Traits to Look for in a Product Prototype Development Company

Traits to Look for in a Product Prototype Development Company

If you are manufacturing a new product, then you have to develop a product prototype to test the product design and features prior bulk manufacturing process. Product prototype development is an important phase because it offers an insight on how your future product that subsists as a drawing or computer model will appear and feel when produced. Furthermore, prototyping a concept before the bulk manufacturing process allows entrepreneurs and inventors to enrich the product, both aesthetically and functionally.

If you are planning to prototype your concept with the help of a prototype development company, then look for these traits before you hire their prototyping services, and they are as follows;

Thorough Feasibility Studies– A thorough feasibility study of an idea concludes whether the idea is worth development or not. It is essential and enables a prototyping company to guide inventors and entrepreneurs understand their product, available technology for manufacturing, and product development limits. A thorough feasibility report can aid both, a prototyping company and an entrepreneur, dodge several unpredicted manufacturing concerns.

In-house Industrial Design Capabilities– An American product prototype Development Company that you propose to contract must be proficient in industrial product design services or must have a dedicated team of industrial product designers. It is better to hire a company having an in-house team of product designers because it can conduct a product design study and detect precarious areas prior you proceed to the subsequent manufacturing stage. An in-depth product design report card can help you save thousands of dollars and precious time.

Product Development Cost Analysis– A well-defined financial draft for custom development is precious and extremely helpful. A comprehensive financial layout will aid you in gathering money for the product to be developed. For a useful product development cost analysis, you should be aware of issues such as product tooling costs, the cost of raw materials, cost-per-part breakdown, post manufacturing costs, and an estimation on labor costs. An ingenious financial plan safeguards your product manufacturing process against financial dilemmas.

Other Areas of Expertise– A product prototype development company should have expertise in additional areas of product development including, knowledge of licensing and copyright laws, proper understanding of industry standards, contract research and development, education and training in the product development industry etc.

Along with the above-mentioned traits, as a smart entrepreneur, you should also verify whether the company has dedicated teams of proficient industrial designers, prototyping experts, product development professionals, and project development managers to professionally handle your needs or not.

Useful Product Prototype Development Tips

Useful Product Prototype Development Tips

Product prototype development is one of the most important phases in the new product development process. While the process of manufacturing and taking a product to market can be daunting and overwhelming for an aspiring entrepreneur, the most important step, after finalizing an idea, is to build a product prototype. A product prototype allows your customers, investors, and partners to see a physical representation of your concept. However, prototyping a product is much more than just a drawing; it is a complex process that requires expertise in different aspects of engineering.

Tips for Successful Product Prototype Development

Specific Needs – The first step towards successful product prototype development is deciding what your requirements are. You need to pen down what you require and expect from your product prototype. Are you planning to develop a rough model, or a more detailed, fully functional and presentation-ready model of your concept? Depending upon your future plans and capital available, you have to decide where to start.

Experienced Partner – After penning down all your requirements, it’s time to find a product prototype development company to work with you. Hiring a company for product prototyping may sound unusual to you, but it is necessary unless you have experience of handling CAD software and 3D printing. You won’t be able to handle everything involved with developing a product prototype by yourself. Finding a local partner is a great way to develop a lasting relationship for the further development of your product.

Design Rendering – Now, as you have decided upon the type of prototype and have a product development company ready to assist you, you need to bring your concept on paper or get it designed by professionals. Get a rendering form of the prototype you actually need so that it can become a reality. At this initial stage, don’t shoot for perfection because chances are, you will be making numerous modifications to your current concept.

Bill of Materials – Since you have brought your concept on the paper, it’s time to analyze what it takes to get it developed. The company you hired for prototyping and manufacturing purposes should be aware of the costs of materials you require for developing a prototype. Ask the company about the cost of the materials required and types of materials required for the future development of the product as well.

Capital Investment – Whether you are developing a prototype or manufacturing a product, you should avoid unnecessary spending of money. Depending on the type of your project, a prototype can be developed using limited and easily accessible materials such as cardboard, paper, plastic, etc. This step will help you avoid unnecessary spending of money.

The most important point to remember while developing a product prototype is that your first prototype is only a representation of your concept and doesn’t have to be perfect. As you move ahead with the prototyping process, you will experience numerous changes in the coming weeks and months.

