Why Investing in Design is Good for Business:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Driving Growth through a Structured Design Process
We aim to seamlessly blend the digital and physical worlds, providing creative solutions that resonate with global audiences. By strategically using low-code platforms, we accelerate development timelines and democratize access to technology, enabling businesses to thrive in the digital era.
Design is our thing, so... What’s yours?
Founded in 2022, from MED to the World.
Investing in design isn’t an expense, it’s a smart business move.
Research
Why It’s Important: Research is the foundation of any successful design. Without it, you risk creating a product that doesn’t resonate with your target audience or misses key opportunities.
Thorough research allows you to understand how users interact with similar products, what they need, and where the competition is lacking.
What to Consider:
75% of companies that conduct frequent user research during the design phase are more likely to launch successful products, according to a User Testing report. By investing in research, companies can better align their products with customer needs, leading to improved market performance.
86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience, according to a Walker study. Research helps businesses understand what kind of experience users are looking for and how to design products that meet those expectations, ultimately driving more sales and customer loyalty.
50% faster development. According to McKinsey, companies that leverage data-driven design decisions (which rely heavily on research) achieve up to 50% faster product development cycles and reduce costs by up to 40%. This highlights how research can streamline the design process and avoid costly mistakes down the line.
100x return of investment. The Nielsen Norman Group found that every dollar spent on user research and experience improvement can return up to 100 dollars in ROI, thanks to more efficient designs, fewer product revisions, and better alignment with user needs.
Ideation
Why It’s Important: The ideation phase is where creativity and practicality intersect.
At this stage, it's crucial to generate a wide range of ideas before narrowing them down through a structured funnel process.
This ensures that the best solutions aren't overlooked, while refining concepts to meet both user needs and business goals.
How we do it at STUDIO1642?
Ideation 16
In this step, each designer generates at least 16 unique ideas or concepts. With multiple designers contributing, this process results in a high volume of ideas, ensuring that no potential solution is left unexplored. Once this broad range of ideas is explored, the team gathers to review and downselect to 4 original concepts that show the most promise. These refined concepts are then presented to the client for feedback and further development.
Ideation 4
the team focuses on refining the 4 selected concepts from the previous step. Each idea is developed in more detail, considering both feasibility and alignment with the project’s goals. This refinement process allows the team to dig deeper into the strengths of each concept, preparing them for presentation to the client. At the end of this phase, the client will provide feedback, helping to identify the two strongest concepts to move forward.
Ideation 2
The two final concepts are refined into detailed designs, whether for a physical product, digital interface, or other solution. Using methods like 3D modeling, wireframing, or prototyping, the designs are made tangible for client review. By the end of this phase, the client selects the best concept for final development.
What to Consider:
Exploring Multiple Ideas: The ideation process starts broad, with multiple concepts generated to tackle the same challenge. This is a stage where the design team works independently, without client intervention, to allow for the free flow of creativity.
By exploring ideas that may be outside of the client’s immediate vision, the team can consider unconventional solutions that might otherwise be overlooked. The goal here is not to settle on the first good idea but to explore all possibilities before narrowing down.
Narrowing Down: After the initial brainstorming, the design team evaluates the ideas based on feasibility, potential impact, and alignment with the project’s objectives. The team is responsible for selecting a limited set of concepts (at Studio1642, we think that 4 is the magic number) to be shared with the client.
This is the first point where the client is introduced to the possible designs. Following this, a second round of refinement and evaluation takes place, aiming to pick the final concept that will move forward into full development. This process ensures that only the strongest, most viable concepts are considered, helping to avoid wasting resources on ideas that won’t work in practice.
Refinement and Testing: The final concept is then further developed, refined, and often prototyped. Prototyping allows you to test the design's functionality and aesthetics, giving you real insights into how the product will perform before full-scale production.
Why it matters:
Innovation: Exploring a wide range of ideas increases the likelihood of finding a unique solution that stands out in the market.
Efficiency: Narrowing down concepts through structured evaluation ensures the design stays on track and aligned with the project’s goals, reducing the risk of costly revisions later.
Risk Reduction: Prototyping early in the process helps identify potential issues before they become expensive problems, saving time and resources down the line.
Development
Why It’s Important: Once the final concept has been selected, the design moves into the development phase, where ideas are transformed into production-ready solutions.
This phase is critical because it bridges the gap between concept and reality, ensuring that the design can be practically and efficiently manufactured or implemented.
During this stage, the designer closely collaborates with the engineering team to ensure the final design aligns with the technical specifications required for manufacturing, balancing aesthetics with functionality and feasibility.
What to Consider:
Turning Concepts into Detailed Designs: During development, the design team works on creating detailed specifications, blueprints, or wireframes to ensure the product can be built as envisioned.
For industrial design, this could mean developing CAD files and surface modeling; for digital products, this may involve building out user interfaces or functional prototypes.
Collaboration with Engineering: This phase often involves close collaboration between designers and engineers to ensure that the product is not only visually appealing but also functional and manufacturable.
Any potential production issues are identified and addressed during this stage, preventing costly errors later.
Prototyping and Testing: Testing is an essential part of this phase, as it allows for real-world validation of the design.
Prototypes or functional models are created to test the product’s performance, usability, and aesthetic qualities. This feedback loop ensures that the product is refined and perfected before going into full-scale production.
Now You’re Ready to Implement Product Development That Drives Business Growth.
By following a structured design process, you’ve set the foundation for translating great ideas into real, tangible results.
Prioritizing thoughtful design doesn’t just lead to better products it’s a strategic investment that can significantly boost the profitability of your project.
Whether you’re developing a new product or refining an existing one, a clear and well-organized process will help you avoid costly mistakes, reduce time to market, and ultimately deliver something that stands out in the marketplace.
I wish you great success with your projects, and remember, if you ever need further guidance or want to discuss your next big idea, I’m here to help!
