"The Cogentum team engaged with the end user groups to understand the key concerns, wants and needs about the body worn components of the Bionic Eye and their functionality. Their expertise within the medical devices sector and iterative planning approach was extremely valuable and helped us isolate the key issues that we needed feedback on."
Tamara Leigh Brawn
Project Manager
Designers, engineers, scientists and technologists in every field have curious minds. They are by nature inventive, able to create and problem solve their way through any challenge. But what should they be inventing? Or solving? And who decides if their solution is going to change the world or only find a small niche market?
We're firm believers in providing solid development design briefs to those who have the skills to create and problem solve. That doesn't mean we're prescriptive. It just means we'll help them understand what it is that people want to be able to do with the product, how the product will make them feel and what will make them really want it. And once they have a solution in mind, we can provide the user insights they need to freeze the design and get the product on the road to market.
Design, whether it's aesthetic or functional, is fundamental to the innovation process. Its role is to translate customers' needs into a product that does what it promises to do. And in a way that customers prefer to what competitors are offering.
So whether it's a scientist developing a new diagnostic test or an industrial designer creating a new gizmo they need inspiration from those who stand to use, pay and benefit from the product. Getting close and personal with these groups early in the design phase both stimulates and focuses the design and development process. And then you benefit by saving time and money and by getting onto the market before a competitor does!
Products fail in the market for so many reasons that you can't control. If that happens, you can put it down to experience and wear your failure like a badge of honour. You'll be ready next time.
But what if the mistake could have been avoided? Like it was a just a bad idea or there was simply no market for it. Or maybe you got the design wrong. Or the product didn't do what you promised it would. Then there's no excuse.
It's never too early or too late to kill a project that is going to cripple your business down the track. There's no shame in that. If the product can be refined and improved then better to do that before it gets to market. If need be we'll be brutally honest and recommend you abort the project.
Copyright © 2013 Cogentum
Email the team at info@cogentum.com.au