Do you have a new product concept in your mind? Do you want to discuss the feasibility of your concept? Do you want to design or prototype your concept? If yes, industry veterans at the GID Development Corporation are here to help. Call Jim at 714-323-1052. Contact us at www.GIDCompany.com.

Important Points to Remember During Product Prototype Development

Points to Remember During Product Prototype Development

The purpose of product prototype development is to shorten development times and to reduce the costs of product development. A product prototype is a working model that offers a much clearer picture of the system to be developed, but only if it is done right. Thus to help entrepreneurs develop a fully functional prototype, here is the list of some of the most important points to remember while developing a product prototype, and they are as follows:

Keep ready a potent prototype plan – Most entrepreneurs believe that a product prototype development is a linear process. Product designers come up with product designs, conclude the best product design, create a prototype, and test it before proceeding to bulk manufacturing.

However, the process of product design and rapid prototyping is much more iterative. Separated teams and departments in an organization ideates, votes on the most rewarding and transformational ideas, and everyone adopts an empathetic mindset to understand what customers actually require. In the process of new product development, the phase of product prototype development is all about failing and incorporating feedback on the go, so you can reach a profitable product at the earliest.

Keep the product prototype simple – While developing a product prototype, most entrepreneurs believe that they have to come up with an impressive prototype at the first attempt and then simply collect feedbacks before taking it to market. However, when they do that, they spend thousands of hours and dollars to produce something customers don’t understand or don’t require.

In design thinking, to develop a product prototype, you utilize the materials that are readily available to you. Utilizing simple materials to develop a product prototype helps you get the idea out on the table, without investing extra time and money. Creating a simple product prototype helps you gain incredibly valuable feedback.

Collect valuable, informed feedback – When you test your prototype, search for actionable ways to enhance it. Carry your product prototype to a wide variety of audiences, even if it is of low resolution or made out of simple materials such as pipes and cardboard, and explain it to them. If explaining is not enough, tell them how your product can be used. The sole intention of your prototype is to gather valuable, informed feedback that’s both negative and positive. Always welcome questions, comments, and new ideas for making your concept better.

Time to act on feedback – You have to keep your team on standby, asking them to pay attention to feedback and iterating it on the go. The valuable feedback that you received after developing a prototype will help you make a better product, or help you find out that your prototype is going nowhere. In both the cases, you stand a chance of delivering an improved product, which will be loved by your customers.

The ultimate goal of rapid prototyping isn’t to perfect your final product; it is to create ideas until you have cinched all the basic aspects. Then you can create a superior version to test.

A product prototype development allows you to bank on ideas and feedbacks in almost real time. Learning lessons from the failures and implementing them into to the process allows an entrepreneur to easily tweak and embellish a product with relatively low cost.

If you are looking for rapid prototyping services in the United States, then feel free to contact us at www.GIDCompany.com.

Planning to Prototype a Tech Product? Here are 5 Most Important Questions to Ask Yourself

GID Company - Planning to Prototype

In the fast-moving world, no one wants to stay behind the curve, especially in terms of technology. Even, big brands, including Apple, Samsung, Google, and Microsoft to name a few jump on a tech trend just to do it. In the last few years, we have seen it with smartphones, augmented reality, and now wearables.

Normally, in a hassle to be first, businesses jump right into creating a product without spending enough time to research and understand their audience or skip a thought-process on key details that will make or break a product launch for a customer. However, a contradictory fact is businesses have to maintain their pace in order to keep their brand alive in the senses of their customers as well as to stay competitive in their respective industry. Fortunately, there is a proven way to get a great product to market correctly and quickly and it is by understanding your users as thoroughly, as you know your brand.

When it comes to prototype development for a tech product, GID has framed a list of five most important questions to ask your audience to ensure that the product is useful, usable, and desired.

What are their needs? People buy a product to meet / satisfy one or several needs in their lives. Wearable technology products are no exception. While prototyping, make sure your insight on your audience’s requirements line-up with their real life needs. Build a product prototype in time to conduct user research, and involve your audience while testing the same. Skipping or overlooking this step will result in manufacturing a product with no customers to use it.

