Got an idea for a product? Developing a successful product is no easy task. Just ask anyone who’s made any of the common mistakes mentioned in this article, during their first try…oh yeah, that’s everyone!
Whether you’re designing furniture or clothing, developing a cookbook or software, you need to be certain that your product is as perfect as it can possibly be before you take it to market. Here are just four of the most “rookie” common mistakes that people make, when designing or building a product.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
When Developing
a New Product
Skipping Initial Market Research
Before you even start sketching designs, you should do some initial market research. The entire point of taking an idea and putting it in front of random people who will tell you their opinion, is to work out whether there’s even a market for your product idea?
Let’s say there is a market for your product but it comes across as a relatively new spin on an old idea. First, do you want your product automatically seen in that light? What exactly do these random people (i.e., potential consumers) want from your product?
How will your product make their lives any easier, happier, healthier, etc? Another possibility is there’s a market for your product and it’s actually HUGE!! The market research audience actually seems to recognize your product but how?
After talking amongst themselves, they recall that another startup has developed a similar product to yours. Fortunately, the functionality of your product is totally different from the prototype these testers saw another time.
As you can see from this example, market research is a helpful way to scope out the competition, which is extremely necessary. Without properly researching your competition, you could end up wasting your time and money building a product that’s completely inferior to your competition. Or, as we learned in this case since the functionality is different you may just need to re-work the design.
Underestimating the Costs
Design, developing, then building a product, has the potential to cost upwards of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the scale.
If your product required special tools or you needed to hire niche professionals such as engineers, professional testers and packaging designers, your costs could double or triple your initial estimate. Obviously, the total cost will vary depending on the product outcome and the overall complexity get it made.
Developing a video game, for instance, can cost anything from $500 for a simple mobile game to several million dollars for a fully-fledged console game. Don’t let any of these numbers really scare you though. You know what they say, “the higher the cost to make something, the higher the cost you can charge someone to use it”.
Focusing on Aesthetics Over Function
This particular point is a real ‘catch-22’ for me. Clearly, you want a highly functional product, no matter what it is. But you never want to compromise on aesthetics either. Yes, your product does need to look good on the shelves.
But in most cases, this should always come second in importance, to function. Alas, at the end of the day I’m always going to vote for a solid tie between the two, for the win!
Naturally, there are circumstances where exceptions can and must be made. Like, if you’re designing a pair of sneakers that you want to mass market. Of course, they’ll need to be comfortable and robust as well as stylish. And while I did already say that I will always choose to vote for a tie between aesthetics and functionality, there is one exception… The only real exception to the rule is if you’re selling art!
Not Testing Your Product Thoroughly
Product testing is arguably the most crucial component of the later part of the research stage. The process can provide several extra sets of eyes to notice a problem that you couldn’t because you were too close to the project.
If there are any improvements that you may need or issues that have been overlooked, now is the time that you need to find those! This is usually done by testing out the product yourself and then getting other users to test it.
The best products take just as long to test and tweak as they do to initially design and build. A user research platform may be able to help you record your findings and carrying out a thorough testing process.
But remember, any/all necessary improvements must be made before your product goes to production. If you fail to test your product thoroughly, you could risk selling a faulty product to the masses. Not only is that as bad as it sounds but, can you imagine all the lawsuits… Terrifying huh?
So, if we’ve learned anything here today it’s that common mistakes are just that, common! This means these mistakes are made a lot but that doesn’t mean you want to make them yourself. The ultimate cost to design, develop, market test, and put a finished product through rigorous testing costs a lot of money!
If you don’t rush and skip steps along the way, try to cut corners and save a buck here and there, you could end up with an amazing product that was worth all the wait! Not only could you very well be rich beyond your wildest dreams but who knows, your product could play a part in shaping the future of our country, or better yet, the planet!
Jessica Rose Adams
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