A Design Management Model for Product Development in SMEs: The Integrated Design Management (IDM) model

SMEs significantly impact the economy of any country, but due to their size, they often face human and financial resource constraints. Additionally, the multidisciplinary nature of innovation makes it challenging for them to gather all the resources and skills needed for effective design project development. Considering these constraints, it is imperative that the innovation and the design process must be managed efficiently and in a structured way to achieve the defined objectives. However, the current tools analyze design management, classify good practices, examine their degree of integration, and map their benefits, but fall short of outlining how SMEs can implement design management. This article presents the Integrated Design Management (IDM) model, designed to help SMEs with little or no previous design experience to systematically implement design management for the new product development process. The model’s validation through feedback from participants knowledgeable in design management reinforces its reliability and applicability, enabling SMEs to navigate design complexities.