5 Common Product Design Mistakes to Avoid

Product design is not an easy task. There is a lot that needs to go into the design, development, manufacturing, and marketing of a new product. Products flop if there is a flaw in the designing process. Save your business from inevitable loss by paying heed to these common design mistakes.

1. Not defining your design goals appropriately

Best products are designed based on three critical components: Aesthetics, performance, and cost. There is a need to balance these factors. While designing, you need to lay a complete roadmap of your product design goals and how you will accomplish them. Superior aesthetics do help you grab attention initially. However, if the product fails to perform, then consumers wouldn’t trust your offering in the future. Hence, it is crucial to maintain the right balance.

2. Not communicating with the supplier

It is vital to establish clear communication with the contract manufacturer or the supplier that you are working with. Delays in product design tremendously impact production runs. If you are planning to debut a product within a specific deadline, then make sure to communicate with the supplier appropriately. It is best to keep the launch schedule flexible to account for first production run delays.

3. Misunderstanding product design regulatory requirements

Every industry has a set of standards that they need to adhere to when it comes to product performance and also safety. If your product fails to pass these tests, then it is going to cost you a lot. You will have to spend money, time and labor in redesigning the product as per the regulatory framework. It is vital to know the standards before diving into product designing. Checking with the concerned authorities during different stages of designing also helps to avoid problems later on.

4. Lack of consumer research

Understanding the consumers is essential because you are designing a product for them. If you fail to do extensive market research, then you would be paying a hefty price in the process. Your design should be centered around data and not on hunches. Instead of having an I-know-it-all attitude, you should consider minute subtleties from the market research in order to design a stellar product for your consumers. You need to remember that you are designing not for yourself but your customers.

5. Not experiencing the product yourself

If you have ordered a prototype of the product that you have designed, make sure to spend a good amount of time using it. This will help you play around with scenarios that your customers might face while using the product. Don’t just prioritize aesthetics. Appearance and performance both matter in product design. Consumers want something that is functional, attractive and is going to last for a long time.

Overlooking product requirements can prove to be detrimental while designing a product. Make sure to carry out market research, study the product standards and design an overall product that would compel a customer to make a purchase.