How integrating industrial design in the product development process impacts on company performance

Radical or “discontinuous” products based on new technological breakthroughs are playing an ever‐increasing role in the success of firms. However, little research has been conducted that investigates the roles of marketing and industrial design (ID) in the development of these types of products. Further, past research has tended to overlook the role that industrial design, and the impact of the marketing‐industrial design interaction, can have on the development of discontinuous new products. Frequently, the term design is used broadly or is equated with engineering; thus, while the marketing–research and development (R&D) interaction is studied, the marketing–ID as well as the industrial design–R&D relationships are not considered. This article examines the roles of marketing and industrial design in the product development process for discontinuous innovations. Specifically, questions concerning how and the degree to which marketing and industrial design are integrated into the development process are investigated. The investigation employs multiple methods, or triangulation, in order to secure an in‐depth understanding of the roles of these disciplines. In the course of examining these questions, key factors influencing industrial design and marketing involvement are identified and preliminary models are examined.The research, which was conducted in two phases, employed a mixed‐method, multiple sample design. The methods used included a survey, field observation study, and depth‐interviewing. Data were collected from three different samples: R&D managers, project team members (including personnel from various disciplines—marketing, R&D, industrial design, engineering, etc.), and industrial design managers. The use of the different data sources and sampling of various groups of managers was employed in order to provide a rich context for investigating the research questions of interest. In addition, a preliminary analysis of factors (e.g., degree of product discontinuity, product innovation objectives, process discontinuity, process formality) identified in the first phase was conducted, and these relationships were explored further in the second phase of the research.Findings across the two phases of this research suggest that the development of discontinuous new products involves a process that is different from more conventional new product development—particularly as it concerns the roles of marketing and industrial design. The high degree of discontinuity inherent in such projects, along with the strong R&D orientation often surrounding them, results in delayed involvement of marketing and ID, as well as altering their roles in the new product development (NPD) process. Factors such as the degree of product discontinuity (DPD), process discontinuity (PCD), and process formality (PF) seemed to exert a differential influence on the involvement of marketing and ID. Although their roles and involvement are altered in discontinuous new product development, this research suggests that marketing and ID roles in this context involve increased challenges with respect to validation of key assumptions and product application directions. Additionally, managers operating in this development context need to explicitly consider the influence of factors such as discontinuity level in undertaking NPD projects with respect to how it affects the execution of industrial design and marketing activities.

The role of design and designers in new product development (NPD) has always been problematic and complex in its approach and in the extent of its involvement (Leenders et al., 2007; Murray and O’Driscoll, 1996; Veryzer and Borja de Mozota, 2005). As the industrial design profession seeks to confront the challenges of a recessionary environment, both the designer led ‘intuitive’ approach to NPD, and the marketer led ‘systematic’ approach become outmoded (Cross, 2001; Martin, 2007). There is shortcoming, even ambivalence, in the NPD and design management literature as to how design is involved in NPD (Cooper et al., 2003; Olson et al., 1998). Perks et al. (2005) suggest the designer’s involvement is moving from merely functional expertise to broader leadership activities. The research reported in this paper seeks to contextualise the fledgling position of design as NPD leader, and to understand the nature and level of design and designer involvement in NPD. Using a case study approach, the researchers sought to investigate these issues in Ireland’s largest industrial design consultancy. The firm, established 25 years ago, employs 30 design professionals. It handles projects for a range of well-known, international clients in mature, consumer product categories, for example, Palm, Terraillon and Logitech. The lead researcher spent six weeks embedded in the firm in summer 2009, carrying out quasi-ethnographic observation and semi-structured interviews with designers and management. Further interviews were conducted at the European studio of an international consultancy to enable a broader comparison. The firm was found to be in a period of flux, moving from a situation where the client called the shots, often based on uni-dimensional market research, towards one where the design studio sought to win greater involvement in NPD. A studio in such a predicament has yet to be empirically examined in the literature. Reorientation from a passive, and often late, role in NPD towards one of fuller leadership and greater input is a central feature of this research. A significant amount of conventional design work was gradually gravitating towards business analysis and marketing conceptualisation. Designers engaged in a high level of analysis on product, user and brand, and offered direction to clients through a range of activities. In many regards, they embraced the language and craft of the marketer. The company’s new mantra was to “manifest our clients’ brand through great product design”. This shift marks the division between the designer’s role as a mere service provider versus design authority. The extent to which leadership could be successfully offered depended, in a large part, on the relationship between designer and client. This relationship determined the extent and timing of involvement of designers in NPD. Different types and intensities of relationships were observed. For example, constant dyadic communication facilitated intense relationships where typical design briefs were extremely informal. However, an asymmetry in consultancy-client relationship, provoking vulnerability and internal tension, was uncovered. This revealed the transitional ground that the studio currently inhabits. This study charts in detail a move by a well-established design consultancy to take greater ‘ownership’ of NPD. In shaping this process, the constellation of the designer-client relationship is critical. A model of designer-client involvement in NPD, hinging around project classification and designer input, is developed. This model is predicated on three important insights from the research: (i) a broadened designer remit; (ii) extensive and early NPD involvement on the part of designers; and (iii) increased ownership of the NPD process by the consultancy designers. As the design profession transitions, as designers increasingly sell a greater range of expertise and provide greater value to clients, it is suggested that the model provides relevant insight to both design consultancies and client firms in the NPD process.