Why previous solutions failed? The market for tech product is flourishing, as never before; hence, it becomes easy for an entrepreneur to yield insights for new product opportunities. Use negative and positive reviews and rating of products on the market today to ignite exclusive ideas for future products. Think beyond usual analyst reports, and comb through the ratings and reviews of products on ecommerce websites to explore flaws in the product’s software.

What are your customers’ likes and dislikes? Before prototyping and manufacturing a tech product, do not forget to clarify what category of audience you are going to target. As soon as you have clarified the category of audience you are going to target, spare adequate time to analyze and understand their technology requirements, likes and dislikes. Try to conclude, how many end users have aversions to technology, how many are ravenous for technology, and how many are early adopters. Is your product going to conjure up feeling of “Obtrusive Big Brother” or “Useful Quantified Self?”

How will your customers leverage the product? Knowing how your customers will use your product will help you develop a more durable and tough product. For example, the latest wearable tech products such as Jawbone Up and the Fitbit Flex are great examples of this. Manufacturers knew that some end-users would wear these devices simply to track their daily activity levels, whereas a majority would use them as a comprehensive fitness guide; hence, the product was designed and developed accordingly. Understanding end users’ expectations from your product and their plans to do with your product are the key to successful product development. Another important point to remember is to avoid all sorts of unnecessary features into your product.

What would keep your customers buying your products? Find out, what is more important to your targeted end-users – Are they looking for an affordable product? Are they searching for an aesthetically beautiful product? Is a clunky or outdated product design a definite deal-breaker? Does the functionality trump all? By concluding what is more important to your targeted end-users and creating a product accordingly, you will save your team from hassle and frustration.

Remember, once you have answers to all these questions, you are still at the starting line of a process. A repeated cycle of development and improvement will gradually guide you to a better, more useful and much-awaited solution.

Product prototype development is a complicated process and may take a bit longer time, but, in the end, it will ensure you are satisfying the needs of your audience, which will eventually reward more success in the end.

5 tips for a Successful Product Prototype Development

5 tips for a Successful Product Prototype Development

Are you ready to test your new product concept’s real-world functionality and appeal? With hundreds of advantages, product prototype development is necessary for every business, either small or large. GID, a new product design and development company offers some tips on product prototyping and on how to get your concept ready to launch.

1.   Are you a newbie? Then, start from here:

If you are a newbie or are developing a new product for the very first time, then make sure you know and can explain exactly what you want from your product development company in detail. You have to educate and prepare yourself on the process so that you understand what the company, you hired for product development, is talking about. A virtual prototype is not the same as a prototype; however, some product development companies try to sell them as such. Therefore, it is necessary that you understand the vocabulary to ensure you are getting what you exactly want.

2.   What will you ask your product manufacturing company?

You can investigate a company’s reputation over the internet; therefore, ask for their portfolio to find out what sort of projects they have done and who are their clients. Most importantly, opt for a product manufacturing company that has the experience and skilled workforce to develop and deliver everything you need. For example, the smoke alarm is not an excessively challenging product to develop; however, there are some complicated issues that need to be addressed professionally.

You may find an affordable product development company that can easily address the outer case; but they might probably know nothing about electronics or may be inexperienced in handling electronic issues. For the sake of successful prototype development and bulk manufacturing, you need to find a company that excels in every aspect of product development. Also, keep the design of your product to be developed in mind because, you won’t be happy with a retro designer if you are looking to design something trendy and stylish for today’s generation.

3.   How to vet references for the product development company you hire.

You can cross-examine the references your product development company offers; however, don’t forget to call or visit the Better Business Bureau, before making any decision. You can call the references in the portfolio to find out whether their experience with the company was pleasant or not. Do some online search to see how long they have been in the industry, whether they have been in the news for any of their projects and what customers have to say?

4.   What about the time and cost for product prototype development?

It is always difficult to nail down a new product development project as it depends on many factors, especially manufacturing charges. A product prototype development company may charge you on an hourly basis or on a project basis. A complex project idea will require more time and people; hence, the overall manufacturing cost may go beyond your estimation. As a solution to this problem, communicate as much as you can with your company as it might save time and money. As you offer them all the details, they require to design, your flow and preparedness will eventually propel the pace of the project.

