Today, our CEO and Director of Engineering, Grey Parker, contributed his insights from years of experience in new product innovation, design, and development at IndustryStar’s event, “New Product Innovation, Strategies for Bringing Ideas to Market Faster”.
The event attracted industry leaders and innovation-minded professionals from around the region and was structured as an energetic, interactive deep-dive into the strategies, tools and tactics that entrepreneurial startups and corporate innovators are using to accelerate the conversion of big ideas into game-changing products. Grey was the featured speaker to discuss “Design and Engineering Approaches” in one of two talks that was followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with other industry experts from Xenith, MaxPro Fitness, Warmilu, Native Pet, and JOOB Activewear.
Grey’s presentation outlined the importance of creating new products with the joint perspectives of creative engineering and industrial design. This multi-disciplinary, right-brain and left-brain approach to product innovation solves for not just the functional specifications of a product, but also the emotional specifications. This means infusing the product with the attributes that create that ideal, emotive user experience for the humans that will use it. It means understanding your multi-users and getting a deep understanding of their behavior and their unspoken wants and latent desires. Neither profession can design in isolation. A user will initially buy your product because it’s useful, usable, ergonomic and beautiful – all elements that industrial design brings to the table. However, a user will keep and continue to enjoy the product and recommend it to others only if it also functions the way it’s supposed to, which is what engineering brings to the table. It takes both professions to innovate great products. Not only that, but both professions also adhere together to the commercial specifications. All three of these need to meet the mark for your product to succeed.
Click here to see Grey’s presentation slides, available to view for the next two weeks.
IndustryStar Solutions, in Ann Arbor, MI, is a consultancy for on-demand supply chain services and software technology. They partner with companies to bring innovative and disruptive products to market that will have a positive impact on the world.
Sundberg-Ferar at a Glance
Sundberg-Ferar, located in Metro – Detroit, is a product innovation studio specializing in innovation strategies, design research, industrial design, user interface, ergonomics, engineering, model making, and packaging. For decades we have spearheaded the cross-category design trend by specializing in multiple categories, namely consumer products, medical equipment, and vehicles of all types.
Sundberg-Ferar’s innovation process cross-references multiple user experiences with competitors’ vulnerabilities to reveal uncontested market spaces for our clients. We exist to help our customers uniquely differentiate their products and experiences increasing their profit margins, market share, and ultimately advancing strong brands.
This creative diversity is our defining strength – a gift that allows us, with each unique project, to improve people’s quality of life and daily experience through impactful “concept–to-completion” product design and development.
Website: www.sundbergferar.com
Contact: hello@sundbergferar.com
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