How can you develop scalable and adaptable products using concept development skills?

Embarking on product development is like preparing for a thrilling expedition. Here's a compact guide for those at the starting line: 1. Investigate Like a Detective: Delve deep into your target audience's world. Understand their needs and pain points as if you’re solving a mystery. Use tools like personas and customer journeys for clues. 2. Scout the Competition: Analyze market trends and competitors like a scout on a reconnaissance mission. What's your unique edge? 3. Map Your Path: With insights in hand, create a clear problem statement and value proposition. It's like drawing your own treasure map, marking where 'X' marks the spot.

In my experience, you first need to understand if there is a problem to solve. Often people will come with a solution to some theoretical problem that has not been proven to exist for a large enough /diverse customer base. Utilising tools such as the business model canvas and interviewing customers directly will provide needed perspectives - and inform business owners how the problem currently exists .

Extremely important to have answers to three fundamental questions 1. Who is my target Consumer/ Customer ? 2. What is the Consumer pain point that the product will solve for ? 3. What are the current hacks that Consumers use to solve those pain points More often than not the team will have a broad perspective on above questions but when you craft concepts it will drive clarity and help cut the chase. Concept creation forces you to get 1st slip into your Consumer’s shoes and craft insight that will resonate strongly with them. Then you craft your pitch for the product in line with Consumer’s need gap. Testing Concepts with Statistically significant base of Consumers help you understand if the opportunity is mainstream or segmental

It's concept creation, not a blind date. Dive deep into the problem's Tinder profile—know it inside out. Stalk your users (legally, of course) like a detective on a juicy case. What keeps them awake at night? What makes them swipe right on a solution? It's not just a problem; it's an opportunity disco. Brush up on market gossip, outshine competitors, and ride the trend wave like a surf pro. This isn't just brainstorming; it's strategic flirting with opportunity. Armed with this intel, your concepts won't just make an entrance; they'll own the room. Let the innovation soirée begin!

Explore customer feedback to pinpoint recurring problems and uncover their root causes. Go beyond explicit needs, using tools like surveys to understand unspoken desires. Craft a clear problem statement that captures both visible and hidden challenges. Stay in constant dialogue with customers and collaborate across teams to proactively address evolving needs. Deliver solutions that not only solve stated problems but also anticipate and fulfill unexpressed customer needs, surpassing expectations.

Dive into idea generation like a pool party, not a courtroom drama. No judgment zone—let ideas cannonball without a censor lifeguard. Bust out the brainstorming beach balls, mind map surfboards, and prototype floaties. It's not a courtroom; it's an ideas fiesta. Sketch, test, and let creativity splash around. Seek inspiration like a treasure hunt; X marks the unconventional spot. Forget boundaries; borrow from other idea galaxies. In this idea carnival, the goal isn't a prim ballroom waltz; it's a wild dance-off.

Following the definition of the problem and opportunity, the ideation phase is crucial for generating a myriad of solutions. Embrace diverse techniques such as brainstorming, mind mapping, sketching, prototyping, and testing to explore ideas without premature judgment. Encourage collaboration within the team, visualize concepts through sketches, and build prototypes for quick validation. Seek inspiration from other industries, use analogies, scenarios, and involve end-users in the process. This creative exploration aims to uncover innovative solutions that address the identified challenges, setting the stage for the next steps in product development.

It is very helpful to question everything especially while still in concept and brainstorming stage. it is very helpful to open up a what-if framing. Reframe "That does not work" into "What would happen, be the challenge or the result if it works, what needs to be changed, adjusted...". Generate options

Vale lembrar que quanto mais diverso for o perfil das pessoas envolvidas neste processo, maior a abrangência das ideias geradas, aqui as ideias se complementam.

Identified problem ? Now consider solutions . List down important challenges which need to be addressed like Time , Cost , Enhancement in existing product , Taste , Packaging etc Do a market survey . Visit stores , Work sites - be near users to understand efficacy of an idea

Managing an influx of ideas from various sources can be overwhelming. To address this, a systematic evaluation process is crucial. By carefully assessing and integrating diverse perspectives, we pinpoint the most promising concepts that align with market demands and support our customers in reaching their business goals. For example, leveraging focus groups fosters a dynamic, iterative approach, where ongoing evaluations guide the product's evolution, enhancing its scalability and adaptability in response to real-world user perspectives.

Concept testing with the target at least qualitatively will give confidence that the product concept at the price you want to charge has an opportunity to succeed and make a profit. Ideally, a quantitative study with predictive volumetrics at each stage of the new product process in order to move to the next phase. Of course, that is if you have the deep pockets and funding to do so. Prior to launch, it is key to have your target customer use the product through in-use testing either qualitatively or, gold standard, quantitatively to make sure the final product developed fulfilled against the concept originally envisioned to solve the pain point/unmet need of target customer and the price they will pay will provide sufficient profits.

Idea evaluation: it's like a talent show for your thoughts. Judge them like a ruthless Simon Cowell – user needs, value, feasibility, viability, and desirability as your scoring cards. Use matrices, voting, and feedback – it's the idea Olympics. Stakeholders and users are your cheering audience. Filter out the off-key ideas, refine the golden ones. It's not just brainstorming; it's an idea showdown.

Like a curator selecting the finest pieces for an exhibition, evaluating and converging ideas involves a discerning eye. It's about sifting through the myriad of possibilities, weighing their merits, and carefully selecting the ones that align best with the defined problem and opportunity.

It is essential to conduct a thorough market analysis, assessing current trends and competitors. Additionally, a comprehensive risk assessment, SWOT analysis, and cost-benefit analysis should be performed to gauge the feasibility and potential impact of each idea.

