The methodology behind the product design is generally known as Product Thinking, but what does it consist of? Is it a pre-established path or is it built and refined based on the design experience acquired in the field?

Design is not always a linear process in which the product is first conceived, then developed and finally put into production. Design and technology do not always go hand in hand and for this reason it is necessary to talk about Product Thinking.

Product Thinking refers to the process based on the balance between user and production: Design Thinking and Project Thinking.

Starting from these principles together with the experience acquired over years of cross-industry projects, we have created and tested our own design path: a transversal process, divided into six phases, conceived to address in a linear way a new project from the initial stages to final product.

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The Product Designer is the professional figure who deals with the product even before it is created: he/she produces the concept and the first images – from a pencil sketch or a CAD rendering – which will become the basis of the design process, in order to have a beautiful and functional product.

In addition to the aesthetic aspect, the Product Designer pays attention to details such as the user experience, intuitiveness and emotional appeal of the product. This professional figure represents all the strategic and tactical activities for the creation of the product and its marketing.

Once the product design has been created, this is where the Industrial Designer comes in. He/She will examine the data available and transform the idea into something reproducible for mass production.

The term Industrial Design was coined after the first industrial revolution, when factories were set up to create mass-produced products in large quantities. Before the First Industrial Revolution, products were designed by implementing manual techniques which resulted in lower productivity.

The Industrial Designer therefore studies every single necessary part of the product, from the screws that hold it together to the microchips necessary to make it work, from the draft angles for the mold outlet, to the thicknesses of the materials. His/Her task is to prepare the work done by the Product Designer for mass production.

The Product Designer and the Industrial Designer are often professional figures who operate independently. Manufacturers find themselves having to refer to two distinct professional figures, who do not interact during the entire design process and this can create difficulties during the different phases of the process, risking the non-reproducibility of the initial idea.

Here in ZAAFDesign from the very beginning we have believed in a multifunctional team that combines the different professional skills. In fact, in our team, Product Designers and Industrial Designers interact during the entire design process, placing the feasibility of the product at the center of the project. Combining different professional and transversal skills in a team allows a continuous discussion during the design, enriching the project in every phase. It allows us to arrive – in the production phase – with a project that is coherent with the initial idea, without risking that there are no grounds for its reproducibility.

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Proof of concept, prototype, pilot or MVP (Minimum Viable Product): these are all terms often used interchangeably. However, they have different meanings and functions that should be kept in mind during a design strategy.

The Proof of Concept (PoC) has as main purpose to validate the concept of a product: is it actually practicable on the market? The output of a PoC is basically a “yes” or a “no”. And it is for this reason that many entrepreneurs are afraid to go into it: they are worried that the idea of ​​their product may die too soon.
In the Proof of Concept (POC) a design draft is created to test the project idea, in order to demonstrate its feasibility. The PoC is supported by various tools such as the prototype, the pilot or the MVP (Minimum Viable Product).

Only when the product concept proves to be feasible, the prototype can be designed. It is at this stage of the design process that the product takes on a more concrete form: thanks to the creation of a simplified version of the product, its use can be tested on the users to whom it is addressed.

With the MVP or Pilot we still take a few steps forward.
When an MVP is defined, a simpler version of the product is created, but it is essential that it brings with it the value that this product brings to users’ lives, in order to be able to test it on the market. A MVP must be visually attractive, useful, usable and functional so that it can attract the first users, test the market and measure the results obtained to – only later – develop the product for the production phase.

For more than 20 years of experience, we have been following our customers in every phase of the project. We take care of the product from the concept to its validation on the market, creating the first prototypes, MVPs and analyzing the results to ensure that they are consistent with the objectives of the customer. If you want to rely on a strategic partner for the realization of your product, contact us for more information regarding our working method

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Clarifying the term, by User Experience (UX) today we mean the complex of sensations that a person experiences when using a site, a system, a product or a service. It is a concept that goes beyond product’s aesthetics and usability and it takes into consideration more subjective aspects such as emotions, experience, meaning and value that are attributed to the lived experience.

This is the definition of UX that has developed along with digitization. To understand today’s User Experience, we need to take a step back and analyse the origins of the term and its application to product design.

An example that is part of the history of Industrial Design – and which I like to mention often as a User Experience case study – is the Model 300 telephone, designed by Henry Dreyfuss for the Bell Telephone Company in 1937.

Dreyss was based on the belief that the most efficient machines were those on a human scale. He then spent many years collecting data on the human body, its proportions and talents, and in 1961 he summarized them in his book The Measure of Man. A book with which he states the importance of ergonomics as a design tool.

In his post-World War II work for the Bell Company on telephone sets, Dreyfuss will use cognitive ergonomics experts to improve the speed of the user typing numbers on the disk keyboard.

User experience design is more than a century old and has its roots in the science of ergonomics.

The definition of UX has broadened with the beginning of mobile tech era and of the internet of things, particularly with the launch of the iPhone in 2007, which drastically changed the landscape of mobile devices.