In the context of the rapid development of e-commerce, industrial design, as a key link in product development, plays an essential role in enhancing product competitiveness and meeting consumer demands. This paper, titled “Industrial Design’s Role in E-commerce Product Development: A Study on Innovation Drive and Market Adaptability,” aims to delve into the role of industrial design in e-commerce product development, analyzing how it leverages innovative practices to boost product market competitiveness and consumer satisfaction. The paper begins by outlining the theoretical foundations of industrial design and the characteristics of e-commerce product development, followed by a literature review that organizes the value of industrial design in product development and its impact on market adaptability. Subsequently, the paper describes in detail the industrial design process and methodology, with particular emphasis on the application of design thinking and user-centered design in e-commerce product development. Through case studies, the paper demonstrates how Dongguan Shangshan E-commerce Co., Ltd. and Dongguan Youyi Trading Co., Ltd. have driven product innovation through industrial design. Finally, the paper highlights the role of industrial design in enhancing market adaptability and building brand value, offering practical recommendations for e-commerce enterprises. The research findings indicate that industrial design is not only about the design of product appearance and functionality but also serves as a bridge between the product and the market and consumers, which is essential for the success of e-commerce products.

This article empirically explores the nature of the role of design in the new product development process. The investigation adopts a multiple case study methodology. Data were collected through a six‐month interview program carried out with mid‐size to large U.K. manufacturing companies. The researchers articulate the scope and detailed nature of actions undertaken by design across all phases of the new product development process. Design functional, integration, and leadership actions are unraveled from the data. A taxonomy characterizing three roles for design in new product development is developed and explained. In the first role, design is explored as a functional specialism.The second categorization develops the role of design as part of a multifunctional team. The third role depicts the designer as process leader. Detailed actions and skills associated with each role are discussed and illustrated. Contextual factors explaining and influencing each design role are unraveled. These are articulated as speed of development process, innovativeness of the product development effort, and use of external design agencies. The implications of these findings for the development of design skills and capabilities are discussed in terms of recruitment, training, and educational policies.

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.

This article presents how to use the technique of experimental design in developing a new product ‐ an extrusion press. Using experimental design has significantly reduced the time needed to develop the extrusion press and improved the quality of the new product. This clearly demonstrates that experimental design is an efficient technique for new product development. To ensure success when undertaking experimental design in new product development, there are some prerequisites which have to be taken into account. These include, for example, the need for a better understanding of customer requirements and expectations, a carefully planned design, and sound knowledge in the subject‐matter. It may be suggested that an experimental design similar to the one presented in this article can also be used for developing other new products.

Utilization evolving prototype technologies in industrial design in the light of industry 4.0

A user-centered new product development process is discussed in this paper. The design of a new sports earphone is illustrated as a case study. User study methods such as questionnaires, survey, interviews and observations are used. Quantitative and qualitative methods are used to create Persona, scenario and discover user requirements. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method is used to translate the users' requirements into technical requirements. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is applied in QFD to quantify the user requirements, relate those elements to overall customer satisfaction goal and evaluate different design alternatives.

Investments in design can make a significant contribution to successful new product development (NPD). However, there is insufficient evidence on the most appropriate or effective role that design could play. Previous case-based research has identified alternative roles for designers in NPD, but there is only tentative evidence over such roles’ contribution to NPD outcomes. Using data on a large sample (c. 1300) of Irish manufacturing plants we are able to examine the effectiveness of three different levels of involvement of designers in NPD and their impact on NPD novelty and success. Our analysis suggests that design is closely associated with enhanced performance regardless of the type of role it plays. However, the potential effects of involving design throughout the process appear to be much greater. The relationship between design and NPD outcomes is also strongly moderated by contextual factors; for example, its significance is only evident for organisations, which also engage in in-house R&D. Also, while both small and larger plants do gain from using design as functional specialism and in some stages of the NPD process, the additional benefits of a continuous involvement of design throughout the process are only evident in larger plants. Finally, while discourse and perceptions over design's role in NPD have certainly changed over time, suggesting a much more widespread and strategic use of design, our findings provide a more static picture, showing that design engagement with the NPD process has not changed significantly over the last two decades.

