clients, we study consumer cultures, preferences and behaviors, to identify business opportunities, market niches and to define the characteristics of the product aimed at satisfying specific market needs.
Objective: to develop a product that is valuable to the target audience and that is in demand on the market.
2. Concept Definition and Development
Once the research phase guarantees that there is room on the market for the product, then it is time to define the concept. The Concept Definition and Development step is the phase which, before the actual design, defines how the product works.
We interpret the data collected in the analysis phase and translate them into conceptual proposals as close as possible to the client’s set objectives.
The concepts lay the foundations for evaluating the size, number of components, usable materials, ergonomics, usability and functions that the new product will be equipped with. The conceptual phase is elaborated with sketches and flanked if necessary by MVP and the creation of a CAD master.
Objective: to define how the product works, how it satisfies a specific need.
3. Style Design
Once the concept has been defined, it is time to begin the Style Design of the product, in which the object begins to take shape.
Starting from the final concept, we develop the first aesthetic 3D CAD models on which to make the first evaluations on the stylistic result of the product, on the choice of materials and finishes. The models are then rendered to arrive at a more realistic view of the finished product.
The direction of the style is translated into a mathematical model of the external surfaces that takes into account the internal components and the safety requirements that the new product must meet. The mathematical model can be used for the creation of prototypes in order to evaluate the stylistic and dimensional results.
Objective: to realize the actual design of the product.
4. Product Engineering
At this point the product is missing only one step: concretely take shape. Product Engineering is the “general test” that ends with the production of prototypes to verify their correct functioning.
In this phase we proceed to the development of plastic and mechanical parts using 3D parametric modeling software taking into consideration materials, technological processes, thicknesses, dimensions, fixings, shrinkage, undercuts and joints.
We use software to simulate the behavior of objects by subjecting them to the stress they undergo in their real life cycle. In this phase, functional verification prototypes are made before the final 3D mathematics are closed.
Objective: to test the functioning of the product so that it is ready for industrial production.
Transversality is our way of guaranteeing quality and performance in the development of innovative products.
We choose the most suitable production technologies for your project
The knowledge of the different production technologies allows us to carry out the project in a linear way without changing course and within the pre-established times.
We analyze the best and most innovative materials
The in-depth knowledge of materials allows us to do pre-analysis on how to design or redesign products according to the principles of the circular economy.
We study the feasibility
The style of a product is created starting from the production feasibility without risking losing it along the way during the development phase.
We offer a network of trusted professionals and suppliers
We have created a network of professionals to meet the design needs of our customers, together with a consolidated network of suppliers.
About Us
ZAAFDesign conceived and designed the mechanics of our first head counter prototype, following us in all phases up to the realization of the molds that allowed us to be able to provide our customers with a functional version and then validate it on the market. ZAAFDesign proved to be a strategic and top quality partner, fully understanding the needs of a start-up , often penalized in the printing world as the costs to be incurred are many.
Professionalism, cordiality and accuracy are the keywords that characterize the whole ZAAFDesign team.
Contact us to request a preliminary consultation
Error: Contact form not found.
