Product ideation is the process of creating and recommending ideas to a team within a business setting. This process defines a series of concepts from beginning to application. Ideations can emerge from either past or current knowledge, opinions, external influences, principles, or convictions.
Ideation can be expressed through verbal, written, or graphical terms. Some entrepreneurs recruit a product design agency Poland for assistance with product ideation. Read on to understand the stages involved in this process.
1. Ideation and Brainstorming
The first stage of product development involves the generation of ideas. In this stage, both entrepreneurs and their teams should convene a meeting to discuss product ideas. Remember, your output can be a guideline for your final delivery process. It can also give you a list of ideas to analyze, research, or eliminate in the subsequent stage. You can get product ideas from various resources such as software marketplaces, SEO trends, crowdsourcing platforms, and web forums.
2. Research and Evaluation of Ideas
After collecting ideas from your team, you will need to take them through a targeted screening procedure. Here, you will incorporate both internal and external processes to obtain the most practical data. You will also assess how your target customers respond and obtain product validation.
Once you have completed this step, you will need to launch response channels. Advanced tools today have eased the process of identifying customer’s pain points, product features, price range, and benefits. For example, you can do so through online polls and surveys or launching social media Q&As.
3. Concept Development
At this point, you should only have a few practical and suitable new product ideas remaining. You will require a comprehensive plan before commencing a prototype.
Evaluate the rate of designing, producing, packing, and distributing your dominant product idea. You can do so by establishing internal systems or using third-party vendors.
Determine the capital and human resources you will require and the main features that must be there for a functional product. Start developing a potential market system and an exhaustive business strategy.
4. Evaluation and Prototyping
This step involves actualizing your product concept and transitioning to design and production. You will develop a real prototype of an almost accurate mockup. Some businesses perform a mini release during this phase.
You may also consider mobilizing a faction of your target customers to assess the almost completed product. This phase presents you with an opportunity to handle any technical concerns or include highly requested features.
5. Product Emphasis and Rollout
This phase, also known as commercialization, is where the product finally penetrates the marketplace or where you launch your MVP (minimum viable product). Many times the inaugural release will only comprise the main features allowing your product to advance and start producing sales figures.
Before launching your product your supporting processes should be ready. Your technical support and customer should also be prepared. Apart from defining your pricing, you should have circulated the right details to your distribution, and sales and marketing team.
Refer to your previous research and testing phases to establish how and when to advertise your products. Assess your marketing concepts with your target market and improve the product where necessary.
Finally
Product ideation allows entrepreneurs to think diversely, establish opportunities, and utilize their team’s creativity to develop better and more advanced products.