Question 1.

The money that products and services bring in allows a firm to run. Designing the
products and services requires careful consideration and strategic planning because
they are at the core of the operations of the organisation. Product design is the
process of transforming ideas into tangible, useful items by fusing manufacturing
expertise with product and commercial understanding (Tang, et al., 2021). Service
design is the coordination and combination of people, communication, and material
components to create quality service (Meredith & Shafer, 2023). The following is a
discussion of the factors that need to be taken into consideration when designing
goods and services and also the approaches that need to be embraced in order to
consistently develop new products and services.

Understanding the customer

When designing products and services, it is crucial that Unilever comprehends the
consumer and their environment. The buyer participates in the creation process, and
the seller of the good or service and the buyer have frequent interactions. Customers
could provide advice on how to design items so that the company can charge less
for them than competitors, or on how to create a product with a specific set of
attributes. In reaction to competition movements, specific expenditures focused on
client relationships might also be made (Reid & Sanders, 2023).

When necessary, the client may provide constructive labour rather than being a
passive witness. The level of personalization is increased through customer
involvement. For instance, the level of student engagement in the programmes that
the college offers will determine the quality of the educational service that the
institution provides. The service provider determines the effect the beneficiary of the
benefit has on the service through consumer involvement (Kumar, 2023).

Economic changes
Understanding the difficulties associated with product and service design in a volatile
economy is crucial for success of businesses such as Unilever. Businesses must
adapt their tactics if they want to survive. For product and service developers, who
already have to straddle many uncharted seas in order to bring a new product to
market, this adds another degree of complexity. But knowledge is a powerful thing.
Opportunities usually arise from change for those who are astute enough to see
them. Hard times serve as a catalyst for innovation (Demir & Paksoy, 2023).

Technology
With the development of technology, product and service design has undergone a
significant transformation. In the past, product designers would develop a product
and then wait to see if it would be profitable. The availability of a wealth of
information nowadays allows designers of goods and services to create more
successful products. Additionally, technology has enabled designers to generate
more individualized goods more rapidly and effectively (Fan, et al., 2022).

Technology has a big impact on how goods and services are created. Many
businesses have decreased the lead time for product development and
communication between diverse groups working on their goods as a result of
computer-aided design technologies. By enabling designers to build and test
prototypes online before investing in pricey physical prototypes, technology aids in
product creation. This expedites design and enables more iterations and
improvements before a finished product is prepared for manufacturing. Technology
may also facilitate the visualisation of complicated designs and the exchange of
ideas between designers and engineers (Brandenburg, 2023).

Sociological changes
Companies such as Unilever have to also consider sociological changes when
designing products and services. Using design thinking and design processes to
provide answers to social concerns or challenges that have a social or local impact is
known as designing for social change. Products, services, programmes, and
interventions that solve social or environmental issues or enhance the quality of life
for people or communities might fall under this category (Tang, et al., 2021).

Designing for social change aims to enable individuals to make good changes in
their own lives and in the lives of their communities. Designers have the opportunity
to apply their creativity and expertise to improve the world through designing for
social change. Designers may assist communities in addressing pressing challenges
and enhancing the quality of life for people and social participants by using design to
provide solutions to social concerns. Additionally, its design can inspire
sustainability, long-term contemplation of global societal issues, and citizen
involvement in civic good works (Reid & Sanders, 2023).

Environmental impacts
Sustainability is the preservation of the environment for present and future
generations, the efficient use of energy and other resources, and the creation of
more liveable environments. Companies have recently been forced to reconsider
how they approach the creation of products and services, the use of materials, and
manufacturing processes by adopting a strategy that takes economic, social, and
environmental concerns into account as well as the use of cleaner design
technologies. Governments and big businesses are not the only ones that need to
address these concerns; all businesses must work to create a more sustainable
future (Meredith & Shafer, 2023).

Approaches that need to be embraced to consistently develop new products

and services

Innovation strategy
Despite significant managerial time and financial commitments, innovation is still a
difficult goal for many businesses to achieve. Successful innovators struggle to
maintain their performance, as seen by the failures of Polaroid, Nokia, Sun
Microsystems, Yahoo, Hewlett-Packard, and numerous other innovative endeavours
(Kumar, 2023).

Unilever’s innovation plan must keep up with evolving technologies, market trends,
and business imperatives. To use them in the development of new products and
services, the firm needs be educated about emerging technology, disruptive
business models, and market changes (Demir & Paksoy, 2023).

Agile development
Agile is a flexible, iterative development methodology that encourages collaborative
work, flexible planning, and continual improvement. It entails segmenting projects
into smaller tasks, working in brief cycles (sprints), and routinely analysing and
modifying the course depending on feedback and altering needs (Fan, et al., 2022).

Processes are enhanced under the agile development methodology each time an
interval is repeated. One of the fundamental tenets of agile development is the
continual emphasis on quality assurance and improvement, which promotes the
production of superior products. Agile teams are also adaptable and sensitive to
change, even at the last minute, and can do so with little to no disturbance. Since
project deliverables are flexible, teams may simply review their strategies and realign
their priorities to meet revised objectives. Teams that are flexible can produce
consistently and successfully handle clients' shifting expectations (Brandenburg,
2023).

Cross-functional collaboration
Running a project that involves several teams and functions within an organization is
known as cross-functional collaboration. It relies on knowledge from several divisions
and directs the team's members toward a single objective. Bringing together people
from many departments and disciplines (such as design, engineering, marketing,
and customer service) fosters teamwork and promotes a diversity of viewpoints.
Cross-functional teams may use their diverse specialties to promote innovation and
guarantee a comprehensive approach to product development (Tang, et al., 2021).

Market research and customer insights

Market research is the gathering of information about a company's intended market,
which may include broad patterns like population growth, demographic information,
and economic developments. Customer insights are details that a business may get
from people who interact with the brand. These customers might be at any point in
their interaction with the business (Meredith & Shafer, 2023).

For the purpose of creating goods and services that appeal to target clients, market
research, customer insights, and trend analysis are crucial. The designing
organisation should keep an eye out for opportunities and pain points among
customers to keep one step ahead of rivals (Reid & Sanders, 2023).

Teams of experts from various organisational departments generally get together to

discuss issues that impact the development of products and services. It is generally
accepted that diverse teams are more innovative and productive than standardized
ones. By using these strategies, businesses may encourage an innovative culture,
enhance their development procedures, and regularly produce new goods and
services that satisfy client demands.