Coming up with the idea that it can change lives can be difficult, and the process isn't as straightforward as it is expected to be. The method of designing is a series of steps that companies trace during the creation of a product from the beginning to the end.
A step-by-step process is always a better option when it comes to staying focused and staying on schedule, especially if you have a specific timeframe that you need to abide by.
Although it varies from enterprise to enterprise, the product design process can easily be broken down into four simple steps:
Ideation
Research
Planning/execution
Launch
Let’s help you unpack these four steps to a successful establishment of a product:
Step 1: Ideation
All of it begins with a mere idea.
The idea aims to resolve an issue for the customer or make their life easier. At this stage, anything can prove to be a source of inspiration.
From color, a building, images, and videos to mood boards online. This helps create a product that will be useful to the customers and establish your brand identity.
Brainstorming is one of the most effective ways of gathering ideas and thinking out of the box, which entails aspiring to create something that no one else has yet. This phase implies looking for a large number of ideas.
When you have gathered enough, make a list of your product ideas and take them through the following checkboxes::
The pros and cons of each
How can it help the customer
Will it be a success
Afterward, the list can be narrowed down to the best ones, and decide which one to proceed with.
Step 2: Research
Once you are sure about what idea you want to get ahead with, the second step of the product design process occurs. Then, research should be conducted on your target customers and the rival competitors before making any product decisions and deciding what should be done next.
Good research informs your product, and the fact that it happens early in the process will save you time, money, and resources because fewer adjustments will need to be made in the future.
When thinking about the final design for a product, you must ask some critical questions before continuing the process:
What problem are you solving by creating this product? How does the product solve this problem?
Who is this product being designed for? Why is it being designed specifically for them?
What use will they get out of the product?
Will customers face problems while using this product? How will you change this?
Who are the other competitors in this market? How are you improving on what they have already done?
Being able to answer these questions helps you to refine the product you are creating. This gives you a definite idea of your target audience and what they will use the product for. It can also help when deciding on a final picture of the outcome, as the target audience will directly impact the visual parts of the design.
Know your competition and visit their shops or websites and check them out. Not only will you get another idea of who your target customer should be and how they are selling their product to them.
Research also allows you to ensure that you’re creating a product that people want and will pay for. There are several ways you can validate your product ideas, including:
Sending out an online survey to get feedback
Researching online demand using Google Trends
Launching a ‘coming soon page on your website to gauge interest via email opt-ins or pre-orders
Interviewing experts in the same industry or people who are employed in the industry
This research will allow you to have a final product design that caters to the target audience, their needs, and the market's needs before you progress into the planning and execution stage.
Step 3: Planning and execution
In a product design process, the stage to begin planning is with a sketch, drawing, or a 3D rendering of the desired product. This has to be as detail-oriented as possible, with ideas filling up for the type of materials you want to use, sizes, and even palettes of colors and patterns.
Start with piling up the materials you require. Initially, if you don't have a solid idea of what you want, it will make the process difficult when you eventually approach manufacturers.
It would be best if you also considered the price range you would like to sell your product.
Who is the product for?
Will the product be marketed as an everyday item?
Where will you sell the product?
Before creating and testing the prototype, you should be able to answer these questions thoroughly.
You will be successful in testing the prototype thoroughly by:
Showing an early demo or mock version of the product to customers/ critics and getting their feedback on its working
Conducting questionnaires/surveys about the product working through your website and other social media pages
Step 4: Launch
Now that you have come all this way where the final product is ready, It is time for you to launch it.
Pre-Launch
The pre-launch period of the product created by you requires a pre-launch date. The following steps clarify how the outcome will be launched and how the launch will be announced.
It would be best if you also kept in mind how you would get to know your potential customers, try to inform people about the launch, and update those customers about the upgrades and updates in the product.
This is heavily based on marketing content in the research conducted during the entire design process. An ideal campaign includes email marketing, advertising on websites, billboards, or posters, and marketing on social media handles.
Post Launch
The aftermath of a product launch does not constitute lying down in bed and expecting customers to appear magically in front of you. The process isn't over yet, and a continuous product design process stays put until the product is sold.
Through customer feedback and reviews, you can gather what needs to be changed or upgraded to better cater to their needs and provide a smoother user experience.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It can feel incredibly fulfilling to watch an idea that you have been circling for quite some time getting launched in the market. While the process isn't straightforward, the four abovementioned steps help greatly.
Unsure if you’d be able to complete all these four steps in a shorter length of time?
Go for Design Sprints!
Design Sprints are five-day processes that help you build your application or product and assess if it is worth the hard work you are willing to put into it.
But who to trust while handing over such a big responsibility?
The answer is simple, Trust the experienced!
Trust us, Trust Dezy It!
The company has been running design sprints for enterprises ranging from distinct sectors for a long time. It is single-handedly efficient in taking care of your product establishment problems.
Check out our work with other companies here.
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