New Product Development

The UB Approach
• The New Product Development process has evolved over the years from linear to
cyclic and generic to specialised approaches, often context specific.

• Cyclic processes have proven to be effective in product design settings as they allow
iterative improvements of ideas, concepts and prototypes.

• They have also become user centred and co-creative, facilitating investigation of user
needs and involvement of users in specific contexts where problems have been
identified.

• This ensures solutions are context fit and appropriate for user needs as solutions are
developed with them.

• The UB Approach harmonises NPDP in the context of Botswana to accommodate a

popular cultural of practice of consultations every time a new intervention is
proposed to communities and the country at large.

• This aspect is addressed by conducting user research using design approaches.

• A scan of the market, competing products, interesting products, popular products

and technologies provides for understanding the context.
The UB Approach
Inquire
Define
Design
Validate
Deliver
 • Gather and analyze the
information.

inquire Understanding the context

• socio-economic needs
User research – empathic
• Talk with the people
familiar with the
problem—look past the
The product and technology obvious; question the
Existing products basic premise.
Market research • View the problem first
• top competitors hand, if possible.
• market share • Re-confirm the findings.
• interesting products • Find out where the
• environmental impacts problem came from.
• the business case • Are the reasoning and
assumptions valid?

Possible tools and methods: Literature reviews, user emersion, interviews,

observations, a day in the life of…, newspapers, newsletters, magazines, market
reports, business model canvas etc

Milestone: Needs of the target market

Ill-defined problem
 From where does this action
spring

define • Problem framing

•(what
reference?)
is the frame of

• Stakeholder analysis
• Story telling/sharing •What is the action for?
• Customer (Why?)
profiles/personas
• Sustainability •Whom does it benefit?
requirements •By what means can it be
• Design requirements
• The business case best carried out?
•(How?)
•In what conditions of time
Possible tools and methods:
Innovation matrix, affinity maps, stakeholder canvas, and place is it occurring?
business model canvas, Persona template etc •Who is the independent
Milestone: Design problem agent to carry it out?
Market opportunity
Design Brief
Product Design Specifications
 design
Generation of ideas
• sketching and • Constraints:
prototyping • Facts:
Development of • Assumptions:
concepts • Conceptual information:
• CAD and prototyping • Factual information:
Detail design • Methodological
• costing design information:
• technical/engineering
drawings

Possible tools and methods: brainstorming, bisociation, concept evaluation, design for X,
product costing models

Milestone: Alternative product concepts chosen

concept prototypes
engineering drawings
production plans

validate
Concept evaluation
User testing
Iterative prototyping
Testing and evaluation
• What is most
desirable?
• Selection of a solution
• Consider ecological,
social, political, and
cultural aspects of
life.
Possible tools and methods: sustainability evaluation, usability tests, performance
tests etc
Milestone: iterations of prototypes
pre-prototype
•
Does the solution satisfy the
basic objective of the project?
• Is the solution theoretically
feasible?
• Is the solution practical?
• Is the cost within the means?
• Is the proposed solution safe
to operate?
• Is it the optimum solution?
• Does it satisfy the
constraints?
• Does the solution satisfy all
the human, social, and
ecological factors involved?
• Is it aesthetically acceptable?
• Is it legal?
• Can the project be completed
in the time allotted?
deliver
Prototype production
Testing and evaluation
Proof of concept in context

Possible tools and methods: Fabrication processes and technologies,

Sustainable business viability analysis

Milestone: Pre-production Prototype

Testing and evaluation report
Business ecosystem map
Business model canvas
The UB Approach
Inquire
Define
Design
Validate
Deliver