Product Development- PDF ebook

Businesses sell products. Those products need to be created and modified to make them attractive to customers – that is “fit for purpose”. They can be things that are conceived and made, or services that are imagined and delivered.

Product development generally begins with ideas that are then carefully considered before deciding to proceed. Once you know what is to be developed, the concept would go through a logical series of stages: research followed by product planning then prototyping, pre production and finally release.  Products then typically go through a series of stages in the market place. Following release successful products must navigate an introductory phase, before a growth period. Eventually a product reaches maturity, which may be a long or sometimes short period. Almost always, the product will eventually move into a decline phase. Sometimes declining products can be reinvigorated through renewed marketing or making changes over a process of product redevelopment.

This ebook helps the reader understand all of these processes in far more detail, providing a solid foundation for becoming a better product developer.

CHAPTER 1 NATURE AND SCOPE OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 
What Type of Product Is It?
Who is Your Customer? 
The Development Process 
Research and Development 
Product Planning 
Prototypes and Testing 
Pre-Production Phase 
Commercial Release 
Product Lifecycle 

CHAPTER 2 VIABILITY ASSESSMENT
Product Concept Analysis
Supply and Demand
Product Validation
Competitor Analysis
Product Differentiation

CHAPTER 3 DEFINING THE PRODUCT AND THE PRODUCTION PROCESS
Generating Ideas
Brainstorming
Product Planning
Production and Plant Equipment
Sourcing Raw Materials and Components
Staffing Requirements
Getting Others Involved in Product Planning
Product Planning for Lone Wolves
Product Roadmap
Outsourcing

CHAPTER 4 PRODUCT LEARNABILITY
Learnability Factors
Important Considerations
Learnability for the right audience
Children and Learnability
Evaluating Learnability
Testing Learnability

CHAPTER 5 COSTING 
Cost of Development
Cost of Packaging Design
Cost of Certifications
Cost of Manufacture
Marketing Costs
Product Delivery
Product Pricing
Pricing Strategies

CHAPTER 6 PRESENTATION AND PACKAGING
Packaging Design
Packaging Supply

CHAPTER 7 TESTING THE PRODUCT
Useability
Reliability
Process of Testing
Rapid Prototyping
Ongoing Market Research

CHAPTER 8 PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
Development and Introduction
Growth Phase
Maturity Phase
Decline Phase
Rebirth

CHAPTER 9 FUTURE PLANNING AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Success Metrics
Product evolution
Predictive product development
Considerations on Product Marketing
Online Marketing
Social Media
Search Engine Optimisation
Direct Marketing via Email
Advantages and Disadvantages of Being First to Market
Protecting Your Product
Further reading and study
More ebooks available
Courses available