Product Design and Process Selection

(Assignment # 3)

A. Read module 3 and answer the following:

1. Describe the steps in the product/service design process.

 Step 1
Idea Development - Someone thinks of a need and a product/service design to
satisfy it: customers, marketing, engineering, competitors, benchmarking, reverse
engineering

 Step 2
Product Screening - Every business needs a formal/structured evaluation
process: fit with facility and labor skills, size of market, contribution margin,
break-even analysis, return on sales

 Step 3
Preliminary Design and Testing - Technical specifications are developed,
prototypes built, testing starts

 Step 4
Final Design - Final design based on test results, facility, equipment, material, &
labor skills defined, suppliers identified

2. What is innovation? Why is it important?

In reality, innovation is a process that any individual within any type of organization can
engage in as a normal part of the daily work. It’s all about making something better, whether
that’s an actual product or a process used in the organization. Innovation is the creation of better,
more effective products, processes, services, or technologies. Innovation is defined in this
context as the development of better products or services. In addition to the fact that innovation
allows organizations to stay relevant in the competitive market, it also plays an important role in
economic growth. The ability to resolve critical problems depends on new innovations and
especially developing countries need it more than ever.

Innovation, by definition, is the introduction of something new. Without innovation, there

isn’t anything new, and without anything new, there will be no progress. If an organization isn’t
making any progress, it simply cannot stay relevant in the competitive market. Because
organizations are often working with other individual organizations, it can sometimes be
challenging to understand the impacts of innovation on our society at large. There is, however, a
lot more to innovation than just firms looking to achieve Innovation really is the core reason for
modern existence. Although innovation can have some undesirable consequences, change is
inevitable and in most cases, innovation creates positive change.

3. What are the challenges associated with choosing a successful product design?

Product development is difficult. The invention of a new product, new functionality, new
customer interaction and experience is challenging enough that if we can simplify the
development process, this results in high value to the developer in reduction of time, cost and
excessive do overs. Here we’ll explore some of the biggest challenges of product design.

 Price Alignment with the Market

One of the challenges of product design is to try to make sure the product
objectives can be achieved within the cost margins the market will bear. In other words,
check that the amount of money that can be spent on making the product is enough to
deliver what is being developed.

 Production Method Experience is a must

Find and work with a development partner team who has the most history and
experience with the production methods that match your new products production
 quantity and manufacturing methods. In other words, if its injection molded or stamped
sheet metal, assure that your chosen team has released products using those methods
before and hopefully many times.

 Require Transparent Communication

Find a firm with extremely transparent communication. It starts with the initial
agreement. If it’s clearly explained what each member of the team will do, how the work
will flow, easy to understand how and when things will happen, that indicates a much
more comfortable interaction going forward. Regular and ongoing program, phase or
deliverable review points assure alignment with the overarching goals and unsaid
nuances before it gets too late and costly in the process.

 Find an Expert Risk Advisor

Very experienced teams can advise and assist in assuring the product does not
take on unnecessary risks in complexity, tooling, production options etc. This helps with
feature creep and requests that are super complex or expensive but are not fully
understood without experience.

 Physical and Digital Design

If possible the physical product design should be done in concert with the digital
experience design. This especially relates to devices which have onboard screens since
the user’s touchpoints and pain points will be in both the physical embodiment as well as
the onscreen interaction. If done by the same team, it can have amazing results and the
company branding is reinforced even stronger. A design can message the devices
function through the shape and form as well as the digital workflow.

 Complexity Management 

Both the design process and the product itself can suffer from far too much
complexity. If the product is overly complex, usability may prove difficult.  If the design
process is too complex, error and redundancy may creep into development.

 Customer Involvement 
 Part of product design is keeping the clients and potential customers involved;
however, focused, incisive questions are needed in order to get the appropriate feedback
that will move the project forward. It’s very easy to people outside the design process to
give opinions that are not productive.

 Sustainability

Some designers have killer design ideas, but they’re not sustainable either on an
economic or environmental level. The product may have an amazing design, but it costs
far too much to produce in large quantities.  Furthermore, the use of recyclable and
natural materials ensures good global citizenship.  By taking this into account, the best
designers can ensure that the product design can be continued far into the future.

B. Watch the video: Brainstorm to Box: Good Design

Prepare a synthesis of the video.

The ability to generate ideas and implement them efficiently is crucial for the long-term
success of businesses, yet few take the time to create a culture that truly fosters creativity and
innovation. Good design is often difficult. Once you understand user needs, the creation process
requires that those needs be met in the most pleasing and useful way possible. Brainstorming is a
method used to help facilitate good design process. The first step to establishing such a culture
within a professional environment is to learn how to brainstorm effectively. First impressions are
everything. Technology has granted businesses with multiple avenues for brand exposure making
the emphasis on good design more important than ever. Everything from your logo, your
website, to your social media accounts, advertisements, packaging, etc.; the list goes on and on.
Good design can make a difference between locking in a sale or losing a potential customer.
Also good design plays such an important role in creating strong marketing strategies. It’s the
difference of taking messaging that is in the form of plain text and creating an impactful message
through imagery and design.

Brainstorming is a method design teams use to generate ideas to solve clearly

defined design problems. In controlled conditions and a free-thinking environment, teams
approach a problem by such means as “How Might We” questions. They produce a vast array of
ideas and draw links between them to find potential solutions. Problem solving, critical thinking,
creativity, leadership, collaboration and communication are the fundamental elements of any
successful design thinking project. When employees go through a design thinking training
program, it's basically a crash course in all the soft skills they need to succeed.