Product design and development is never easy, and even big brands have their issues when it comes to developing new products.
For those just starting out, it can be hard to know how to create good products. On top of this, it’s hard not to get too attached to your product idea. This is why some people go down the design sprint user testing route because then all the designing is done in 5 days and they aren’t overlooking basics flaws in the product because they have become too attached to it. But if you’re just getting started in product design, we’ve highlighted some tips for good product design and development below.
1. Fulfil a need
Fundamentally, all products have a purpose and are designed to assist a user in some way. When developing products, you need to think about how it will benefit consumers or improve their lives in some way.
This can be done by either finding ways that you can improve on existing products, or can include the creation of something completely new and different that meets an unmet need within a sector. The world is changing constantly, and so are consumer needs and attitudes, so there’s always possibility for new products across different sectors.
Never create a product for the sake of it, or because you think it will be popular. Do your research and really find out what will make a difference to the people who you intend to use it.
2. Build your brand and make it good
Brand identity has never been more important in product design and development than it is in the modern age. People have always bought from brands that they trust, but now people want to trust a company and ensure that the company values match with their individual values.
You need to decide what you want to be seen as, and what you want to be known for. You could be ‘green’, ‘innovative’, ‘creative’ or you could be seen as ‘disruptive’ or ‘archaic’. How you are seen will have an impact on how your company and its products are perceived.
First impressions are everything, so from the offset you need to be highlighting the kind of brand that you are.
3. Make sure your product works
Test, test and test. This is key when it comes to product design.
Do not design a product, create a prototype and then move on to manufacturing in quick succession. This may seem obvious but making sure the product you’ve designed works from the consumer perspective is a crucial step. This site explains in more detail about why you should look into product concept testing and how this can benefit you.
Too often people create products that have had lack of practical testing, and which have not been tried out by the target customers themselves. This can result in a product that is low-quality, useless or even unsafe.
Detailed testing can take time and money, but it is something worth investing in if you are going to produce a good quality product that consumers will want to purchase. Remember to iterate your product and service design first (refer to product design vs. service design here). This could give you a clear idea of how to approach your marketing strategies. Also, try making a prototype and then putting this to a focus group, when they come up with issues or suggestions, take this and re-work the product. Repeat this process until there is little they can find wrong.
4. Focus on quality
It can seem appealing to create a cool product in record time and sell it to make lots of money, but this just doesn’t work if you are producing low-quality products that are poorly made and poorly designed.
The internet is full of cheap products, so to stand out from the crowd you should look to design and manufacture a product that is good value for money whilst retaining great quality. This will bring more long-term value to your products and your business.
Maximising the quality of your products takes time and attention, so there are some downsides. It means you have longer deadlines, more prototyping, more research and more searching for good-quality manufacturers and materials, but it is worth it.
A high-quality product doesn’t need to be expensive to make. If you use the right product design company to help and use the right materials and processes it can be just as cost-effective as producing low-quality products. Plus, you are likely to get customers recommending your product and returning for more.