This paper attempts to take industrial design as the breakthrough point, research and development of industrial design method and application in small household electrical product, and with the deeply research on this theory, the new design method are analyzed after the understanding of basic existing development model, and find the problems and proposed solutions, finally we wish to take industrial design as oriented to product development.

BREFE, M.L.P. (2008). Study of the integration between industrial design and engineering design in product development process on Brazilian small businesses. Sao Carlos, 2008. 202 p. Dissertation (Master Degree) – Escola de Engenharia de Sao Carlos, Universidade de Sao Paulo. There is a proved positive correlation between design use and business performance. Therefore, it is desirable to integrate industrial design to engineering design in product development process (PDP). This study investigates the integration between industrial design and engineering design in PDP, giving emphasis on Brazilian small businesses. There is evidence about the neglect of this integrated approach and difficulties in practice. It has been proposed a framework – trying to stablish the classes of factors or dimensions that have influence on the phenomenon and a set of “Best Practices” – to use as a comparative parameter to empirical data and to pratical aplication on case studies. Also, it has been used a “Design Maturity Model” and a “Product Audit Tool”, based on the literature review. The field research – action-research type – used a sample of 180 companies and 10 case studies, involving visit to businesses, interviews with business owners and product development process participants, documental analysis and active participation on real cases of product development. The results show that most of Brazilian small businesses take place on the two lower levels, among four possible, what is an undesirable situation. The technology-based business distribution on the model is very similar, becoming more concerning this situation, because this kind of enterprise is considered as an instrument to transform knowledge in wealth. The product development case studies with emphasis on early integration of industrial design in the PDP allow to state that products that were developed with this approach tend to gain better results on both technical and human interface performance, what potentially improve the chances to compete in actual market. It was identified benefits and barries, adaptations in proposed “Best Practices” for aplication on small businesses and consequences of the observed situation.

Kansei clustering for emotional design using a combined design structure matrix

The present defence industry growth, driven by the emerging needs towards sustainable environment, has made multiple life cycle product remanufacturing into an important aspect in providing the solution for efficient supply chain management from as early as the design stage. Due to these strict needs, strategic assets are focused in this research, in order to provide it with a flexible framework to be implemented for various defence multiple life cycle products meant to be remanufactured. This paper discusses the literature review carried out for supply chain management, multiple life cycle products, remanufacturing processes and critical success factors in new product development. It is also meant to solidify the requirements for any defence products, of which should be designed to incorporate the multiple life cycle identity. The aim has therefore been to develop a feasible framework that will be tested for identified defence products and determine whether it is a requirement in the initial design of new product development. In summary, this research will provide a better perception and act as a guideline for new product development, particularly for defence or other relevant industrial products. The idea is novel to assist product designers to collaborate with supply chain managers in order to retain the science of multiple life cycle products.

This paper explores ecodesign within the product development process (PDP), particularly focusing on the design stages. Previous research has highlighted the early stages as the 'best' place to integrate environmental issues. Here the early stage hypothesis is explored from the perspective of the industrial design department-the early stage designers. Being located at the earliest possible design stages of product development would mean that, were the hypothesis to hold true, industrial design world be the 'best' place to locate ecodesign. Empirical research was conducted with the Industrial Design Centre (IDC) of a global Electrical and Electronic goods manufacture. It used a qualitative, inductive research methodology, based on two 'live' design concept projects, participant observation within the department and on several semi-structured interviews. Throughout this paper, the empirical work is compared and contrasted to ecodesign literature, specifically to models of ecodesign innovation and the product development process. Beginning by exploring of the early stage hypothesis, the paper concludes with a conceptual model of early stage ecodesign for the context in question.

This paper first provides a literature review of product development and knowledge management including product development process, design history and domain knowledge. It then presents a method for knowledge-based multi-view process modeling including process implementation, process monitoring, and knowledge management. The integrated framework and hierarchical model of the design history is built. The relationship among process history, design intent and domain knowledge is analyzed, and the method for representation and acquisition of process history, design intent and domain knowledge is presented. The multi-agent based architecture of the knowledge-based product development process management (PDPM) system and its functional modules are described, and the architecture of integrated knowledge management (IKM) system based on PDPM is set up and developed with a B/C/S (Browser/Client/Server) structure. The system is used successfully during the lifecycle of a new type of railway rolling stock development.