Top 5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Product Design in Yorkshire

Product design is one of the most complex processes in the design industry. Unlike the more popular fashion design that deals only in garments, product design works with a variety of materials for a diverse set of industries and an even more varied end-usage. Everything from the materials used and their costing to the user experience and the long-term stability of the product are key factors that have to be deciphered into a practical design. The fortunes of small businesses and even multinational companies depend on the design aesthetics and the practicality of the product.

The product design industry in the UK is quite up to date on the latest design trends and practices and many internationally renowned companies can be found across the country. Yorkshire has found considerable recognition in the industry in the recent years due to the number of well-known firms that have opened up businesses in the county. Most of these firms are staffed by experienced designers, engineers and modellers who have considerable expertise in working across different industries and end-user segments. In light of their capabilities, it is only natural that entrepreneurs and managers look at these product design firms in Yorkshire to help them get the product they want.

Considering the importance of designers and engineers in the overall design process, it makes sense for businesses to spend some time in understanding how the design process works and hire professionals who are up to the job. There are quite a few factors that have to be kept in mind to get the best design possible. The top five ways to derive the best services are enumerated below.

Understand the Design Process: Often companies give a brief to a design firm without understanding how the overall process works. The key is to realise that the overall development of a product depends on various factors from giving the design firm all the details to helping them test the prototypes. Understanding different stages such as ideation, conceptualisation, industry research, material selection, modelling, prototyping, testing and taking feedback of initial customer experience will help the businesses to provide effective inputs as and when required to get a great product.

Select the Right Firm: This may seem like an obvious thing to do but you will be surprised at the number of products that do not move beyond the planning stages as the right designers were not selected. As a business leader, you must realise that certain firms specialise in specific industries. For instance, some firms only focus on IT hardware while others may specialise in consumer durables. Some firms have the expertise to deal with a range of industries. So know your design needs and select the firm that can fulfil those requirements.

Meet the Design Team: This point is being specifically mentioned as most business managers do not feel the need to know the design team well enough to understand their abilities and limitations. As a business leader, you are responsible for every aspect of the product from the idea that occurs in your head to the revenues it generates for your business once it has been marketed and even beyond. Knowing the design team – what ideas they can provide (in most cases, these ideas only make the product better), the materials they suggest, the time to market and future modifications they consider – in addition to their capabilities and work styles will help you get a well-oiled team that knows what you want and delivers the goods.

Know the Limitations: Every product has its design limitations. For instance, you many want a product that uses steel alloys but the material may have certain limitations that may not suit the end-user. Alternatively, you may want to use a particular chip in the integrated circuit but that may have cost ramifications that will make the product unsuitable for the market. In most cases, the design team will have a good idea of what will work and what will not. However, they will not have an idea of your own internal business limitations such as the timeline for the product design, R&D budget, etc. Making them aware of your business limitations and understanding theirs from the perspective of product design will help you get more out of them.

Don’t Cut Corners on Testing: Most products tend to fail once they hit the market as they have not been properly tested in the design and development stages. Do ensure that does not happen with your product. Detailed prototyping and testing will ensure your product is up to the challenges of the customers as well as weather and other related operational requirements. For instance, if you are designing an IT product but it keeps failing at higher temperatures, you ought to give the design team the adequate time to find a solution or all effort made will be lost as soon as the item hits the market.

Keep these five points in mind if you are looking for ways to get the most of your design team in Yorkshire and you will have a great product that will not only generate revenues but will create a name for your brand.

About the Author:

HJC Design are Yorkshire’s leading Product Design Consultancy. From initial concept through to manufacture, HJC Design create inspiring products and new brand identities that offer real value and bottom line benefit.

HJC Design are Yorkshire’s leading Product Design Consultancy.