Product and Service Design: Introduction, Sources of Ideas for New or Redesigned

Products and Services, Legal, Ethical, and Environmental Issues, Designing for
Manufacturing, and services.
INTRODUCTION
The strategic importance of product and service design
The essence of a business organization is the products and services it offers, and every aspect
of the organization and its supply chain are structured around those products and services.
"Organizations have a strategic interest in product and service design because organizations
that have well-designed products or services are more likely to realize their goals than those
with poorly designed products or services.
"Product or service design should be closely tied to an organization's strategy
Factors influence the strategy of design
• Major factors in design strategy
• Cost
• Quality
• Time-to-market
• Customer satisfaction
• Competitive advantage
What does product and service design do?
1. Translate customer wants and needs into product and service requirements.
(marketing. operations)
2. Refine existing products and services.(marketing)
3. Develop new products and services. (marketing. operations)
4. Formulate quality goals. (marketing. operations)
5. Formulate cost targets. (accounting. finance. operations)
6. Construct and test prototypes. (operations. marketing. engineering)
7. Document specifications.
8. Translate product and service specifications into process specifications. (engineering
specifications)
Reasons for Product and Service Design or Redesign
The main forces that initiate design or redesign are market opportunities and threats
The factors that give rise to market opportunities and threats can be one or more changes:
Economic
 • Expansion in the economy can increase consumer spending and demand for products.
Social and demographic
 Increasing population can lead to higher demand for goods and services.
Political, liability, or legal
• New regulations can create markets for compliance-related products and services.
Competitive
• Competitors leaving the market can reduce competition
Technological
• New technologies can create entirely new markets or revolutionize existing ones.

Some of the main sources of design ideas

Idea Generation
• Ideas for new or redesigned products or services can come from a variety of sources,
including customers, the supply chain, employees, and research
• Customers input came from survey, focus groups, complaints, and unsolicited
suggestions for improvement. Input from suppliers, distributors and employees can be
obtained from interviews, direct or indirect suggestions, and complaints.
Reverse Engineering
• It is the dismantling and inspecting of a competitor’s product to discover product
improvements. Sometimes reverse engineering can enable company to leapfrog the
competition by developing and even better product.
Research & Development (R&D)
• Organized efforts to increase scientific knowledge or product innovation & may
involve:
• Basic Research advances knowledge about a subject without near-term
expectations of commercial applications.
• Applied Research achieves commercial applications.
• Development converts results of applied research into commercial
applications.
LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
• Legal: Most organizations are subject to numerous government agencies that regulate
them such as Food and Drug Administration. The Occupational Health and Safety
Administration. the Environmental Protection Agency.
 • Product liability is the responsibility of a manufacturer for any injuries or damages
caused by a faulty product because of poor workmanship or design.
• Uniform Commercial Code: A product must be suitable for its intended purpose.
Ethical "Releasing products with defects " *Or "vaporware," when a company doesn't issue a
release of a software or hardware as scheduled as it struggles with production problems or
bugs in the software.
• Organizations generally want designers to adhere to guidelines such as the following:
i. Produce designs that are consistent with the goals of the organization
ii. Give customers the value they expect.
iii. Make health and safety a primary concern.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Sustainability

