Physical Product Prototype end-to-end product feature add with a focus on user research
Feature-Benefit Selling
Monday.com
Is a cloud-based platform work management software. Monday was utilized as a UI template to showcase PPPM. This study was conducted for a feature-benefit selling concept
Physical product prototype management will be an added category and feature to Monday.com. PPPM will help the creative team manage and track physical prototypes under one system or platform before the prototype moves into pre-production and production. Pre-production and production are often done in the PLM system software by the production team. Currently, there isn’t a fast-track or agile way for a speed-to-market sample system.
Background
Let’s look at the Physical Prototype Product Development process…
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STEP 1: Design
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STEP 2: Spec
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STEP 3: Data Input
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STEP 4: Factory revises spec data
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STEP 5: Protos are made at the factory
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STEP 6: Protos are shipped out
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STEP 7: Protos arrive
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STEP 8: Protos marked arrived. tagged & put in designated areas
“I have no time to do my design work because I’m spending a lot of time doing data input for my spec details and sometimes I make a lot of mistakes because I just don’t have the time.”
The designers challenge
“A lot of spec information is missing or not detailed enough. I have to spend a lot of time with the factory managers and emailing the designers back and forth because of the missing information. Sometimes the factory managers get so frustrated that they push the prototype to the back of the line.”
The factory agents challenge
User problem: Creative design teams lack a system to manage physical prototypes before pre-production. Designers burn hours on manual data input and tracking, specs go out incomplete, and factory agents lose time chasing missing details, so prototypes get delayed or pushed back.
The root cause of delayed protos is due to poor execution, which results in pre-production issues.
What percentage of your work week do you do data input and tracking physical prototypes?
Four subject matter experts (designers) were interviewed
3/4 mentioned that 50% of their time per week are tracking protos or doing data input.
User frustrations (designer)
There needs to be better communication between all parties as it can make or break the process
Prototypes are often delayed or not executed correctly because the proto is too complex
Factory has no time or due to poor business relations
There are many variables in the proto process that could cause the process to go wrong
User motivations (designer)
Streamline communication across design, factory, and suppliers (chat, video, 3D, in-person)
Keep essential spec information complete and easy to find
Catch issues early and cut delays before pre-production
Track shipping and prototype status in one place
Material supplier delays & proto shipping delays
-Design/Developer
Tech packs & information has a lack of clarity
-Factory
Complicated designs
-Factory
Language barriers
-Design/Developer
Missed emails
-Design/Developer
Broken communication delays prototypes
Incomplete specs and no shared status between design and factory
We want to help the creative design teams by minimizing their input by streamlining the process all under one system so that design teams are not overwhelmed by the tedious tasks of tracking prototypes & entering data while making careless mistakes.