Effectively pitching selected ideas is a vital phase in product development, requiring persuasion and inspiration for stakeholders like your team, clients, partners, or investors. Craft a clear narrative using storytelling, visuals, and data. Utilize prototypes and tailored presentations to enhance understanding and engagement. Highlight unique value propositions, appeal to emotions, and practice for a polished delivery. Actively engage stakeholders for collaborative discussions, fostering support and propelling your ideas towards successful implementation.

A human mind understands stories naturally. But in today's world, the attention span is really less. Hence, it's important to pitch in short story format :)

Picture yourself as a storyteller captivating an audience. Effectively communicating and pitching ideas involves not just conveying information but creating a narrative that resonates. It's about making others see the value and potential in your ideas, bringing them on board with your vision.

Host workshops with people from different departments to get various viewpoints and work together to solve problems. Seek support from influencers to add credibility, and use visual storytelling with impactful infographics to make complex information easy to understand. This way, you make sure your ideas are inclusive, credible, and easily digestible for everyone.

If your team cannot understand your ideas in plain and simple language then you have a problem. Communication is key! The reason why why demos and internal presentations to get you inner team’s buy in and understanding is very crucial. Before investors or clients accept your product/ service your team should have been fully convinced beyond doubt and be able to storytell with visuals and data even in your absence. This will boost confidence in other stakeholders who may also be able to communicate to partners with confidence the product/ service value

The value of having potential users evaluate concepts rather than concrete, finished ideas is that the concepts can evolve with users' comments. The downside of this is your concept improvements from users' comments may not be very strong or robust if your users cannot articulate what they would want/not want. It will be important to find the right potential users and not just a convenience sample. We used to say "garbage in, garbage out".

There are informal and formal ways of testing and validating product concepts, there are tools like upside which allow you to upload hundreds of concept ideas and ask potential users to swipe left or right like in tinder. Or the startup way is by creating dummy FB ads ( one ad is one product concept)and see which ad gets maximum engagement

Una de las formas más ágiles en el sector de venta al detalle, es sacar productos de temporada o In&Out de forma en que se puede indagar el impacto en los consumidores que a caudado y hasta se puede convertir en un producto fijo de las empresas si la respuesta fue buena, en otros sectores a estas pruebas se les conoce como pilotos aplicados.

O MVP deve e deverá ser refeito várias vezes até o produto final , utilizando técnicas de UX , materiais , usabilidades dentre outros fatores. Desde a concep??o do produto até o descarte e a reciclagem.

Think of this stage as a scientific experiment. Testing and validating ideas require a methodical approach, where hypotheses are formed, and experiments are conducted. It's about putting your ideas to the practical test, gathering feedback, and ensuring that they stand up to real-world challenges.

Iterate and improve ideas is when you try different versions of your products and make them better based on feedback and data. It can help you create products that can grow with your business and change with your customers' needs. You can iterate and improve ideas by using different methods, such as experiments, prototypes, tests, or reviews. Iterate and improve ideas has some benefits and challenges. Some benefits are: - You can learn from your mistakes and successes - You can find new ways to solve problems or meet needs - You can keep your products fresh and relevant Some challenges are: - You may need to change your plans or goals often - You may need to balance speed and quality - You may need to deal with uncertainty or complexity

Imagine sculpting a piece of clay. Iterating and improving ideas is a continuous process of refinement. It involves learning from experiences, adapting to feedback, and molding your ideas into more resilient and effective forms.

It's not just about creating a product; it's about creating a product that adapts and evolves with user needs. The power lies in the ability to iterate and improvise based on real-time feedback. In the agile framework, you can swiftly identify and fix issues, ensuring that the product remains dynamic and responsive. The goal is not just to meet user expectations but to exceed them by being flexible and continually improving based on user insights.

Concept engineering provides a framework for crafting scalable and adaptable products. Here's a guide to seamlessly integrate this methodology: 1. User-Centric Focus: 2. Creative Ideation: 3. Conceptual Prototyping: 4. Modular Design Philosophy: 5. Scalability Planning: 6. Adaptive Architecture: 7. Continuous Feedback Loop/ 8. Agile Development Methodology: 9. Collaborative Cross-Functional 10. Future-Proofing Strategies: 11. Scalability Testing: 12. Documentation and Knowledge Transfer: By integrating concept engineering into product development process, we establish a robust foundation for scalability and adaptability, allowing product to evolve seamlessly with the dynamic landscape of changing needs and market dynamics.

An example I was involved and challenged was a consumer noticed issue with a dishwashing paste product. After 3 or 4 weeks aging a white powdery material was present on the surface of the product. The issue was solved working with the supplier of the CaCO3 supplier to reduce the particle sizes and adding smaller amounts of Silicone to avoid the migration to the surface during the aging. After extensive consumer feedback and testing the issue was resolved and a new marketing campaign promoting of a new shiny product was a great success!

Consider this as a collaborative journey. Being powered by AI and the LinkedIn community means tapping into a vast network of minds and technologies. It's about harnessing collective intelligence, leveraging the capabilities of artificial intelligence, and collaboratively shaping ideas that are not just scalable and adaptable but also reflective of a diverse and dynamic landscape.

Here’s what else to consider: Consider fostering a culture of continuous learning and experimentation. Encourage cross-functional collaboration to bring diverse perspectives. Embrace feedback from users and iterate based on real-world usage. Prioritize simplicity to enhance scalability and adaptability. Stay vigilant about emerging technologies and industry trends. Cultivate an agile mindset to swiftly respond to changing requirements. Finally, celebrate successes and learn from setbacks to continually improve your concept development skills.