What to expect at the end of a Concept Design phase

So, you may be wondering what will I actually receive from Haughton Design? Here’s a typical list of deliverables for a generic product design project. Please note that each deliverable can be as detailed or as basic as you need it to be, however we suggest that this is the minimum requirement of deliverables, to ensure your product idea becomes a commercial success.

Phase 1  – Concept Design

This is an exciting phase, it’s all about designing the thing that you’ve always wanted. It’s dreaming, idea generating and solution finding!

In this phase you will go from an idea, to several well developed, visualised and commercially feasible concept designs. It’s frequent for there to be a ‘Stand Out’ design, so you may direct designers to focus on one design with maybe small variants in specific features. A flexible designer will work with you to provide best value for the project.

Immersion

• Initial project kick-off meeting – Discuss challenges, known risks, and opportunities.
• Project plan – Awareness and planning out of key deliverables and dates.
• Initial market research – Mood boards, market positioning boards, focus groups, user feedback review, user step analysis, user profiling, etc.
• Multiple broad-brush, sketched initial design proposals – Aesthetics, layout, features, mechanisms, construction, etc.
• Innovation workshops. (Client participation welcome).
• Innovation session minute meetings. (Useful for intellectual property development).
• Project Input Document – An overview of the project’s basic requirements. (This will develop into a specification later)
• Summary of findings.
• Final review meeting– To discuss discoveries, unforeseen challenges & risks, potential solutions and opportunities.

Concept

• Draft user needs
• IP identification & protection
• Industrial Design
• Early HFE
• Simulation & analysis
• Proof of principle prototype
• 3D modelling

Feasibility

These studies can be purely commercial, technical or both, it very much depends upon the complexity and risks within the project. Again, a good design team will identify risks early in the project so effective decisions can be made at each stage.

Commercial – To determine costs for development and manufacturing prices for the product or device.

• Production of basic 2D engineering drawings of major product components – Outline dimensions, colours, materials, and finishes.
• Gather manufacturing quotes based upon drawings.
• Produce a basic or detailed feasibility report detailing:
  • Estimated production costs.
  • Suggested manufacturers/suppliers, materials and manufacturing processes.
  • Identification of project risks; commercially, financially, technically and regarding safety.

Technical – To investigate challenging areas of the design, new technology, materials and process etc.

• FEA reports.
• Material testing or analysis.
• Technology investigation and report.
• Process investigation.
• Proof of principle rigs or prototypes

Our development process goes through 3 phases for general product design and development, or 2 phases for medical device development. This only covers a small amount of the design development process so keep checking back for updates on what you can expect after further stages.