According to one industrial design company, getting a new product to successfully launch requires a team of experts in a variety of disciplines including development, manufacturing, distribution, sales, management, and marketing. When there is a throughline of understanding and collaborative spirit, products have a better chance on the market. However, when there is miscommunication between team members, this can jeopardize the whole development process. Here is how industrial design companies in California promote communication and teamwork in order to facilitate the best product development experience for their clients:
Setting Expectations
Whenever there are multiple parties involved in product development, the level of expectations can become morphed and misguided. This is a natural result of the fact that different people have different perspectives. However, this can be detrimental to a project’s creation and distribution. Industrial design services like those offered by Designstein Studios thrive because there is a clear connection between each team’s job and a widespread understanding of what the product must accomplish. Marketing teams and engineering teams both need access to a product’s blueprint and consistent updates on its development. Without setting these expectations, team members may rely on their own assumptions to get the job done. In other words, the basic concept and foundation of every project must be clearly communicated to every team member in order to avoid mistakes down the line.
Understanding Product Direction
Once the initial conception of a project is clearly communicated, teams at an industrial design company must also be informed of the direction that product development will take. There may be an operational routine already established in the company but it is still a good idea to review the necessary steps of development and production to ensure that everyone is on the same page. This is especially important when projects require certain adjustments to the norm. Everyone’s responsibilities must be laid out, plain and simple, for the sake of transparency and insurance. In order to align everyone’s efforts toward the same output, the right amount of information must be articulated to the right staff. This will ultimately lead to better organization, realistic timelines, and cost-effective solutions.
Clear Communication
Last, but certainly not least, industrial design teams must foster clear, consistent communication in order to promote successful product launches. Communication is everything. Whether you’re an intern, a CEO, or somewhere in between, communication makes your job easier by making other people’s jobs easier. When there are constant changes in design or development processes, communication is even more valuable to the process. It is always best to have everyone informed and focused on the same goal rather than managing a more chaotic and confused team of talented individuals. Projects can become overwhelming when there is not enough communication. This can ultimately lead to hasty decisions, distractions, unnecessary stress, and mistakes. The best way to foster communication is to establish it from the very beginning of a project. Team members should know who their direct contacts are and who they can come to when their communication needs are not being met.
