Innovation Process
Canada’s leading business publication said it and one look at our rich product heritage confirms that Spark Innovations is Canada’s most prolific Product Design firm [Report on Business May 2010]. We would like to think of ourselves as being a one stop shop for getting a new product idea developed and into production. We tailor every solution to the individual client so if you require concept development only, full product design, turnkey production, licensing or marketing support, we can help.
The industrial designers at Spark follow the six steps outlined below during your idea’s DESIGN INNOVATION PROCESS.
Research
The knowledge and input that you, the client, bring to us is essential for the innovation process. Industrial designers use that depth and breadth of understanding as a foundation for the initial stages of product development. We may gather additional information through brainstorming, focus groups, market research, creative concepts, experimentation, and evaluation. All of this data provides our industrial designers with insight into the product and the needs of the consumer.
Concept Development
Fresh thinking and innovation are vital at every stage of the innovation process. Backed up by our research, preliminary design concepts are developed. We ensure that all industrial design concepts can be translated into feasible solutions. Concepts are created through brainstorming, sketches, and basic CAD modeling.
Ergonomics & Aesthetic Styling
During the ergonomics process, industrial designers study how most people interact with your design to ensure the products fit the user and the user does not have to adjust to the products, often improving safety, efficiency and comfort along the way.
The aesthetics are all about the way your design looks and are largely responsible for how a new product design captures the market. During this part of the innovation process, industrial designers optimize a product’s appearance through sketching, 3D modeling, prototyping and computer surface modeling, continually refining the product’s aesthetics to appeal to the target market without sacrificing its function.
Computer Aided and Mechanical Design
Industrial design and mechanical design teams are involved throughout the innovation process, design and product development to ensure your concepts are possible, in both their function and manufacture. Industrial designers use software such as Catia and Solid Works that allow us to further these tests by creating highly accurate models and assembly parts for a product. We can perform a vast range of tests on these virtual models, including stress analysis and material suitability tests, which, coupled with our experience, allow us to make informed decisions on how to push the product design forward.
Prototyping & Manufacturing
This step of the innovation process is an integral part of design development. Industrial designers create prototypes, sketch models and create mock-ups of product components allowing our team, you and target market consumers the opportunity to hold, touch and interact with a concept design. The industrial designers at Spark have the latest in-house technology to assist in this process, including our new Object 30 Poly Jet printer which has a 0.001” build accuracy. This system is capable of creating products that look and function like an end product.
Packaging and Graphics
During the design development process, our team of industrial and graphic designers will also make sure the packaging of your idea is the right size and the ideal materials. We will ensure the invention and idea that were once just figments of your imagination become real, tangible products!