Deciding to engage a prototype development company is a critical step in the product and prototype development process. Taking your product and packaging from concept to production takes careful thought and plenty of trial and error to discover the product’s best form, fit, function and manufacturability.
The purpose of prototyping is to explore and perfect the product while it is in a controlled environment so you can improve the product relatively quickly – and cheaply – before it reaches the hands of the consumer. Using an experienced, connected professional prototype designer will be some of the best money you spend on your product because of your savings in time, prototyping rounds, and reduction of problems in manufacturing.
So, how do you know you’re choosing one of the best prototype companies? Here are a few pointers:
1. Choose a prototype development company that has experience with your type of product and can give you end to end development support
There are numerous companies, many heavily advertised on TV, that claim to design your product, patent it, and sell it for you. Many of these groups take enormous amounts of cash but never deliver a functional product or IP that is reusable. Before you fall into the trap of spending your money on a dead end, take time to speak with a professional prototype designer or skilled design team, like Jupiter Design, that has the experience and connections you need to get your product from concept all the way to production. You will discover in this process that there are partners available who are willing to help guide you down a successful development path. You may even discover new ideas for how to accomplish your goals.
2. Have control, ownership, and transparency in the process
This needs little explanation, but every prototype development company operates differently. Some, like Jupiter Design, offer you unrestricted ownership over the IP created for you and provide full transparency into the prototype development process. Other firms can be hopelessly shrouded in secrecy, ambiguous IP ownership, and poor communication. Remember that the firm is working for you, so it is appropriate to expect good communication and clear accessibility to your files from the product and prototype development company.
3. Work with a company that can produce or source both the prototype and the manufactured product
One of the first questions you need to be clear about when you get into the product and prototype development process, is where you intend to take the process and what the end result is expected to achieve. This is important because if you intend to manufacture the product (as opposed to just developing IP to potentially sell), you will save yourself some time, money and duplicate effort if you work with a prototype development company that is also capable of sourcing the final production.
For instance, at Jupiter Design, we often produce an initial (or several) handmade prototype sample(s) to do preliminary testing and confirm design choices. However, after the initial prototype(s), we typically move directly into sourcing production samples with the potential final materials, design, and production facility. This saves a lot of time because the team is already familiar with the product and is able to quickly work with the factory to prepare for the next step.
Choose Jupiter Design: The Best Prototype Company Around
The most important thing to remember as you step into this exciting process is that your ultimate results will be better if you have an experienced, highly creative team at your disposal to help you brainstorm and accomplish your goals. There are countless ways to solve every problem, so it is critical you have intelligent, free-thinking individuals to help you arrive at productive solutions. As one of the best prototype companies, we at Jupiter Design have been through the full prototype development process many times, and we love to talk about it! So, please reach out to us if you have a project you are considering. We are always happy to brainstorm a plan with you!