Innovation is the key to success in product research and development (R&D). But how do you become an innovator in this competitive and dynamic field? You need to develop your skills, both technical and soft, to create solutions that meet customer needs and market demands. Here are some tips to help you grow as a product R&D professional.
One of the best ways to improve your skills is to learn from others who have done it before. You can find mentors, coaches, peers, or experts who can share their insights, feedback, and advice on product R&D. You can also join online communities, forums, podcasts, or webinars that focus on your industry or niche. By learning from others, you can gain new perspectives, avoid common mistakes, and discover best practices.
Learn for another product in market. Because, it can gives many ideas about what product should we make. In market, we can find our material handling in different usage of product, such as Resins for coating, painting, fiber plastic, adhesives, etc. For many variations of usage, we can add another ability or properties in the product development.
Another way to enhance your skills is to experiment and test your ideas and assumptions. You can use various methods, such as prototyping, user testing, A/B testing, or data analysis, to validate your product concepts and features. You can also use tools, such as Lean Canvas , Design Thinking , or Agile , to guide your product development process. By experimenting and testing, you can learn from your failures, iterate on your solutions, and deliver value faster.
Every testing and experiments, it must be a mistake. No worry about it. Because in every development, mistake must be found on lab. If we get mistake in mass production, it must be big mistake we should fix as soon as possible and it was increasing production wasting time. For every development in lab, we must know what product we want to make and compare with, the standard testing of products, the machine test, and the cost of product we make.
A third way to boost your skills is to seek feedback from your customers, stakeholders, and colleagues. You can use surveys, interviews, reviews, or analytics to collect feedback on your product performance, usability, and satisfaction. You can also ask for feedback on your own skills, such as your communication, collaboration, or leadership. By seeking feedback, you can identify your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
Feedback is absolutely crucial in product development. During my time at the Stanford Seed program, I had the chance to connect with fellow founders who doubled as potential clients. Their responses to our suite of services were incredibly insightful. What were they attracted to? What they glossed over? What draws their curiosity? How they understood what we do? etc., played a pivotal role in enhancing our product's value. In the entrepreneurial world, they often stress the importance of staying true to your initial problem-solving mission (the 'Why') while remaining flexible in your approach (the 'How'). I firmly believe that feedback provides the most accurate roadmap for bridging the gap between your 'Why?' and the right 'How?'.
A fourth way to advance your skills is to keep learning new things. You can enroll in online courses, workshops, or certifications that cover topics related to product R&D, such as market research, user experience, technology, or business. You can also read books, blogs, or newsletters that offer insights, trends, or case studies on product innovation. By keeping learning, you can stay updated, curious, and creative.
A fifth way to refine your skills is to network and collaborate with other product R&D professionals. You can attend events, conferences, or meetups that connect you with people who share your interests, challenges, or goals. You can also join projects, teams, or organizations that allow you to work with others on product R&D initiatives. By networking and collaborating, you can expand your network, exchange ideas, and build relationships.
A sixth way to improve your skills is to challenge yourself with new and complex problems. You can look for opportunities, both inside and outside your organization, that require you to apply your skills in different contexts, domains, or markets. You can also set goals, both short-term and long-term, that stretch your abilities and motivate you to grow. By challenging yourself, you can increase your confidence, competence, and impact.
Each field brings its own flavour to problem-solving: lawyer's way of tackling a problem is miles apart from a scientist's, which is again quite different from how a writer would approach it. Diving into the learning methods of these different disciplines, understanding what they define as success, how they plan for failure, and most importantly, the questions they ask and why—they all add tools to your problem-solving arsenal. By trying out different lenses to view a problem and experimenting with various research methods to meet your organization's goals, you get a broader perspective on what you're up against. This wider view not only helps shape later stages of development but also deepens your grasp of the core values of your field.