The Design Process
The design process is the transformation of an idea, needs, or wants by consumers or the marketplace at large, into a product that satisfies these needs. This is usually accomplished by adventurous people that are willing to take it on. Sometimes an engineer will be involved on some levels but not always.
Design is basically a problem solving exercise. The design of a new product consists of the following stages:
Design Brief
Product Design Specifications
Concept Design
Testing
Detail Design
Manufacturing and Further Testing
Refinement and Sales
The development of a new product may also require the development of a prototype to prove that new technologies work before committing resources to full-scale manufacture. We can assist you with some of the prototype design if you need this help. If you do desire to develop a prototype you should have the product tested by as many people as you can possibly work with. Be sure to have a non-disclosure agreement with people that you are unsure of. You may need to contact an attorney for the best protection.
The traditional view of the design to manufacture process is that it is a sequential process; the outcome of one stage is passed on to the next stage. This tends to lead to iteration in the design. I.e. having to go back to an earlier stage to correct mistakes. This can make products more expensive and delivered to the marketplace late. A better approach is for the designer to consider the stages following design to try and eliminate any potential problems. This means that the designer requires help from the other experts for example a manufacturing expert to help ensure that any designs the designer comes up with can be made.
So what factors might a designer have to consider in order to eliminate iteration? * Manufacture - Can the product be made with our facilities? * Sales - Are we