• Cradle-to-grave assessment" life cycle analysis" is the assessment of the
environmental impact of a product or service throughout its useful life, focusing on
such factors as global warming, smog formation and oxygen depletion. The goal of
cradle-to-grave assessment is to choose products and services that have the least
environmental impact while still taking into account economic considerations. Cradle-
to-grave assessment are part of the ISO 14000 environmental management standards.
• End-of-life programs (EOl) programs deal with products that have reached the end of
their useful lives.
• The purpose of these programs is to reduce the dumping of products, particularly
electronic equipment in landfills or third-world countries.
Example: IBM provides a good example of the potential of EOl programs. Over the last 15
years, it has collected about 2 billion pounds of product and product waste
The Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
• Reduce: Value Analysis refers to an examination of the function of parts and
materials in an effort to reduce the cost and/or improve the performance of a product.
• Reuse: Re-manufacturing refers to refurbishing used products by replacing worn-out
or defective components, and reselling the products. Designing products so that they
can be more easily taken apart has given rise to yet another design consideration:
Design for disassembly (DFD)
• Recycling means recovering materials for future use. Companies recycle for a variety
of reasons, including Cost savings, Environment concerns, Environmental regulations.
• Design for recycling (DFR) Design that facilitates the recovery of materials and
components in used products for reuse.
Designing for Manufacturing
Design for Manufacturing (DFM) is the process of designing parts, components or products for
ease of manufacturing with an end goal of making a better product at a lower cost. This is done
by simplifying, optimizing and refining the product design.
Principles of Designing for Manufacturing (DFM)
1. Simplification of Design
• Reduce Part Count: Minimizing the number of parts in a product to lower
manufacturing and assembly complexity.
• Minimize Complex Features: Avoiding intricate features that are difficult to
manufacture.
2. Standardization and Use of Common Parts
• Standard Components: Using common, off-the-shelf components to reduce costs and
improve supply chain efficiency.
• Modular Design: Creating modular components that can be used in multiple products.
3. Material Selection
• Cost-Effective Materials: Choosing materials that are cost-effective and easy to work
with.
• Material Availability: Ensuring materials are readily available to avoid supply chain
disruptions.
4. Design for Ease of Fabrication
• Manufacturing Processes: Designing components that are compatible with the
manufacturing processes available (e.g., injection molding, machining, 3D printing).
• Tolerances and Fit: Specifying tolerances that are achievable with standard
manufacturing equipment.
5. Assembly Considerations
• Ease of Assembly: Ensuring that parts are easy to align, join, and secure during
assembly.
• Minimize Fasteners: Reducing the number of fasteners and using snap-fit or other easy-
to-assemble joints.
• Accessibility: Designing parts so they are easily accessible during the assembly
process.
Steps in the DFM Process
1. Concept Development
Initial design concepts are evaluated for manufacturability.
Feasibility studies and prototyping may be conducted.
2. Detailed Design
 Detailed engineering drawings and specifications are created.
Design reviews are conducted to ensure manufacturability.
3. Design Analysis
Simulation and analysis tools are used to predict manufacturing issues.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) tools and checklists are applied.
4. Prototyping and Testing
Prototypes are built and tested to validate the design.
Iterative testing and refinement are performed.
5. Production Planning
Manufacturing processes are planned and optimized.
Tooling, fixtures, and production layouts are designed.
6. pilot Production
A pilot run is conducted to identify any final manufacturing issues.
Process improvements are made based on pilot run feedback.
7. Full-Scale Production
The product goes into full-scale production with continuous monitoring for quality and
efficiency.

Benefits of DFM

• Cost Savings: Reducing material, labor, and overhead costs.

• Shorter Time-to-Market: Streamlined manufacturing processes can speed up product
launches.
• Higher Quality: Fewer manufacturing defects and improved product reliability.
• Increased Efficiency: Optimized processes lead to faster production times and less
waste.

Phases in Product Development Process

1. Idea generation
2. Feasibility analysis
3. Product specifications
4. Process specifications
5. Prototype development
6. Design review
7. Market test
8. Product introduction
9. Follow-up evaluation
 Idea Generation:
 To generate a pool of ideas for potential new products.
 Brainstorming sessions, customer feedback, market research, analyzing competitors,
and leveraging employee suggestions.

 Feasibility Analysis:

 To assess the viability of the ideas generated.

 Technical feasibility studies, market analysis, financial projections, risk assessment.
 Product Specifications:

 To define the features, functionalities, and requirements of the product.

 Detailed product descriptions, functional requirements documentation, user
experience design.

 Process Specifications:

 To outline the manufacturing process and resources required.

 Process flowcharting, equipment and materials identification, production planning.

 Prototype Development:

 To create a working model of the product.

 Building prototypes, iterative testing and refinement, user testing.
 A functional prototype that closely resembles the final product.

 Design Review:

 To critically assess the prototype and make necessary design adjustments.

 Design evaluation meetings, stakeholder reviews, compliance checks.

 Market Test:

 To test the product in a real market environment.

 Pilot launches, gathering customer feedback, analyzing market response.

 Product Introduction:

 To launch the product into the market.

 Full-scale production, marketing campaigns, distribution planning, sales training.

 Follow-up Evaluation:

 To assess the product’s performance post-launch.

 Monitoring sales data, customer feedback collection, post-launch support, and
maintenance.

Service Design
• Service is an act
• Service delivery system
• Facilities
• Processes
• Skills
• Many services are bundled with products
Differences between Product and Service Design
Factor Product Design Service Design
Tangible vs. Intangible Tangible Intangible
Services created and delivered at Services created and delivered at
Creation and Delivery
the different time the same time
Timing

Inventory
Can be inventoried Cannot be inventoried
Management
Production less visible to Delivery process highly visible
Customer Visibility
customers to customers
Barrier to Entry High Low
Location Importance Less important Crucial

Phases in Service Design

1. Conceptualize-involves generating ideas and concepts for the service.
2. Identify service package components-This includes identifying core services,
supplementary services, and supporting elements.
3. Determine performance specifications-involve setting standards for how the service
should perform.
4. Translate performance specifications into design specifications-involves detailed
planning of the service delivery process, service environment, technology, and
resources needed.
5. Translate design specifications into delivery specifications-transformed into actionable
delivery specifications. This includes developing procedures, guidelines, and training
programs for staff to ensure consistent and effective service delivery.

Service Blueprinting
• Service Blueprinting is a method used to document and analyze the steps and
interactions involved in delivering a service. It helps to visualize the service process,
identify potential issues, and improve service efficiency and customer satisfaction.