Overview
We explore what a product design company does, how to choose an agency and how to get the best out of your chosen product design consultancy.
Entering the world of product design and commissioning an agency can be a daunting experience. This article seeks to help your journey in selecting the right product design consultancy to work for you to develop your new product idea.
Let’s start by clearing up the terminology. A business that sells it’s service in designing and developing new products can be known as any of the following: product design consultancy; product development consultancy; industrial design consultancy; engineering design consultancy. Consultancy can be interchanged with: agency, firm, company, consultants. It is quite confusing and there are subtle differences but overall they all mean roughly the same thing. It is a group of designers who specialise in the development of products.
It becomes more confusing when we also consider software and app development. These disciplines also describe their process as product development and the output as products even though they are not physical items. This article is about product design consultancies who develop physical products that can be touched.
What is Product Design Consultancy?
A product design consultancy is a business selling the services of at least one designer to develop products. These businesses vary between producing virtual products like apps to physical consumer products such as kettles and to complex industrial products like printing presses. Apparently 90% of physical product design consultancies are 5 people or less. The largest companies of this type in the UK are still generally no more than 100 employees and so overall these are small companies.
Read on to discover more about commissioning a product design consultancy to develop your product and to understand more about a design company’s processes for developing products.
Selecting a Product Design Consultancy involves initial investigation, seeking references and meeting the team. Find out more about this critical first step: Choosing a Design Consultancy
Hiring a Product Design Consultancy involves defining a very clear and detailed project brief, agreeing the scope of works for their services and agreeing the fee and payment terms. Normally this will be done via a proposal and a client contract. Find out more: Hiring a Product Design Consultancy
Managing a Product Design Consultancy well can yield improved results and therefore is worth considering. Find out more: Getting the Best from your Product Designer
Milk Monster
Milk Monster was a unique project that challenged D2M to design a product that was both functional and fun. The goal was to create a product that would help parents feed their babies without making a mess, all while keeping the little ones entertained. As an experienced baby equipment design and development firm, we knew we were up for the challenge.
Some of the projects we've worked on
Why It is Important to Choose the Right Product Design Consultancy
Choosing the right product design consultancy is critical to the success of your product and business. A skilled consultancy not only brings a wealth of expertise but also becomes a strategic partner that guides your product from concept to market success. Here’s why making the right choice is so important:
- Expert Guidance and Innovation: The right consultancy offers deep industry knowledge and creative solutions tailored to your specific needs. They understand market trends, user expectations, and innovative design approaches, helping your product stand out in a crowded marketplace. Their expertise in market research ensures your product aligns with market demands and maximises its potential impact.
- Efficiency and Cost Savings: An experienced consultancy streamlines the product development process, helping you avoid costly mistakes and delays. By identifying potential challenges early, they can recommend cost-effective solutions that minimise rework and reduce wasted resources. Their approach also considers manufacturing costs from the outset, ensuring that your product remains commercially viable without compromising on quality.
- User-Centric Focus: Reputable consultancies prioritise user needs and experiences, incorporating user feedback and usability testing throughout the design process. This user-centric approach ensures that your product resonates with your target audience, aligning with customer expectations and enhancing user satisfaction.
- Cross-Functional Expertise: Effective product design consultancies bring together specialists from various disciplines, including engineering, marketing, industrial design, and user experience (UX) design. This cross-functional collaboration ensures that all aspects of the product—ranging from aesthetics and functionality to market fit—are considered, resulting in a well-rounded and market-ready solution.
- Scalability and Manufacturing Support: Beyond design, the right consultancy understands the importance of making your product scalable for production. They guide you through the complexities of manufacturing preparation, material selection, and quality control, ensuring a seamless transition from prototype to mass production. Their expertise helps you manage costs, optimise production processes, and maintain consistent product quality.
- Mitigating Risks and Ensuring Compliance: Experienced consultancies are well-versed in industry regulations, safety standards, and compliance requirements. They help you navigate legal and technical challenges, minimising risks and ensuring that your product meets all necessary standards before reaching the market.
- Long-Term Strategic Value: The right product design partner goes beyond delivering a finished product. They work with you to align your product with broader business goals, offering insights that drive long-term growth, enhance brand reputation, and build customer loyalty. Their strategic guidance ensures that your product remains relevant, competitive, and well-positioned for future success.
