The Requirements for Product Design and Development

The Requirements for Product Design and Development

Identifying and Investigating Design Possibilities

  • The first step in product design and development involves identifying design needs derived from a specific problem or opportunity.
  • Research is crucial in this phase: investigate existing designs, trends, and customer behaviour to generate ideas.
  • Use feasibility studies to assess the practicality of the proposed design in terms of cost, market acceptance, and manufacturing capabilities.

Developing Design Proposals

  • Generate multiple design proposals based on research. Use sketching, computer-aided design (CAD), and material and mechanism experimentation to explore these ideas further.
  • Proposals should demonstrate understanding of ergonomics (user comfort and efficiency) and anthropometrics (human body measurements), along with accommodation of user needs and tastes.
  • Sustainability considerations also play a major role in the development phase. These include the choice of materials, manufacturing processes, and product lifespan.

Refining Design Ideas

  • Use critical analysis and evaluation, often in a iterative process, to refine ideas. Comparing and contrasting design proposals is a key part of this process.
  • Further development may involve prototyping and user testing to gather more data.
  • Implement feedback from various stakeholder groups (users, manufacturers, retailers, etc.) to refine the product design.

Realisation of Design Ideas

  • Conceptual design proposals move towards realisation through technical drawings, CAD models, and prototype productions.
  • Technical understanding of manufacturing methods, materials properties, and the use of specific tools is vital for accurately transcribing the concept into a tangible product.
  • Product development should incorporate testing and evaluation to ensure the end product meets the design brief, functions as intended, and satisfies the identified user needs.

Evaluating Design Ideas

  • An important part of design and development is critical evaluation, which involves judging the quality of something based on established criteria.
  • Methods of evaluation might include functional testing, user feedback, comparison against original design specifications, and cost analysis.
  • Modifications should be made based on this evaluation to refine the design and improve the product before it is brought to market.

This process—framed by the principles of iterative design—ensures that products not only look aesthetically pleasing, but are also functional, manufacturable, marketable, and sustainable.