Maximizing the Value of Industrial Design in New Product Development

OVERVIEW:Industrial design is essential for the creation of products that satisfy user needs and aspirations and can be differentiated from the competition. However, most companies fail to reap the full benefits of design. This is often due to cultural and language barriers, between design and other functional areas, and barriers to the introduction of industrial design into new-product development (NPD) process. In this paper we show how designers and NPD managers have different perceptions of “good” design and the ways to achieve it. We also illustrate the challenges in attempting to introduce industrial design into a structured NPD approach. It is by identifying and tackling these issues that managers can exploit the full potential of design, thus making their companies more innovative and competitive.