Why Simple Product Design is Best

At MAKO Design + Invent, we help a diverse range of clients and inventors with their invention ideas daily. One question we frequently encounter is whether there is a standard method or proven equation for developing a successful product.

Although there isn’t just one path to take when creating a product, our designers have enduringly upheld one core value when approaching the initial design process: simplicity.

This isn’t to say that we don’t tackle complex invention ideas. In fact, most of the projects we take on require complex design conceptualization, prototyping, and engineering processes. It is simply a school of thought that we believe works best in product design and development.

If you think that creating a product or invention with a simple product design is easy, you might be surprised to find out that it is more difficult than it seems.

Why is Simplicity Best?

In order to create a successful product, it is incredibly important to approach the initial design phase with a simple product design. We cannot stress this enough! It’s always inspiring to meet with clients that have expansive ideas and plans for their invention that entail incoporating detailed features and designs.

However, approaching the product design process by developing simple, attainable goals aligned with your timeline will not only benefit yourself but also the industrial designers and engineers you will work with.

It is critical – especially in the early design phases – to focus on fewer features at first and build your product up from there. Providing designers with an overwhelming amount of requests off the bat will make the design process longer and less efficient than it should be.

This typically happens because inventors are typically very excited about getting their ideas out there and their products ready for production as soon as possible. We want this for our clients as well, but design excellence should never be rushed!

What Does it Mean to Keep Your Product Design Simple?

Now that we’ve discussed why prioritizing simplicity for product design is best, we will delve into how we actually approach developing a simple design. The first thing we do is take a step back to look at your invention idea in its totality and meticulously evaluate it.

We consider a variety of things, including:

• What problem is your product solving?
• How does it offer this solution?
• What is its primary function?

As well as:

• Are there similar products on the market?
• Why are these products successful or not?

Once we answer these questions, we can identify the key functionalities that we will centre the creation of your simple product design on. The answer to the first three questions should be what you consider the most important to your overall design.

As such, when you approach a designer or engineer with your product design, make sure to emphasize that you want to focus on ensuring that the first prototype design can fully execute these functions.

Rather than focusing on the smaller details of your product, prioritize refining the calibre of the main function of your product design. This will make it easier to present your product to potential consumers and investors and bolster marketing efforts.

Once you have created a concrete product that solves a prevalent problem and has proven viability within a target market, you can release the first version to see how it resonates with audiences and compares to competitors.

When Can I Work on Refining and Adding Details to My Design?

Once you’ve created a simple product design with a focused primary function that draws the attention of your target consumers and secured funding from investors or corporations, you can go back to the drawing board to redesign or redevelop your product.

This is the step where extra details, product packaging, and additional functions can be considered and incorporated into the design. All of these aspects come together to create a newer, better version of your product that has all the features you envisioned it would have at the start of the product design process.

The important thing to remember when following a simple design process is that you’re keeping the design process of your product focused and efficient. You’re making it easier to accomplish your current product goals and future development goals regarding scaling or expanding into new verticals!

If you have a great new invention idea and you’d like to learn more about this process, get in touch with MAKO and visit our website to find out more. Or feel free to give us a call at 1-888-806-MAKO, and we can set you up on a call with our product strategists!

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!