Product Design and Development for Manufacturing Companies
Consumers do not usually automatically think of manufacturing companies when they think of product design and development. They think of the artists. They are right at a certain point, but the artistic design is only one part of the whole development process that occurs.
These are the product design and development stages that manufacturing companies follow:
Brainstorm and generate ideas
Here, the creative team comes together. These will include all or representatives of the artists, marketing team, etc. Ideas may have been rooted in various sources, such as competitors’ products, trends, consumers’ needs, suppliers’ recommendations, and even bursts of inspiration from employees. The rare sudden inspiration happens, but most of the times, the ideas do not come from a vacuum. There are several studies that they are based on.
Test for design feasibility/viability
Manufacturing companies do not just go on manufacturing mode. They have to test how feasible the business idea is, or even the product design itself. Perhaps the product is something that the industry needs, and it may even encourage a lot of sales. However, is it strong and capable enough to respond to the needs that it has been designed to meet?
Analyze the SWOT of the product
What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to of the product? The strengths should overcome the weaknesses, and the opportunities should outnumber the threats for the project to proceed to the next step. Here is the part where the team basically decides whether a product is worth manufacturing. Initial investments will have to be considered against what they can possibly earn.
Develop the product
Here is the part wherein the product gets into the physical development stage: the actual printing, building, and polishing. Tests can still be done after a few pieces of the final product has been finished. Quality control must be followed carefully.
Sell the product
This may still be considered as part of the product design and development. Here, the whole process can fail or succeed. Manufacturing companies may have already done their part at this point, but what the marketing team can do will still affect these companies. The quality of the product that they have produced will still go back to affect their reputation, for example. An unsellable product or service, however, cannot be simply blamed upon the manufacturers’ faults. Many teams had worked during product design and development. Moreover, the products may be flawless, but the demand may not be there.
Now, you see that there is a big team involved in manufacturing the products that you love. It is right to appreciate the efforts of the artists, but it is also recommended that you remember the other members of the team. Products do not just get produced at a flick of a finger. Companies are aware that they need to make sure their products are of high-quality: safe, long-lasting, and worth the price tag on them. Manufacturing companies know that they need to build a reputation for an excellent value to continue commanding a good following.