A checklist is a product developer’s best friend, and you’re about to find out why. Ready? Get set. Invent. If you read our last blog, you’re familiar with the first steps in the product development process as well as the “Build-Test-Learn” loop. But how do you know you have the crucial information needed to approach a contract designer and get ready for manufacturing?
Our comprehensive checklist highlights questions you may want to ask yourself, requirements you’ll want to meet before partnering with experts, and information an industrial designer, engineer, or product development team may need from you. Don’t feel overwhelmed if you don’t have all the answers. That’s what we’re here for, and we can help with every part of the process. Once you’ve gone over this list, we’ll outline how to find the right contract company to fit your needs – and that could be Flying Pig Designs! So, let’s dive in.
Scope
☐ As a customer I need help with ________________________________________
☐ My industry is _____________________________________________
☐ My product is _____________________________________________
☐ The services I need from a contract design company are ____________________
☐ Additional services I might like are _____________________________
☐ I have these key dates:
☐ Trade shows: ________________________________________
☐ Investor goals: _______________________________________
☐ Other key deliverables (files, CAD designs, prototypes, etc.): ____________________
The Scope section of this checklist gives you and your future contract design company an idea of your vision. Secondly, it outlines what tangibles you currently have and what needs should be focused on during the design and development process. Get out your napkin sketches, garage-made prototypes, questions, and concerns here. We can assist with anything you don’t have in place yet.
Key Tasks
☐ Do I have these documents or information available?
☐ User Requirements Document (List of specifications end-users, and potentially business members may want for the product)
☐ Engineering Specifications (Specifics about your product from an engineering standpoint – if you aren’t working with an engineer, don’t stress about this. We can help.)
☐ Market Research (Product cost, market segmentation)
☐ Human Factors (Ergonomics, ease of usability)
☐ Risk Analysis Documents (U/D/PFMEA, Hazards Analysis – again, an engineer would help perform these assessments, and we can facilitate this as well.)
☐ Clinical Needs (This is only needed for medical devices. If your product falls in that category, we can work together to define your needs.)
☐ Intellectual Property Needs (Do you have patents, trademarks, copyright, or trade secrets?)
☐ CAD (Do you currently have CAD models in place? Do you need us to create some?)
☐ Industrial design (This is like marketing design. Do you know what you want the look and feel of your product, branding, and logos to be?)
☐ Analyses (Has an engineer completed FEA, Plastic flow, electrical, mechanical, or other product analyses for you?)
☐ Have I done any concept work or brainstorming? Do I need to do more?
_______________________________________________________________
☐ What are my testing needs? (What industry standards testing do you need? (I.E. FCC, FAA, U/L, CE, etc. – it’s normal not to know.) ______________________________________
☐ Is special documentation needed? (Is there anything special about your product that we need to know about?) ____________________________________________________
The Key Tasks segment of the checklist digs a little deeper into what imperative documentation, information, and testing could be needed for your product. Most of this section requires the assistance of an engineer or an industrial design company, so there’s no need to worry if you’ve got some blank spaces. Product development is a team effort – we’re here for you.
Manufacturing Readiness
☐ Have I made parts? If so, do I have samples for review? ______________________
☐ Is prototyping needed? If yes, to what level? (Levels: Low fidelity/very basic, High fidelity/functions closely to real product, Verification/Production replication but not yet launched)
___________________________________________________________________________
☐ Do I have the following established and available for use?
☐ Work Instructions (Assembly instructions for manufacturing)
☐ Equipment Operating Manuals (Manuals or instructions for use of your product)
☐ Drawings (Technical drawings including material data, dimensions, assembly, inspections, mechanical specifications, etc.)
☐ Bill of Materials (Parts list with associated costs)
☐ Component Specifications (Inspection requirements for product components, vendor locations, lead time, length of time for inspection, etc.)
☐Information on Fixtures (Do you currently have assembly, testing, and/or inspection fixtures for your product?)
☐ Issues list (Are there any known issues you’re having with your product?)
☐ Training needed? __________________________________________________
☐Fixturing needs? ___________________________________________________
The Manufacturing Readiness section measures how prepared you are to go to a manufacturer for product production. While this portion of the checklist may seem overwhelming, it’s important to understand that there are several specifications needed for a product to be built successfully. A good contract design company should be able to gather or create the necessary documents and instructions or walk you through the process.
Equipment Info
☐ What equipment, if any, am I providing? (In addition, do you have any parts for your designer to work with?) ____________________________________________________________________
☐ What do I need my contract designer to provide? (What equipment do you need from your design company?) ____________________________________________________________________
The Equipment Info section asks two short but important questions: what equipment are you providing and what support are you expecting? During product development, we like to make suggestions as to how we can help offer value for our clients, so if you’re unsure what you need from your designer, don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Flying Pig Designs (or the design company of your choice) will be happy to lead you in the right direction if any part of this checklist gets confusing.
Communication
☐ How often would I like my meeting frequency to be? How often would I like progress reports? (We suggest having meetings and reports at least once a week to stay updated on changes, questions, and new developments.)
_________________________________________________________________________
☐What is my preferred method of communication? (check all that apply)
☐ Phone
☐ Video
☐ In-person
The Communication section is the shortest part of the checklist, but its the most crucial element of the product development process. When working with a contract design company, you should consider yourself part of the team. The frequency, and mode of communication you and your designers choose will affect how productive your meetings are, and thus how easy your design team can make effective progress towards your goals.
Pricing & Schedule
☐ When is the latest date I’d like to have this project completed? ___________________________________________________
☐ When is the earliest date I would like to have this project completed? ___________________________________________________
☐ Have I developed a budget for this project?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
☐ How often my preferred frequency of invoicing? (We typically invoice at the end of the week for design)
________________________________________________________________________________________
☐ When would I like to start working together with the design team on my project?
______________________________________________________________________________________
The Pricing & Schedule section summarizes what you’ll need to keep in mind in terms of budget, schedule, and project timeline. It’s best to determine when you’d like to achieve specific objectives and creating a realistic budget will help keep all parties on the same page and get you to market in the shortest time.
Congratulations! Now, you’ve gone through our comprehensive checklist and established what you have prepared and what you still need to figure out. This list can seem daunting for new inventors and solo entrepreneurs, but the good news is it doesn’t have to be. Experts can help you flesh out all the details. However, not all experts are created equal.
Next Steps
From Industrial to Mechanical to Electrical, and everything in between, there are a variety of designers that each have their strengths, but with strengths comes weaknesses. Because of that, it’s important to be detailed in your search. Make sure you choose a company that focuses on your best interests, aligns with your goals and budget, and offers the services you need for your specific product. In next week’s blog, we’ll address some key aspects to pay attention to when recruiting a contract designer for product development. This way you’ll find a team that helps build your confidence and your path to market at the same time.
Have questions that can’t wait until next week? Message us on LinkedIn, contact us on our website, or email your inquiries to info@flyingpigdesignsllc.com. Can’t wait to hear from you!
info@flyingpigdesignsllc.com
720-470-9122
75 Waneka Parkway, Lafayette CO 80026
Katrice Stover is a passionate writer and the Community and Office Manager for Flying Pig Designs LLC. Combining her love for knowledge, growth, and a good read, it’s her mission to provide informative, engaging content for inventors, creatives, engineers, and industry professionals alike. In her spare time, you can find her dancing with her daughter, playing video games, and dying her hair vibrant colors.
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