What's the right sequence? Ideation-Design-Prototyping...etc

[Mark Gager]

Dear All,

Apologies for the wall of text, but I am hoping I communicate my points comprehensively so that I can get the best guidance. I am mainly seeking advice and guidance on a sequence of steps I plan to take on a product idea I have. I would greatly appreciate your support on helping me get the right sequence based on all of your experience and knowledge.

1. Ideation - I've started developing my idea largely on a notepad through rough sketches. I've done some early stage google searching for similar products, potential manufacturers that can produce prototypes for me, etc but this phase is largely me constantly sketching out and refining my idea.
2. Computer Drawings (Self Generated) - in parallel to sketch work on my notepad, I am also transferring these into computer drawings. I am by no means proficient at using the software but I'm doing the best I can. The reason for me doing this is so that I get as much detail into the drawings so that eventually when I send it to a professional CAD designer their job interpreting my idea will be easier and quicker.
3. Prototype Development (Self Generated) - in order for me constantly test if the product design is working as I intended or to find issues, I am using materials to develop my prototype. It will be crude, but helps me refine my idea.
4. Computer Drawings (Professionally Generated) - I have identified a designer whose work I like, I will create a pack of my drawings and meet with the designer to get them to start work on CAD / technical drawings.
5. Manufacturer Research - whilst the designer is working on the technical drawings, I want to spend time researching and speaking to local firms based in the UK that can help me produce prototypes. By the time the technical drawings are ready, I hope to have a list of manufacturers that I will use.
6. Patent Search and Filing - I've left this for after the technical drawings are complete as I want to use the detail drawings for the patent search firm to do their search. If no patents have been filed, I intend to submit an application.
7. Prototype Development (Professionally Generated)- whilst I have the patent process underway, I want to get prototypes developed. I understand that this process may bring up more issues in my design, which potentially means going back to amend the technical or design specifications. This potentially scuppers the step of patent search and filing.
8. Focused Customer Interviews and Market Research- after the prototypes have been developed, I intend on speaking to as many consumers as possible to gauge their interest in the product. Again, this may result in design changes or even worse prove a complete disinterest in the product which would mean a fair amount of money being spent in the above steps being wasted on an idea that does not get off the ground.
9. Business Plan Development - if there is a market to go after based on my research, I then intend to write an early stage business plan. It will by no means be comprehensive, but atleast a start on putting the structure in place for the business.
10. Obtaining Funding or Investment - I don't know how I will go about this but for the moment I am going to think about it only after I know that what I want to do will stand a good chance of being successful.

Based on all of your experience, do you think I am going about this correctly, in the right sequence? Is there anything I need to include or change in the sequence? Thank you in advance for your support.

Mark

 

[Chris Ashdown]

You don't need cad drawings to get it patented you need a couple of good sketches or drawings that show the idea,

Materials are not defined as if for instance you described a football as a leather covered rubber balloon inflated to withstand a heavy kick, someone would come along and make one of PVC and a goats inner tube. You define things like the outer skin would be a membrane of a soft or medium hard material whist the inner membrane would be a more pliable material able to with hold inflation by a gas for a reasonable period of time most likely weeks or more

The best thing you could do is to borrow a 3D Printer and make up a sample that does not have to work but shows the major parts at what ever scale makes sense, something people can look at and touch to help them visualize the final product

Non disclosure letters are required if you want to patten the item

 

[Deleted member 226268]

What will this product actually "do"
What size is it ?

 

[garyk]

I would be doing my market research before *anything* else. No point spending time and money on something that potentially no-one wants or is a small target market.

 

[fisicx]

^^^What he said.

Market research and business plan development before anything else.

 

[The Byre]

As above, the VERY FIRST THING YOU DO is market research. This does not have to be full-blown and professional, but spend at least one week finding out the size of the market in the UK, EU and then rest of the World.

THEN you find out all the pathways and gateways to the market - i.e. where do people buy stuff and how does the stuff get to that place.

After that, you have to find out how to get the attention of those gatekeepers (e.g. wholesalers, distributors) and what this will cost. Often, it is a major European trade fair, so if you are selling a new type of boat motor, you will HAVE to exhibit at the Düsseldorf Boat Show, if it is some computer add-on, the CeBIT is a must, if it is a new type of film light, the IBC in Amsterdam is mandatory - And so on!

The trick is, they see you at the fair and immediately get excited over 'Young Blood' and want to get in and make an offer for distribution and possible financial support. It helps to send out letters to these people in advance. If you product is a real doozy, they will take you under their wing from the get-go.

By the time you have done all that, you will have some handle on the scale of the mountain that you must climb. You will also begin to get an idea of the viability of your new product.

