We start with understanding the problem fully, researching competitors, market viability, anything that might have been missed with the initial thoughts and assumptions we have in our minds about the product. What materials, manufacturing methods and scale will we be producing at? We look at all possible solutions to this problem with the aid of sketching, so we have expanded our minds to the possible solutions that won’t bite us down the line.

We then take this research and start honing it down into the product concept we are looking to develop. More sketching, determining aesthetics and choices of design language. We will clearly know what it is we are creating after finishing this step.

The product is very clearly defined here, so the process is really about generating all the final product design possibilities. What shape, construction methods work functionally here? Are there any major road blocks or variables to consider? Sketching is heavily used here and rough blocking can be useful in CAD to understand scale. Feeling scale roughly with foam and cardboard is also huge to see if you’re on the right direction.

At the end of this you should have a clear direction and be ready to start designing your product in CAD.

After we have determined the exact direction of the build, CAD modeling is done in Fusion 360 or Solidworks to create the initial model. I prefer the Fusion 360 cloud for communicating and clearly understanding within a team.

Once the model is finished and edits have been made, prototypes of that design can be made either externally with local vendors (Portland, OR), services like Send Cut Send/Protolabs, or within my own capabilities of fabrication and 3D printing. We can figure out what works best for each project.

We can further hone the prototype through revisions and adjustments iteratively until we are at a point where we are ready to manufacture at scale. Initial conversations with manufacturers start earlier to determine specific limitations and design parameters we have not yet considered and basic cost considerations.

With our first prototype sent over to the manufacturer, we are able to get a clear picture of what needs to be changed to produce it better at scale. We can also make further internal revisions and get samples (depending on the type of product) directly from the manufacturer to determine viability before actual production.

Post the initial production, I can also offer advice on storage, fulfilment, shipping, marketing, sales channels, Kickstarter campaigns and any other experience that may be relevant to your business.