5.   What, if my invention just doesn’t fly?

Thousands of inventors have gone down this tactical path of product prototyping only to finish up with an interesting bookshelf piece. At some point, every one of us has to walk to the end of the board, jump off and pray there’s water in the pool. If not, there are many resources that can help you revisit or decide if it’s time to move on, including the United Inventors Association of America (UIA) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Whether you choose to move on or carry on, inventor education is the key to making sure you are guided in the correct direction.

The process of product prototype development not only offers life to your concept, but also allows you to test your concept before you begin the bulk manufacturing process. GID offers best-in-the-class product prototyping services to entrepreneurs and inventors who wish to develop and launch new products in a limited time frame. To explore our expertise in prototype development, please visit our portfolio @ www.gidcompany.com/our-portfolio/, or to share your concept, feel free to contact us @ www.gidcompany.com/contact-us

Product Prototype Development and Whether to Go for Prototyping or Not

Product Prototype Development and Whether to Go for Prototyping Or Not?

Almost every day, a new product hits the store shelves with the aim to earn name, fame, and of course dollars in the commercial market. However, have you ever wondered what went into getting the greatest and the latest slotted into the market place. Every product, before you rest your eyes on them, undergoes a lengthy and vigorous evolution process. There are some quality checkpoints that a product to be developed has to clear on its way to hitting the market, and they are the product design phase, the product prototyping phase, and the final, bulk manufacturing phase.

For entrepreneurs¸ after you have an innovative idea for a new product, you need to determine all the details. Here we would like to share some practical questions, which you should ask yourself before you make any move:

  1. What are the new product’s attributes and characteristics?
  2. What is new in the product that others on the market don’t offer?
  3. What is the purpose or function of the new product?
  4. Do we need any new technology to produce the product?
  5. What is the product’s lifespan?
  6. How and where it will be manufactured, packaged, marketed and sold?
  7. How much will be the manufacturing cost, and how much will people willing to pay for the product?
  8. Are there any issues with the product concerning government regulations, safety, and environmental issues, patent infringements, or other possible hang-ups?

Luckily, if you get the green light from the above questions, you are perhaps ready to begin thinking about developing a product prototype. Depending upon your product design, different types of prototypes can be helpful at different stages of the product development process. If you recognize your product still has some concerns, for a while, you might experience difficulties between modifying design plans and rough prototyping. A product prototype development is extremely necessary before you move on to the final development stage.

Whether to Prototype a Concept or Not?

Product prototyping is nothing dangerous; it is just a process of creating a functional and easily alterable model that allows us to test the expected features of the product to be developed. It can be done at any phase of new product development. Normally, it is conducted before the start of the bulk manufacturing process to conclude whether the idea is achievable, beneficial for the targeted end-users or not.

A product prototype development at the beginning allows product development companies and entrepreneurs to conclude what specifications are required and what features are supposed to be included in a successful product. Meanwhile, by conducting prototyping, product development companies will have a chance to check whether a product is meeting all the features and specifications, and will have the opportunity to upgrade its characteristics for the better output.

Product Prototype Development, when conducted in later stage, helps in determining problems and possible solutions on the functionality of the product’s design. It allows key changes to be made and numerous solutions to be implemented just before the final product version is released. A product prototype can be used to lessen the communication gap between an entrepreneur and the potential end-users and financiers. Ultimately, it improves the chances of success.

Nowadays, prototype is also used to explain misconceptions about the product, guarantee output quality, handle modifications, address various product kinks, collect valid specifications, and to boost user interaction. For now, as the product prototype development is a significant stage in product manufacturing, ensure you do it at the right time and at the right place by using the professional tools to achieve a successful and usable prototype. Remember, only a successful prototype allows you to test the functionality of the product and evaluate a suggested product interface.

Conclusion

It is suggested to go for product prototype development, as it amplifies the rate of success. It allows entrepreneurs to compare different product designs, explore the results of design alterations, identify market requirements and involves end-users and financiers. It is necessary for an out-of-the-box product development.

Product prototyping can bring your product to life in style, as well as help you test the product before moving into the final manufacturing stage. Product prototype development services in California by GID are best for investors and entrepreneurs who want to develop and launch new products into the marketplace. To explore our expertise in prototype development, please visit our portfolio, or to share your concept, feel free to contact us.