From that moment to the discipline of design – centred on ergonomic usability and aesthetic aspect – has been added the need to design the digital experience, which does not only concern physical objects but also services, websites or mobile applications.

How can the designer of the old world deal with these new user needs, that is the design of the emotional aspect of the product?
Designing the new User Experience in an ever-digitalized world is a very stimulating job, but our approach remains human-centred: what we design and develop must be useful mainly for those who use it, to make them live better experiences through technology that is the mean.

The use of technologies requires expertise to avoid creating solutions that are conceptually interesting but difficult to implement or not functional for the user.

For this reason it is necessary to adopt a multidisciplinary design approach.

To create experiences are necessary design, technological, communication and operational skills. Every single brick of every single discipline, even in apparently very different fields, contributes to creating the right mix for a successful User Experience.

Originally published in Italian on 01magazine.it

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It was the year of innovation especially from start-ups: taking part in the innovation process in our country was a great honor for us.

We have assisted to great changes – mainly due to the protraction of Covid-19 – such as the return of local production, no longer mainly located in Asia, where we have spent a lot of time over the years to follow the projects of our customers. This big change, less globalized, may seem a protective closure by some countries, but we see it as a larger and more localized opening, supported in part by incentives and funds dedicated to innovation.

The theme of circularity has been at the center of many design choices and we are proud to collaborate again in the new year with companies that have chosen us as a partner in this new path.

What will the world of industrial design hold for us in 2022?

There are still many themes from the past year that are still relevant in the new year. We have identified 4 product design trends to follow in 2022 for companies and designers. Four themes to incorporate into your design approach, with competence and constant updating.

1. Sustainability

   We have already seen it in 2021, we will see it more and more in 2022. As designers we have to develop solutions with a low environmental impact, looking for materials that are not only recyclable, but reusable and biodegradable. New materials, however, which must be known thoroughly, which are also economically sustainable, expanding the network of suppliers and collaborators.

2. Reduction

   The products we design must be performing and satisfy the requirements of consumers but where possible with a minimum and indispensable number of elements. This approach allows a reduced use of material and lower consumption of energy and resources. Less is more.

3. Durability

   Designing in 2022 means conducting more and more accurate studies, as far as possible, of Life Cycle Assessment. It is at every stage of design – as well as feasibility – that we must guarantee the client and the consumer a long life of the product.

4. Disassemblying

   A crucial issue in the life cycle of a product: disassembly optimizes the product life cycle. It is necessary to make recycling economically viable in the current state of reprocessing technology, thus avoiding future high disposal costs.

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In the role of Design Director, Federico Rossi is in charge of following our team of Senior and Junior Designers starting from the concept generation, concept development, feasibility, modeling up to the engineering process.

The post Child Car Seats Design: a Conversation With Federico Rossi, Design Director of ZAAFDesign appeared first on ZAAFDesign.

Outsourcing Product Development (OPD) means being able to count on different skills and experiences, being supported by tools and techniques that integrate In-House Production.

Why Outsourcing Product Development is the best choice for a startup or an established business? Here our 7 good reasons.

1. Multi-disciplinary Expertise

Developing a product requires many different activities: research, analyses, concept, design, engineering, prototyping and so on. It’s hard to have all of these disciplines and skills readily available to pursue the new product. With an external and qualified team you can have a multi-disciplinary expertise for you product development.

2. A Great Team In Few Hours

Hiring talented people is a challenge for any company, but it’s also a long process. In a short time you will have a solid and experienced team with different skills working on your product. A team with which internal production can dialogue and confront: outsourcing product can become a moment of growth for the company and the people who work there.

3. A Team Fully Focused On Your Product

An outsourced team will be dedicated to working on your product with 100% commitment and attention to satisfy and ensure the best results for your business.

4. You Can Focus On Your Core Business

An external team that handle the most time-consuming aspects, such as product development, allows companies to strongly focus on their core business and to allocate resources to their primary business.

5. Faster Speed to Market

Already from the concept design – that is, when the product takes its first forms – it is essential to put a version of it on the market as quickly as possible. Outsourcing allows the company to act quickly but with the guarantee of having a qualified team with the right experience to develop and follow the entire product process. Quality, competence and speed: an external team is the best solution to bring your product to market in the shortest possible time.

6. Save Costs

Outsourcing product development can save and reduce costs by 20% – 30%. Recruiting, training and infrastructure development: these can be too expensive and time-consuming to do in-house for a start-up or business looking to experiment with new sectors or products. Quality, minimum costs and expertise: this is outsourcing.

7. IP Generation

Not only is your IP (Intellectual property) secure with solid agreements, but you actually get a boost in building new IPs with talented teams.

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In the role of Design Director, Federico Rossi is in charge of following our team of Senior and Junior Designers starting from the concept generation, concept development, feasibility, modeling up to the engineering process.

The post Industrial Design Talks: a Conversation With Federico Rossi, Design Director of ZAAFDesign appeared first on ZAAFDesign.

A project in which the main challenge was to create a compact, easy to carry product, made of less elements and meeting at the same time the highest safety standards.

Learn More About the Smart Infant Carrier

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