A structured approach to new product design, development and manufacture part I: Product development and design

A structured and systematic approach to product design has been presented in this three part paper. The approach constitutes a logical framework for designing consumer products by taking into consideration various X's such as functionality, cost, assembly, usability and disassembly. The primary and most important 'X' in product design is functionality. Since every product exists to perform a specific function, the design process essentially starts with this important attribute. This paper focuses on achieving efficient product design consistent with its intended function. It also addresses other related issues such as choosing the optimal design principle and market analysis in order to enable designers to conceive a prototype that betters its competitors.