In conclusion, choosing the right product design consultancy is about more than accessing design expertise—it’s about finding a partner who understands your vision, optimises every step of development, and delivers practical, innovative, and market-ready solutions. This partnership can reduce costs, enhance market fit, and provide a competitive edge, setting your business up for long-term success and impact.
How do you get the best from your product design consultancy?
To get the best from your product design consultancy, it’s essential to approach the partnership with clear communication, mutual understanding, and a collaborative mindset. Here are key strategies:
- Clearly Define Your Objectives: Before engaging with the consultancy, establish clear goals and expectations for your project. Outline what you hope to achieve, target timelines, budget constraints, and your vision for the product. This clarity helps the consultancy align its efforts with your business objectives.
- Communicate Effectively and Regularly: Maintain open lines of communication throughout the development process. Regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and updates ensure both parties stay aligned and any potential issues are addressed promptly.
- Be Open to Their Expertise: Trust the consultancy’s experience and recommendations. They bring valuable insights from working across various industries and with different challenges. Be willing to listen to their suggestions, even if it means reconsidering some of your initial ideas.
- Provide Timely Feedback: When presented with designs, prototypes, or other deliverables, offer constructive and timely feedback. Specific, actionable feedback allows the consultancy to make informed adjustments quickly, keeping the project on track.
- Collaborate and Be Flexible: Product development is an iterative process. Be prepared to pivot based on user testing, market feedback, or unforeseen challenges. Collaborate closely with the consultancy to explore solutions and ensure the product remains user-focused and market-ready.
- Focus on the Long-Term Relationship: Treat the consultancy as a strategic partner rather than a short-term service provider. Building a strong relationship based on mutual respect and shared goals can lead to better outcomes and pave the way for future successful collaborations.
By setting clear goals, maintaining open communication, and leveraging the expertise of the consultancy, you can maximise the value they bring and enhance the success of your product development journey.
How do Product Design Consultancies work?
All creative agencies roughly work in the same way. They take the initial brief outline a stage a work in a proposal, the client agrees to proceed and the agency produces the work for sign off. Some agencies are more flexible and work in an agile fashion but this takes considerable trust on the part of the client as the scope of work is less defined. The advantage of a defined scope is that it can be reviewed and signed off precisely so everyone knows where they stand.
Normally a larger agency will employ account managers and so the designer is not normally the client’s main point of contact. This is less likely in a smaller agency. Not directly communicating with the designer can be frustrating for some clients. In smaller agencies it is often the owner than wins the pitch and then the work gets handed to a designer. In this scenario you might want to ensure that you’ve met the actual person working on your project before commissioning.
Design Consultancy FAQs
What is a design consultancy?
A design consultancy is a specialist agency that helps businesses develop new products or services. It offers creative, technical and strategic input to solve design problems and bring ideas to life.
What does a design consultancy do?
Design consultancies guide you from concept to execution. They may handle research, design, prototyping and manufacturing support, all focused on creating successful, usable products.
How is a design consultancy different from a design agency?
A design consultancy typically offers broader, more strategic input than a design agency. It focuses on solving commercial challenges, not just creating visuals or branding.
When should I hire a design consultancy?
Hire a design consultancy when you have a product idea but need expert help to develop it into something functional, manufacturable and ready for market.
How do I choose the right design consultancy?
Look for experience, commercial awareness and a track record of successful launches. Ask about their process, in-house capabilities and real-world product outcomes.
Conclusion
Engaging the right product design consultancy is a strategic move that can greatly enhance the success of your product. From providing expert guidance and creative solutions to streamlining the development process and ensuring user-centric design, a skilled consultancy becomes an invaluable partner in your product’s journey. By leveraging their cross-functional expertise, market insights, and commitment to quality, you can create products that stand out, meet customer needs, and align with your business goals.
Maximising the value from a product design consultancy involves open communication, clear objectives, and a collaborative mindset. By building a strong, trust-based partnership, you gain access to a wealth of experience that can transform your ideas into market-ready products. Ultimately, the right consultancy empowers your business to reduce risks, optimise costs, and bring innovative, high-quality products to market—strengthening your competitive edge and driving long-term growth.
