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How To Design A Successful Product
Over recent years, the role of product designer has grown by leaps and bounds, introducing an array of new aspects to the entire designing process. There’s a lot to be considered from the point of simply an idea for how To Design A Successful Product , social aspects now playing a huge part in a product’s success, particularly in the field of commercial product designing
The purpose of a new product should be to provide the user with a solution, however big or small. The product needs to be offering something different and innovative to society. Take Apple Inc for example – the designers created something that had never been seen before in the notorious ‘Iphone’, now in vogue internationally. It’s strange to think that before the Iphone, mobile apps were non-existent seeing as there’s now such a gigantic cash cow market for them.
The idea – this seems a good place to start. Write down what problem you’re looking to solve with your idea/product and how X amount of people (your target market) will need it – ensuring there’s a clear desire for it society, whether it be practical or aesthetic. Essentially, A successful product will either provide an easier, faster, more affordable or more attractive solution to an old and irritating problem – the product offering an answer.
What is the unique selling point of your product going to be?
These key specifics should be decided on within the early stages of the design process. Along with the actual product’s physical design: materials, durability, production cost, retailed price etc. For you aspiring designers, ensure you don’t forget that all products need to be aesthetically appealing to your target audience (obviously style is subjective) – this includes any outer packaging or wrapping that your product may require.
Once the specifics have been set down you can begin producing some visuals: sketching, drawing, textiles etc. At this point drawings don’t need to be great, or accurate, but instead simply exhibit the preceding rough concepts. From there, the drawn concept will go through the process of computerisation, giving everybody a feel of what the product will look like. At this point you’re able to gage how well thought out the design was and also the gather the reactions of fellow team members as to whether it’s impressive or not. You really do need some kind of spectacle factor.
Once a construction of your chosen mock-up is made available, you’re ready for the testing process. This largely depends on your product, it could need thorough health and safety examinations or it may simply require a focus group to use the products and discuss their opinions on how it works and what it’s like to look at and use. A successful product design may have gone through the design process a number of times until it is to the designer’s satisfaction i.e. just right. Perhaps your first design was not fast enough, light enough or appealing enough to the consumer. You want to produce the optimum prototype – don’t settle for second best.
This article is written by Rebecca Woods, who regularly writes on the topic of design and becoming a product design consultant.
