Product Innovation Strategies for Designers
Innovation is the heartbeat of success in design, and while innovative product design starts with creativity, it evolves into the strategic endeavor of transforming imaginative concepts into tangible solutions that truly benefit users.
Product design is an art form that combines aesthetics and functionality. Design principles and market research provide the beginnings of a product innovation strategy. As users demand more, the parameters placed upon product designers consistently redefine who we are, and our role in business strategy.
Defining Innovation in Product Design - Types of Product Innovation
“Innovation in product design is a complex blend of design thinking and technology. We need to understand the user experience and get creative in reshaping their expectations.”
Product innovation is about pioneering new experiences or radically enhancing current ones. Designers weave together aesthetic, functional, and efficiency improvements to introduce new ways of interacting with products or processes.
Innovation in product design is a complex blend of design thinking and technology. We need to understand the user experience and get creative in reshaping their expectations. The three principal types of product innovation are:
Incremental Innovation: This involves engaging in small yet impactful improvements to existing products. Think of it as a natural evolution—designers staying attuned to what users want or need and refining the experience gradually to accommodate expectations.
Breakthrough Innovation: We build upon existing designs to introduce features that unlock new market opportunities—this can make the product accessible to audiences who couldn't previously engage with them.
Disruptive Innovation: A high-stakes approach of entering at the bottom of an existing market with an entirely new design. While risky, successful disruptive innovations can change the pathway for users and competitors moving forward.
The Three Phases of a Product Innovation Strategy
Product innovation happens in three distinct phases:
Market Research: Understanding the audience is paramount. Effective product design tells a story users can relate to, addressing everyday challenges. Through collaborative market research, we identify groups of users based on their demographics and needs, leveraging primary data and existing studies to uncover opportunities.
Product Development: In this phase, we test our product or prototype against real-world scenarios. Focus groups allow us to validate the desirability, viability, and functionality of a design via a prototype.
Feasibility Assessment: Navigating the legal and financial challenges of bringing a new project to market is crucial at this stage. A thorough feasibility assessment evaluates the potential risks and rewards, including possible prices, production costs, and sales forecasts.
Understanding User Needs and Market Trends
The foundation of any successful product innovation strategy is about more than delivery. It's about understanding user needs—not just now but also anticipating future demands. Knowing our audience is critical and allows us to establish clear objectives for the design.
Ideation and Concept Development
Applying design principles to human beings can be a complex process: we like novelty, but we're change averse. Ideation and concept development strategies need to skirt the border between familiar and innovative, flattening any learning curve for users while elevating positive emotions.
“Combining our imagination with user feedback, business goals, and technical feasibility gives us a better chance of achieving market disruption.”
Prototyping and iterating are the only ways to confirm whether our design is better than the current options. User input is invaluable but should be tempered with design expertise so as to develop a complete innovation strategy. At its core, design should create intuitive, functional, and enjoyable products. Combining our imagination with user feedback, business goals, and technical feasibility gives us a better chance of achieving market disruption.
Design Thinking and Collaboration
At the heart of innovative product design lies design thinking—a process that champions collaboration and user insights. Partnering with cross-functional teams augments our perspectives and fuels creativity through open dialogue and brainstorming.
Design thinking is innately user-centric. It embraces rapid prototyping and iterative testing. Incorporate quick and inexpensive prototypes to gather feedback early and often, making real-time adjustments.
Sustainability and Technology in Design Practices
Nearly 90% of consumers expect organizations to minimize their carbon footprints. Designing eco-friendly products using sustainable materials is essential for meeting these expectations while considering circular design principles that promote longevity.
Additionally, leveraging technology enhances our creative processes. Tools like computer-aided design (CAD) empower us to sketch, render, and optimize our ideas collaboratively.
Testing and Validation
Agility is just as critical as having a solid concept. Markets can shift unexpectedly, and designers must remain adaptable. Suppose the feasibility assessment reveals insurmountable obstacles, such as pricing challenges. We should always have another option readily available.
We must test our designs to prove or disprove our assumptions, answering three essential questions:
Is the product desirable to the target audience? Does it solve a problem or meet a need?
Is the product a viable business model? How does it create value?
Is it technically feasible? Can we achieve the transformation from concept to product?
Innovative Product Design Examples
Innovative design has the power to disrupt markets and establish brands as undisputed leaders. But what is an example of an innovative product?
For many, Apple is at the forefront of product design, combining incremental, breakthrough, and disruptive innovation to push creativity and functionality.
Another lesser-known example of design innovation at its finest is the Petcube: an interactive pet camera allowing users to monitor, talk to, and even give their pets treats from afar. Petcube meets a need for pet owners and, on a deeper level, alleviates the guilt of leaving pets alone for prolonged periods while at work. It tells a story that people can relate to.
Another example is Fitbit—now part of Google—which combined physical and digital product design to create a sleek and appealing smartwatch that transformed the wearable tech industry. Their devices are functional, comfortable, and inspiring. They disrupted the market and empowered millions of people to participate in a healthy lifestyle.
Creating Innovative Product Ideas for the Future
“The future of product design will likely become more synergistic as we collaborate with users, stakeholders, and other designers”
Product innovation has almost limitless potential as technology catches up to innate designer creativity. Users have more opinions and agency than ever before, and the future of product design will likely become more synergistic as we collaborate with users, stakeholders, and other designers. As we evolve as designers, we'll keep breaking boundaries and accomplishing what we previously considered impossible.
Stay up to date on innovative design strategies with Products of Design's blog.