What is Product Design: Elements and Processes Defined

Developing a product from start to finish is an arduous journey that requires expert knowledge and experience. There are a lot many things and challenges that a product design company encounters when creating a product.

It is an iterative process in which you design something, test it, if a problem occurs, you have to trace it back, improve your product, and try it again, and it continues until and unless you have the desired outcome.

This article will walk you through elements of product designing and the process it follows, but before you get started, continue reading and find out what is product design.

Product Design- Definition

Product design is the process used by designers to develop a product that caters to the specific needs of the users. It involves conceptualizing and designing a product specifically to solve users’ problems or address particular needs of the market.

It is a comprehensive concept involving understanding the end-user customer needs and then resolving the real issue. Product designers evaluate the habits, behaviors, and conditions of the prospective customers’ or end-users and further integrate the technological possibilities and business requirements to develop a usable product that can stand the test of time.

The key things designers should know before starting the process are:

1. What problem is to be solved?
2. Who is the end-user?
3. What is required to be achieved?

Once these questions are answered, the designers better understand the user experience as a whole rather than just interaction (feel) and visual (look).

Elements of Product Design

The key three elements of product design are:

Functional use

The first and principal thing you need to understand is that the product is designed to be usable and practical rather than just attractive. You would need to put yourself in the end user’s shoes and determine whether or not it will be able to solve the pain point for them.

Appearance/ Design

The design of the product can be detailed or minimal. It is an element that depends on what the product is. No doubt, functionality is an essential element of a product; the style and aesthetics can also make all the difference. Remember, today’s users look for something purely functional and appealing to the eyes.

Cost

Businesses need to perform a cost-benefit analysis because it helps determine whether they value the money. Furthermore, you can also work out things where you can spend less and still get the desired results.

Product Design Process

It is a five-step process, namely, concept, design, ideate, prototype, test.

Concept

Before you start designing the product, it is crucial to assess whether there is a need for the product. You need to perform user research and gather all the data obtained from user interviews, online surveys, and market research to confirm this.

Design

Now that you have understood the problem, it is time to define the product that resolves the user issues. While doing this, you would need to focus on the structure, edits, templates, concept refinement, etc.

Ideate

Ideating basically involves brainstorming and coming up with as many creative solutions as possible. This is the most practical step of the product designing process where a product design company generates a range of potential solutions.

Prototype

Building a prototype is as important as defining a product. This step enables the designers to determine if they are on the right track and what improvements they can further make. Prototyping often sparks multiple ideas that one would not have come up with otherwise.

Test and validate

Lastly, the product is returned to the users for feedback. This helps the designer team to ensure that their design works as intended.