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The ultimate objective of the design and development process is to bring to market a product that delivers superior value to the target customers. There are a number of general stages in this process, including:
- Idea generation and screening
- Concept development and testing
- Physical product development and testing
- Commercialization
Throughout this process, you face a wide variety of critical product decisions. Typical questions include:
- What product features should be offered?
- What is the optimal product mix?
- What is the preferred trade-off between the costs to develop a product and the customer value delivered?
- How should we respond when competitors are catching up with similar products?
- Is it better to extend the product line or create a new brand?
- How should we structure a product development pipeline?
- What actions will prevent diluting the brand?
- When is it time to phase out a product offering?
At the heart of solving design and development challenges is the ability to gain a deep understanding of the customer.
If a company does not understand its customers relative to its market opportunities, then it faces a greatly diminished chance of marketing success – regardless of the time and effort put into the execution of its plans.
The deeper the customer understanding, the greater the opportunity to anticipate and respond to customer behavior and to gain a competitive advantage. The competitive advantage one firm has over another ultimately stems from its superior understanding of its customers and a superior process for thinking about and acting on this information.
Utilizing a disciplined user-centered design process your company will be guided through tailored market analysis methods (ranging from ethnographic studies; face-to-face interviews with end-users and customers; surveys and intercepts; and expert advice and trend analysis on technology and markets, along with mathematical models and simulations) to feed into the design and development process.
Rapid prototyping, paper prototypes, and user testing is worked in concert with an iterative design process as final designs move from pilot to production. This evolutionary process is an effective, efficient, and timely method for understanding latent customer needs, developing appropriate goods and services, and creating strategies for promotion and commercialization.
Companies that utilize this user-centered design process will realize the opportunity for creating great products.
Additional consulting services:
Segmentation and positioning
Life cycle management
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Key aspects of effective development processes
- · Customer insight is at the center of each stage in the development process.
- · Customer research is an ongoing process, with critical information gained prior to physical production.
- · Specific go/no-go decision points are identified.
- · The process recognizes the firm’s distinctive competencies.
Product design and development deliverables
- · Strategic roadmap
- · Product development process
- · Product strategy
- · Platform roadmap
- · Product roadmap
- · Model master plan
- · User-centered design plan
- · Contextual research
- · Usability testing
- · Paper prototypes
- · Marketing requirements document
- · Product specifications
- · Software specifications
- · Hardware specifications
- · Branding specifications
- · User interface review and analysis
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Beta test / pilot program
Design and implementation a large-scale beta test for a new consumer electronics product
Feature addition
Research and testing to determine interest in new feature and price point sensitivity
Business model
Create a detailed business model for guiding the launch plans of a new mobile service
View more SUCCESS STORIES
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Marketing has been called civilized warfare. To win in the marketplace you must have more than a great product.
You need a total commitment to the product marketing process.
You have to believe, you have to create, you have to sacrifice, and you have to win. Great marketing is a crusade.
Read more ABOUT SWC's approach to solving product management challenges.
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