The Invention Process with a Product Design Firm
It all starts with an idea. You think of a product that has yet to be thought of, unique, and is something that consumers would be interested in. What do you do? You find the nearest pen and paper, napkin, phone — anything you can find to jot this clever, life changing idea before it vanishes from your memory all together.
An idea is just an idea until you take action. Ideas grow and evolve as they’re worked on — and a lot happens between the initial sketch or jot-down of the idea and the first product leaving the production line and heading for shelves — but each idea starts with a seed which will not be able to grow unless you take the proper steps. One of the best ways to turn your idea into a product is to consult with a product design firm to help you throughout your invention journey.
Below, we’ll share some of the essential steps of the invention process to give you an idea of what you can expect.
Step 1: Own Your Idea
The first, and perhaps most essential step of the invention process is keeping your brilliant idea on your own. Write down your idea somewhere safe, like a journal, so that you have proof that is yours and can be used later down the road for creative briefs with the product design company you choose to work with. The sooner you document your idea, the more likely it is to remain yours and only yours. Before speaking to anyone about it, including your product design firm, it isn’t a bad idea to make sure they sign a non-disclosure agreement, a procedure that is standard when you work with GloberDesign.
Step 2: Research and Hire a Product Design Firm
Conducting the proper amount of research is essential when you have an idea. Before you get too emotionally or financially invested with your new idea, take some time to do some research to make sure it is actually your idea. Are there similar ideas or products out there? If so, how will you make yours different from the others? Do you have an ideal target market in mind and would they buy your product? These are all questions that a product design firm can help you with. At GloberDesign we work with experienced patent agents and attorneys to handle all the overwhelming work when it comes to patents, such as helping you research your idea and patent it. They can also help review the competitive market providing in-depth analysis on similar products in the field.
Step 3: Create a Prototype
Once you progress through the invention process, you’ll eventually need to create a prototype! Prototyping is the act of building a preliminary model of an idea product to ensure that everything about it is as you expect it to be. Simply put, it brings your idea to life. The importance of prototype is immeasurable. They demonstrate the design thinking of the product design firm and give inventors the opportunity to display it for investors, licensees, and test subjects. Prototypes typically begin with a concept sketch, then move to a 3D computer automated design, and are followed the prototype and patenting phase.
Step 4: Marketing
Once your idea has been taken from concept to reality, it may feel as if the work is over, but that is not the case at all. What good is a functional, manufacturable, perfectly manufactured part if no one knows about it. Branding, marketing, and ultimately selling your product is what makes future innovation possible. When you’re ready to enter your product into the market, the product design firm you work with will have several retail partners you can work with, comprehensive competitive analysis capabilities, and more to get your product onto those store shelves and into the hands of your targeted consumers.
What we have reviewed is by no means a cakewalk to bring a concept from idea to reality, and we didn’t even cover all the steps involved! The good news, however, is that there are ways to mitigate the risk and work involved, and thus ensure greater chances of success. Of course, one of the best ways to turn your idea into reality is to work with a product design firm.
If you are looking for a product design firm to take your idea and turn it into reality, there is no better company to work with than GloberDesign. To learn more about the specifics of prototype design, product development, product manufacturing, and successfully bringing a product to the market, contact the team at GloberDesign today!