This is the second part of a series of four articles on physical product development. If you missed : Forming an idea, be sure to read it. Soon you will be able to move on to Part 3: Construction and Part 4: Validation. Author: Ben Einstein. Translation done by fablab commands and project .
Part 2: Design
Every step in the design stage β client research, wireframing, ), a visual prototype is needed to test hypotheses about how the product will look like and how users will interact with it.
Figure 2.1 Product design steps
Customer study (customer development) and feedback
Companies that focus on customer feedback will be much more successful than those that sit endlessly in the workshop and develop. This most often affects companies that produce material products. And if communication with customers is always useful, then at an early stage of development it is extremely important.
Figure 2.2. Customer study (customer development) and feedback
For It has always been very important to test and confirm your hypotheses on clients. After creating a proof-of-concept prototype (), banks released into the real world.
Figure 2.3. Real customer photos taken during the early testing phase
One of my mentors once said, βDo you know how to figure out how bad your product design is? See how people use it." The DipJar team kept seeing the same problem (red arrow in the photo): users tried to insert the card incorrectly. It became clear that this was the main design limitation.
Recommendations for communicating with clients at this stage (as opposed to the problem research stage):
- Prepare a detailed conversation script and stick to it;
- Record in detail what you hear in writing or on a voice recorder;
- If possible, track the consumer loyalty index (, many companies prefer to do this later, and this is normal);
- Let users play with the product (when you're ready) without any explanation or configuration
- Don't ask customers what they would change about a product: instead, watch how they use it;
- Do not pay much attention to details, for example, color and size are a matter of taste.
Wireframe modeling
After the detailed feedback on the proof of concept prototype, it's time to iterate on the product design.
Figure 2.4. Wireframe stage
The wireframing process begins with the creation of high-level sketches that fully describe the experience of using the product. We call this process storyboarding.
Figure 2.5. storyboard
A storyboard helps company founders think through the entire product path. It describes:
- Packaging: what will it look like? How to describe a product (average pack size) in nine words or less on a package? What size will the box be? Where will it fit in the store/on the shelf?
- Sales: where will the product be sold and how will people interact with it before buying? Will interactive displays help? Do customers need to know a lot about the product or will it be an impulse buy?
- Unboxing: what will be the unboxing experience? It should be simple, understandable and require minimal effort.
- Setup: what steps do customers need to take before the product is ready for first use? What do you need besides the accessories in the kit? What happens if the product does not work (no wifi connection or the application is not installed on the smartphone)?
- First user experience: how should the product be designed so that users can quickly start using it? How should a product be designed so that users return with positive emotions?
- Reusable or special use: how to make sure that users always use the product and enjoy it? What happens in special use cases: loss of connection/service, firmware update, missing accessory, etc.?
- User support: what do users do when they have problems? If they are sent a replacement product, how will that happen?
- Service Life: Most products expire after 18 or 24 months. How does this statistic compare to the customer journey? Do you expect users to buy another product? How will they move from one product to the next?
Figure 2.6. Working with the future user of the application or web interface
Wireframe modeling is also useful if your product has a digital interface (embedded interface, web interface, smartphone app). These are usually simple black and white drawings, although digital tools can also be used. In the photo above (2.6) you can see the founder of the company (on the right). He interviews a potential client (left) and takes notes while he uses the application on the paper βscreenβ of his smartphone. And although this kind of testing of digital workflows may seem very primitive, it is very effective.
By the end of the wireframe, you should have a detailed understanding of how users will interact with each part of your product.
visual prototype.
A visual prototype is a model that represents the final but non-functional product. As with other stages, the creation of such a model (and its associated wireframes) involves iterative interaction with users.
Figure 2.7. Visual prototype stage
Start with a wide range of ideas and work on choosing a few concepts that best meet user criteria.
Figure 2.8 Sketch
The design of a visual prototype almost always starts with high-level sketches of the product itself (as opposed to a storyboard that describes the experience of using the product). Most industrial designers first do a preliminary search for similar shapes and products. The designer of DipJar studied so many other products and made sketches based on their shapes.
Figure 2.9. Shape selection
Once you have selected a few rough concepts, you will need to check how they will look in the real world. In the photo you can see the draft forms of DipJar from a foam base and a tube. Each takes a few minutes to create, and as a result, you can understand how the form will be perceived in the real world. I made these models out of everything from clay and Lego to Styrofoam and toothpicks. There is one important rule: make models quickly and cheaply.
Figure 2.10. Size selection
After choosing the main shape, you need to work on the size of the model and the scale of individual parts. There are usually two or three parameters that are important for the "right feel" of a product. In the case of the DipJar, it was the height of the jar itself, the diameter of the face, and the geometry of the finger slot. To do this, more accurate models are made with slight differences in parameters (from cardboard and foam).
Figure 2.11. Understanding User Experience
Along with the design of the form, it often becomes apparent that some user experience (UX) needs to be clarified. The DipJar team found that the likelihood of generosity increases when the person ahead in line leaves a tip. We have found that sound and light signals are a very effective way to attract people in line and thereby increase the frequency and size of tips. As a result, we have done a lot to choose the most successful arrangement of LEDs and design communications with the help of light.
Figure 2.12. Design Language
Every product has a "design language" that communicates visually or experientially with the user. For DipJar, it was important to quickly convey to the user how to insert a card. The team spent a lot of time optimizing the card logo (left photo) so that users can clearly understand how to correctly insert the card.
The DipJar team has also worked on optimizing the LED lighting patterns. The red arrow points to the LEDs along the edge of the front, which playfully signal an act of generosity. The blue arrow points to the result of the team's long discussions - the ability of the bank's owners to change the amounts collected. The custom digital LED display allows the DipJar owner to easily change the tip size.
Figure 2.13. Colours, materials, finishes
In order to quickly determine the final look of a product, designers select colors, materials, and finishes (CMF). Often this is done digitally (as shown above) and then translated into physical samples and models. DipJar has tested different styles of metal cases, finishes and plastic colors.
Figure 2.14. final renders
The result of the initial selection of CMF is a high quality digital product model. It usually includes all the elements from the previous stages: shape, size, symbols, user experience (UX), lighting (LED), colors, textures and materials. These high-quality visualizations, renders, are also the basis for almost all marketing materials (even Apple's marketing gods use renders for everything).
Figure 2.15. Web application design
If your product has a digital interface, creating more accurate mockups will be extremely helpful in defining your product's user experience. DipJar's main digital asset is a web-based control panel for store owners and charities. There are also plans to release a mobile app for employees and tippers.
Figure 2.16. Choice of packaging configuration
An important stage that is easily forgotten at the design stage is packaging. Even a relatively simple product like DipJar went through iterations in packaging development. In the photo on the left you can see the first version of the package; in the photo on the right - a more effective and elegant packaging of the second generation. Design optimization is an important part in creating a positive user experience and material specification.
Figure 2.17. Don't forget about iteration!
Once high-fidelity visual prototypes are produced, they are returned to customers to test many of the hypotheses made during development. It only takes 2-3 iterations to get a great visual prototype.
Figure 2.18. Final prototype visually close to the product
Once the design process is complete, you end up with a beautiful model that shows the design intent, but no functionality yet. Clients and investors should be able to quickly understand your product by interacting with this model. But let's not forget about the importance of making the product functional. To do this, dive into part 3: Construction.
You have read the second part of a series of four articles on physical product development. Be sure to read : Idea formation. Soon you will be able to move on to Part 3: Construction and Part 4: Validation. Author: Ben Einstein. Translation done by fablab commands and project .
Source: habr.com