Dianne Pajo
When it comes to designing a new product, the goal of most companies is to create something that’s equal parts useable and useful. While those factors are both crucial parts of any product, there’s a lot more that goes into the design process that you should consider. Here’s our list of the most important things to remember when designing your company’s new products.
Consider the Aesthetics
Just because your product does everything your target market wants it to do doesn’t mean it will fly off store shelves. Most people won’t even give it a second look if your product isn’t aesthetically pleasing.
Even though we’re told to never judge a book by its cover, we still do. This product will probably be something we have to look at often. If it’s not pleasing to the eye, we probably won’t want it to be in our house. You must ensure that your product fits the style sense of your audience.
This applies to the packaging you put it in as well. Good packaging can help both customers and businesses, but it’s way more crucial to your customers. The key difference between the product’s aesthetics and the packaging is the fact that the packaging isn’t permanent, but that doesn’t mean the customer won’t care about it. If your competitor’s packaging looks better than yours, the chances of a customer picking up theirs are much more likely.
Think About the Ergonomics
While the look of the product is arguably the most crucial thing to consider during the product design process, how it feels is a close second. Just because something is useable doesn’t mean it feels good to use. You’ll need to think about the ergonomics of your product’s design before finalizing any layouts.
It needs to feel good during the first interaction and after long stretches of usage. If you can accomplish this, your customers will look for any excuse to use your products again.
Look Into the Materials Used
Finally, you can’t forget to investigate all the materials you plan to use for your products. You want pieces that are sturdy enough not to break but are cheap enough to allow you to make a profit. There’s almost always a perfect middle ground of quality to cost that will work best for your profit margins. You’ll just need to play around with your options.
Of course, when it comes to the materials of your product, you’ll need to consider sustainability as well. If a particular part is high-quality and low-cost but also at risk of being in short supply, it won’t stay cheap for long. Plus, you’ll need to look into the potential environmental impacts of your parts. Many consumers care about that these days, and if you don’t, they won’t be afraid to miss out on your product.
