Process / IDC Inventors Guide / Chapter 4: Developing Your Idea

Undertaking a new product development requires a whole series of tasks to be performed. Typically the product design and development process is split into phases, each with distinct activities and deliverables. Every development has its unique challenges and so the order and breakdown of these phases should be arranged to address the key challenges and minimise the risk of development. Many inventors will look to license their invention and so the aim of the design process is not to get a product into production but to get an investor or licensee on board.

The Full New Product Development Process

Details of the all the key stages of the product development process are given below and also on the services section of IDC’s website.

User Insight

Researching and understanding the needs and behaviour of the potential users ensures that people will connect with the product - a key requirement for success in the market. Insights gained in the research stage often lead to new product innovations.

Concept Generation

This is where the skill, experience and creativity of the design team are used to generate designs, which address the identified needs and come together to create a vision for the successful desirable product. Design concepts can be presented as sketches, storyboards, simple models or fully photo-rendered images.

R&D

For technology led inventions, research and experimentation is a vital part of the product development process. Developing test rigs and experiments helps gain understanding of how to apply scientific and technical principles to create an inventive new product.

Patent Support

The process of developing an innovative new product needs to go hand in hand with the patent process to ensure as many of the important features of the product are protected and that competitor patents are avoided.

Engineering Design

To ensure that the design is translated into a successful product suitable for high quality, cost effective manufacture, this stage of the development defines all the details of every part needed to make the product. A detailed understanding of design for manufacture and assembly and an close attention to detail is a must in this stage.

Electronics Design

Working alongside the mechanical engineering design, the electronics engineers design the circuits, lay out PCBs, write software and ensure all details of the electronics are suitable for manufacture and interface with the mechanical parts of the design.

Prototyping

Prototypes are vital for any new product. They not only provide confidence they design is correct and the product will work, they can also be used for marketing purposes. For inventors a good prototype can be the key to securing a investment or a licence agreement. See also the section below on designing for investment below.

Regulatory Support

Many products have to conform to regulatory standards governing safety, function and performance. This will require product to be thoroughly tested prior to release. The requirements of the standard should be identified at the beginning of the development to avoid difficulties later on.

Project Management and Support

The development project manager coordinates the efforts of the whole development team as well as all external suppliers (e.g. mould makers, manufacturers, shipping companies, marketing agencies, test houses, patent attorneys, etc.) to ensure the product is launched successfully. Ensuring product quality and managing the transition to manufacture is one of the key project management tasks.

Development for Investment or Licensing

Frequently for an inventor, the purpose of employing a product design company is not to undertake the full development but to develop the concept to a stage that it can prove the viability and commercial potential of the product to licensees and investors. The two key requirements at this stage are to prove the viability of the invention and to create a vision for the successful production product. This can be done with sketches and illustrations but will be more convincing with ’Looks Like, Works Like’ models. Making one model, which looks and works like the finished product can involve doing much of the design and engineering development so often two models are made. At IDC we have our own dedicated rapid prototyping and model making service IDC Models. For more information about prototyping techniques and services visit http://www.idcmodels.com/

Visual Model

Having a clear vision for your product is important when trying to sell the benefits of your invention. A high quality aesthetic model illustrating what the product would look like is one of the best ways to communicate that vision and get potential investors and buyers excited about your idea.

Functional Model

The ’Works Like’ model is made to prove that it is technically possible to build your invention. Potential investors and buyers will respond more positively if they can physically see and touch what you are trying to sell to them. The functional model does not have to be particularly elegant in design, but your model will have to represent what the invention can do and that it can actually do it.

If you know what you want to make and just want help with making models and prototypes please feel free to contact IDC Models for a quotation.