Process- the secret to consistent quality.
We don’t build mansions on sandy foundations,
but it’s not uncommon that we hear about someone who pulled the trigger on manufacturing a design that just wasn’t thought out. Garages across America are littered with inventory of defunct products that just couldn’t generate enough demand to actually sell. Even if the marketing team is able to move product, unmet expectations will just expedite its journey to the landfill.
So how can we consistently create meaningful products that fill a genuine need?
Process my friends, process.
In Episode 5 of The Variable, Michael Prince from Beyond Design gave suggestions on the kind of questions we need to ask ourselves as we begin creating new products for ourselves and our clients. Here are some paraphrased suggestions he gave on the show:
Take time to ask the right questions in the right order to take your designs to the next level. It doesn’t just happen overnight. It begins by doing extensive research on the users and the environments that these products are going be used in. What is the competitive landscape? Think of every “what-if” you can. What are the kinds of configuration options we can explore? What ergonomic factors are important? How can we improve ease of manufacturing? Are there materials that can improve how sustainable the product is?
Every firm will have their unique approach to answering questions like these, what’s important is that we all do our due diligence to build a firm foundation of understanding before we jump to conclusions and race to the finish line.
That quick summary doesn’t do Michael justice, so be sure to listen in to his episode of The Variable to learn more about how to take your design up a notch and find success in the product development industry.
Russ
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About Michael Prince-
Over the past 30 years, Michael Prince has been deeply involved in the product development industry. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Product Design at Syracuse University, he started his career working in product planning for Sony Corporation then worked as a product designer for Thomson Consumer Electronics before ultimately opening Beyond Design in 1994.
As an avid entrepreneur he’s always had side projects to keep him busy. While running Beyond Design he started Yummy Designs- a brand through which he’s been able to launch his own products like The Ultimate Hanger and the Buzz Brush.
If that’s not enough for you, Michael also loves to teach students about product development by offering internship programs to students from universities around the world and even created two programs at a Chicago Public School centered on teaching students all about the product development process and what it takes to design and market a product.