Tuesday 8 March 2016

How to Choose the Best Industrial Design Consultancy in London

The industrial design consultancy space in London has become quite crowded with a lot of firms offering product designing services. From smaller firms that focus on only ideating concepts to larger organisations that offer end-to-end services, the choices for a business seeking to engage a design consultancy has become quite large and confusing. It is essential that companies and individuals who are seeking design experts find the right firm for their needs. This process of identifying and selecting the correct design consultancy can be made simpler if a business keeps certain points in mind while looking for such an industrial design consultancy in London.

•    Portfolio of designs: Have a look at their portfolio and see if they have designed any products in your industry. Some of the better companies have such a vast experience that they should be able to handle your requirements without any problems – even if they have not specifically worked in your industry.

•    Amount of research: A professional industrial design consultancy would be well versed with the research and development required during the product design process. Talk to the firms to understand how much time they spend on research and what type of research they do.  The research should not only focus on the form factor but also consider other aspects such as end-consumer preferences and cost of production.

•    Timelines for different stages: The consultancy should be able to synchronise its targets with your business and market demands. Every aspect, from giving you the initial ideas to finishing the beta testing must be completed on the agreed schedule. Talking to some of their past customers always helps.

•    Patents held: The number of patents a firm holds is a very good indicator of their abilities. In fact, if one of the patent holders works on your product, you can be assured the result would be better than you imagined.

•    Range of services: The design process is a complex one and encompasses different stages such as initial discussions, market research, form factor ideation, CAD modelling, 3D modelling, alpha testing, beta testing, prototype analysis, redesigning, etc. Some consultancies may not offer all services and this may prove detrimental to getting the product to the market on time. Go with a firm that offers most, if not all, design services.

These are just some of the many things you can keep in mind while shortlisting design firms. Start with these pointers to refine your initial list and get to the final design consultancies you want to talk to more in depth before finally choosing one.

Source URL: http://hjcdesign.co.uk/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-industrial-design-consultancy-in-london/

No comments:

Post a Comment