There are different ideas about what makes a design “good” or “bad”, as some aspects of the design of a product can be both an art and a science.
Leonardo Da Vinci once said:
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”
Most simpler products are easier to sell and market to your customers. It is important that your product is understandable as most customers don’t want to spend a lot of time figuring it all out.
There are many best selling products that are easy to use. One example is the iPhone. It went through extremely intensive product design to get it there.
Expectations
One of the first steps in handling a complex project is to have clear goals for your design. In dealing with your technician, you would constantly talk about what the product is supposed to do, such as weight, appearance, size, etc. Then it is important to set priorities. The size can determine how many functions are possible. Adjustments to size, weight or other characteristics may need to be made. Appearance may require adjustments to features to keep the product simple and easy to use.
Simple and Complex Projects
Simpler projects can often be designed all at once. For complex projects, the engineering team needs a clear picture of what you want to design and can then break your project down into stages. In complex projects, phasing is often the most efficient way to design a product.
The design process becomes faster and cheaper when complex projects are developed and tested in phases, which helps avoid redesigning the entire project again and again.
Are you wondering what the engineer is doing? The division of the process enables better communication. You always know what part of the product is being developed, and changes and corrections can be made and implemented more seamlessly. You can take a more active role in the design process.
A complex project can require many different areas of engineering. For example, to design a cell phone, you need mechanical engineering for the housing, electrical engineering for the cabling, speakers, antenna, screen and a software engineer to develop apps for the cell phone.
Simpler products can cut costs as less time is spent in the development phase, can be beneficial when standardized parts can be used, and communication and planning with your engineer is much easier. When a product is complex, remember to keep it as simple as possible.
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Our team can help.
If you need help designing or making a prototype, our engineering team in the United States will be happy to help.
