Every project, every product requires a specific design process to achieve the best possible result with the available budget. Therefore a custom made process will be proposed and fine-tuned together with the client at the beginning of a cooperation.
It´s recommended to start with a profound market analysis at the beginning of a new product development. Stan Maes Product Design offers tools to define the market efficiently. Ofte
The most important competitors are positioned in a matrix defining the appearance of the brand. Where does your brand is positioned at the moment and where do you want to be in the near/far future?
For products with a specific function and a specific price range it is interesting as well to position them in a matrix together with their competitors and product family members.
By analysing the most important competitive products in detail, existing solutions are avoided and transcending ideas are guaranteed.
To define a formal direction and to check if this direction fits to the target group and its environment, mood boards are created.
To integrate circular design in the product we will explore which R-strategy fits the best for your product: Refuse / Rethink / Reduce / Re-use / Repair / Refurbish / Remanufacture / Repurpose / Recycle / Recover.
As a certified circular economist, the aim is to create sustainable products by circular thinking.
With Europe’s Green Deal and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive in mind, every new product needs to consider this.
In this phase different production techniques, different ways to assemble the product, several materials are explored. Since these aspects defines the price of the product it is valuable to create a wide variety of ideas in this step of the process.
When the technical concept is defined it is possible to create a wide variety of formal designs. This can be done by hand drawings or digital sketches.
All visual parts are defined in 3D CAD (Solidworks). Production related features like draft or wall thickness are considered from the beginning. Based on these files, it is possible to create photorealistic images.
Pre-production drawings are made. The way of assembling the technical parts into the housing is considered.
To avoid interpretation mistakes, all visual aspects have to be defined by international accepted codes for colour and surface treatment. Product graphics play an important role in the overall appearance of the product. Logo size and positioning is prepared. Product name development and graphic design are part of it as well. Graphic design of non-digital user interfaces come from the same hand as the product.
With two 3D-printers in the house, it is possible to create tangible models very early in the design process without loss of time and completely confidential. To test ergonomics, evaluate proportions or test functionality, 3D models are the most valuable tool.
