Ideation is about developing insights into the product, user and use. We use creative brainstorming sessions to involve a mix of the people on the project team in generating ideas. This technique is valuable not only for ideas about how the product looks and works, but also to how it is made, sold, marketed and disposed of.
Initial ideas are developed into a more refined product plan for how your customer is going to experience and interact with your product. This begins with our focus on usability, making a product which communicates clearly with its user, is easy to understand and enjoyable to use. It involves the look, feel and sounds of the product, as well as the more obvious user interface and touch points. User experience carries well beyond the product itself, packaging, marketing, distribution, instructions, recycling and disposal.
The outcome of ideation & concepting is usually a series of potential product directions or options, called concepts. Presented in a visual format concepts help you communicate ideas for a future product with your team and your customers very early in the process. They provide understanding of the proposed design direction and help to prompt the team and customer to provide useful input and potentially ‘buy in’ to the future.