Introduction to Product Design

MODULE 1
HSSM301
PRODUCT DESIGN

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Syllabus
• Overview of product design process,
• Importance of user-centered design,
• Design thinking methodologies,
• Case studies of successful product designs,
• Introduction to design tools and software (e.g., Sketch, Adobe XD)

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Product Design
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Product
1. A product is something sold by an enterprise to its customers.
2. Product development is the set of activities beginning with the perception of
a market opportunity and ending in the production, sale, and delivery of a
product.

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Reference: Engineering Design: A Project-based Introduction, Clive Dym, Patrick Little, and Elizabeth J. Orwin

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Engineering Design
Engineering design is a systematic, intelligent process in which engineers
generate, evaluate, and specify solutions for devices, systems, or processes
whose form(s) and function(s) achieve clients’ objectives and users’ needs while
satisfying a specified set of constraints.
In other words, engineering design is a thoughtful process for generating plans
or schemes for devices, systems, or processes that attain given objectives while
adhering to specified constraints.
Objectives for a design are different from the constraints placed on a design.
Objectives may be completely or partially achieved, or may not be achieved at
all. Constraints, on the other hand, must be satisfied or the design is not
acceptable.

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Product Design Process
1. Discussing plans for launching a new product within the team,
brainstorming;
2. Defining desires of the consumer and solutions for their achievement;
3. Developing strict product requirements (documenting technical
specifications);
4. Splitting the product implementation process into iterations;
5. Testing and modifying the created solution on the basis of real usage and
target user experience.

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Steps of the Product Design Process
1. Research
2. Ideation
3. Design
4. Testing and iteration
5. Development and launch

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Research

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Research
• The research phase is critical for understanding the context around the
product: the market it’s competing in, the users it will serve, and the business
goals it should fulfill.
Steps of Product Research
• Conduct user interviews, surveys, etc.
• Define the end user problem your product should address.
• Conduct market research
• Research existing products
• Conduct stakeholder interviews
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to determine what resources are
available, both technological and financial, for creating (or improving) the
product.

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Brainstorming

Ideation Mind Mapping

Concept Sketching Reverse Thinking

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Ideation
• During the research phase, you defined the user problem you want to solve.
Now the goal is to come up with potential solutions to that problem.
• Designers are encouraged to ideate collaboratively, to think outside the box,
and to focus on quantity over quality.
• Ideation Techniques
◦ Brainstorming
◦ Mind mapping
◦ Reverse Thinking
◦ Concept sketching
• The ideation stage isn’t about coming up with a fully-fledged, entirely feasible
concept—at least not to begin with. But, as you work through different ideas,
you’ll naturally start narrowing it down to a handful of promising avenues that
are worth exploring further.

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Design

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Design
• During the design phase, product ideas are developed into more refined
concepts.
• This step in the process varies considerably depending on the product in
question.
• For physical products, the design phase might include:
◦ Sketching and rendering
◦ CAD modeling
◦ Material selection
◦ Creating physical prototypes
• The design phase focuses on the product’s form and function, as well as the
overall user experience it provides. The design phase doesn’t result in a
market-ready product, though.
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Testing and iteration

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Testing and iteration
• Before you send the product off to be built or developed, it’s essential to test
your prototypes, gather feedback, and address any usability issues or general
design flaws.
• The testing phase should involve real users (or test participants who closely
represent your target users) and internal stakeholders.
• Product testing and iteration usually encompasses:
◦ Usability testing
◦ Identify areas of improvement
◦ Internal feedback regarding design and identify areas of improvement
◦ Improving and updating product prototypes
• The product may go through several rounds of testing and iteration before it’s
ready to be built.
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Development and launch

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Development and launch
• In the final stage of the product design process, product prototypes are
handed over for development.
• This step requires close collaboration with developers or manufacturers,
depending on the nature of the product.
• This is known as the “design handoff”, and it typically involves:
◦ Presenting final designs
◦ Compiling and sharing relevant technical specs
◦ Establishing a feedback loop between the design, development, and product teams
• Once the product has been built and quality assurance checks are complete,
it’s ready for launch!

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Beyond the product design process
• Once the product has been built and launched, the product designer will
continue to monitor and iterate on the product.
• They might run A/B tests to compare different versions of certain features and
conduct ongoing usability tests to improve the user experience.
• They will also monitor the target market to identify new opportunities to
deliver additional end-user and business value.

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