The Three Most Important Steps In Product Development

By Franca Rothman


Almost everything you can think of has gone through a process of some kind. This includes both natural and man-made things alike. A process is necessary for everything from atom creation to the formation of galaxies.

Similarly, there is a process when it comes to product development, ranging from the birth of the idea to a finished, manufactured product on the shelf. Let's review the three main steps involved in product development.

First, you must come up with an idea for a product. Then you must think of a specific plan on how you will develop the product, envision its final state, and create a timeline and budget to convert the idea into a tangible product.

The second step in product development is documentation. You need to document your early designs and prototypes to protect your ability to patent it later. You must have blueprints so that it can be mass produced. You need to copy all documents in case someone else tries to claim the idea as their own own later on. Documentation helps in demonstrating that you invested the time and material into the design in case there are disputes about who built the first prototype.

The last thing to remember is that it is important to know about all the legal issues necessary to protect your product and idea. You will need to understand the intellectual property rights. This is when you will need to know about various patents and why it is important to have one and knowing the proper time to file one. Along with knowing about patents you will need to have knowledge about copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. It is also smart to understand everything you can about things such as non-compete and a non-disclosure agreements. After you have built a property protection strategy, you can then find information about raising your investment patent.




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