Here are some facts to mull over -

1. The marginal cost of manufacture should not exceed one-eighth of RRP for a mass market product.

2. Many types of product have marketing budgets that far exceed the costs of manufacture.

3. The moment your product is 'out there', applying for a patent is pretty much impossible.

4. Before production, comes pre-production, i.e. working models in limited numbers for potential wholesalers and the like.

5. The best business plans 'evolve' as you go through the various steps into prototyping, pre-production and finally production. Keep it fluid and change it as circumstances change.

Bearing all that in mind, the next step after sizing up the market and the costs of getting to that market, is to make sure that this amazing new widget actually is the bee's knees and the cat's pyjamas, all rolled into one. You need a working prototype and it is a real 'Wow!'

It is cheap to make (you hope!) once you can get into scale production and the concept really works - but check and check again your calculations.

At this point, you must get as much protection for your product as is humanly possible. If it is patentable, patent the damn thing NOW! Also cover all the other bits, like design and the name (remembering to buy every dot-com and dot-co-dot-uk that even comes close!)

The idea and first drawings are the easiest part.

Remember to only cross bridges when you are at the river! Don't even whisper to manufacturers, until you are ready to go into manufacture. Don't fret over patent applications, until you are sure that there is a market and the costs of entering that market are ones you can bear! Don't go booking fair stands, flights and hotel rooms, until you have at least your pre-production ready to roll.

Enjoy the ride!

 

[Mark Gager]

All,

thank you very much for your inputs. I will take the advice and do market research first. However this is only going to be some initial market research. My challenge is that the product I am trying to develop combines elements of single products into one modular unit and as such there is no specific search I can perform.

I thought that for my market research I would determine sales and search numbers for products that come close to it. I will use sites like Jungle Scout for amazon, Terapeak for ebay and google keyword searches. I also intend to do a few customer interviews using the initial concept drawings I have to test the idea.

Is there any market research tools or approaches you can share with me to make the output more informative?

 

[The Byre]

You have to fill in as many of the bits of the jigsaw puzzle as possible. You start by asking 100 users a few key questions and begin to map them out and weight them according to size and budget. Also ask the editors of trade mags in that market for their opinions on market share of main protagonists.

Then look at returns of Ltd companies and any OTC (over the counter) results. Some on-line shops give comparative data for brands within product types. Some data is out there and the PR department of the market leaders will have data, if you ask them nicely. Just tell them that you are doing market research for a survey. Everybody likes a survey!

Slowly, you will begin to get a handle on the overall size of the market - e.g. market leader sells $50m into Europe and has 20% of the market. That suggests a World market of about $1.5bn, but that figure could be wildly wrong, so you have to cross reference that figure with others. Maybe they are weak in the US and the Third World - or maybe they are unduly strong in their home turf.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

One thing to note if looking to patent your idea must be original so:-

Sony was unable to patent the Walkman as it was just a small tape player although it may have been able to patent small parts of it which were original

Amstrad were unable to patent their pc as it only gained its price advantage but placing all component's on a single board where IBM and others used separate boards for each item, but the separate parts were already known

 

[Swisaw]

The cheapest way to identify if your product is new is to apply for UK Patent, including full claims. Ask IPO to do a search for you. This should tell you if your idea partly or fully new. This may cost you under £300.00. But if your idea is new that will not be enough. You have to find out if there is a worthwhile use, market, for it.

 

[billmccallum1957]

All,

thank you very much for your inputs. I will take the advice and do market research first. However this is only going to be some initial market research. My challenge is that the product I am trying to develop combines elements of single products into one modular unit and as such there is no specific search I can perform.

I thought that for my market research I would determine sales and search numbers for products that come close to it. I will use sites like Jungle Scout for amazon, Terapeak for ebay and google keyword searches. I also intend to do a few customer interviews using the initial concept drawings I have to test the idea.

Is there any market research tools or approaches you can share with me to make the output more informative?

This is the red flag issue for you, using other products means you are not developing a new product, get some advice from a professional.

 

[Steve Samuels]

This is the red flag issue for you, using other products means you are not developing a new product, get some advice from a professional.

I wouldn't completely agree with this. To be granted a patent, you have to hit 3 criteria. The idea should be novel (part of it must be new), contain an inventive step (that is not obvious to others), and be capable of industrial application.

Patents can be granted for things that are progressive steps of other already patented things. Just because you are building on existing IP doesn't mean what you have is not protect-able. And just because you can get a patent granted, unless it is well written it won't necessarily stop others competing with you in a slightly different way. Once a patent application is started it sets the ball rolling to disclose your idea.

In my opinion, and it's just an opinion, focus on the market research and prototyping first, and patenting later. There are a number of successful products that are not patented, as long as you are not violating anyone else's IP you have the chance to create a success.

Good luck with developing your idea!

Regards,
-Steve