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In product design, there is often a tendency to jump quickly into finalising the design specification and starting on concept development. However, before this work starts, it's important to answer a number of questions, to provide a strong foundation to the design process and to ensure that the end product is something the market actually needs and wants.

D2M can support you, through research and strategic thinking, to ensure that there is a real market opportunity, to assess the commercial viability and to guide the features of the design, so that the product functions in a way that meets the end users expectations.

This process is tailored to the requirements of you, your company and the product that you're hoping to develop. It involves, design-led, contextual research and analysis of the market. We observe real people in real situations, study how they interact with products and identify where genuine unmet needs exist. What people say they want, and what they actually need, are rarely the same thing. Contextual research closes this gap.

The output is not just a report, but rather a set of clear design insights that inform direction, whether that means developing a new product, refining an existing one or deciding what not to pursue.

Strategy works alongside research, but it can also stand on its own. For clients who already have research in hand, or who need direction on a specific challenge, D2M can engage at the strategy stage, assessing your commercial context, your market position and your goals. This process will help to define the right product solution and the ecosystem around it. Not just what to develop, but how it fits within your wider business and existing offering.

Where relevant, this work extends into how the product will be experienced beyond its function: how it is discovered, purchased, used and supported. This strategic thinking shapes better product decisions from the outset.

D2M bring experienced designers to this work, not researchers who hand off to a separate team, so the people gathering the insights are the same people who will apply it in future design stages. This connection is what makes the research so productive and useful.

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• Discovery Meeting
• Innovation Workshop
• Feasibility Assessment
• Commercial Viability Assessment
• Strategy Workshop
• Market Research

Taking a product idea from first inception through to a final design that can be manufactured, sold and used in the real world is a process that requires structure, experience and close collaboration.

The starting point is different for every client. Some arrive having already worked through a period of research, with a clear brief and a defined direction. Others come with little more than a concept and a sense of the market they want to enter, whilst some come to us having already developed initial prototypes. Sometimes the first gen design is already on the market, and our clients are looking to refine the design and launch gen 2. D2M can work with you, at whatever stage you're at, to move towards a finalised, production-ready design.

Early in the project, D2M explore multiple concept directions for you to compare and consider. The concepts demonstrate different approaches to solving the problem, considering form, function, usability and manufacturability. Aesthetics are rarely explored in isolation, because function and viability are so crucial (alongside aesthetics) to the success of a product.

Concept development is a collaborative process, where the designer at D2M presents concepts clearly, explaining the reasoning behind each, and guiding you through the decisions that follow. For clients who are new to product development, this stage can feel unfamiliar, so we take time to explain all the options and decisions as they are made, to ensure you understand and agree with the chosen direction at every step.

Once a direction is selected, the design moves into development, which is where the detail is resolved. The product is refined progressively, with each stage building on the last, until it reaches the standard required for manufacture. The output is not a presentation visual or a render, but a fully resolved design: technical specifications and CAD files built to industrial standards, which a manufacturer can work from without ambiguity.

Throughout the project, D2M keep the process clear and the client informed. Progress is reviewed at each stage and investment is controlled by moving forward only when each stage is fully resolved. In this way, we manage your financial risk and the project retains the flexibility to adapt as it develops.

Production brings its own set of decisions, challenges and details to manage and so D2M can remain involved, supporting production, through to launch. Having the same team that developed the product, supporting its journey into manufacture and onto the market provides continuity that matters. Problems are identified earlier, resolved more efficiently and the product that reaches the market reflects the work that went into developing it.

The outcome D2M works towards on every project is consistent: a product that is commercially viable to manufacture, is designed to perform reliably in use and is positioned to sell at a price that works for the business.

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• Product Concept Development
• Design for Visualisation
• Design for Prototyping
• Design Engineering
• Reverse Engineering
• Mark I Prototyping
• Electronics Support & Integration

Many clients come to D2M with a product that is already partially developed, with CAD models and prototypes already completed. However, often, the design requires review, further detailed CAD work and refinements in order to develop the design further and produce more prototypes. Sometimes, the design lacks the detail required, or it's structured in a way that makes prototyping or manufacturing (later down the line) unnecessarily expensive.

D2M will start by reviewing what already exists, identifying any issues and assessing where the design needs further refinement. This is targeted, considered work, rather than a redesign. The aim is to resolve the specific issues that stand between the current design and a prototype that will move the project closer to manufacture.

Design refinement may involve reworking geometry that is under-resolved, adding detail to areas that have not been fully considered, revisiting material or process decisions that are adding cost without adding value, or addressing structural issues that would compromise the prototype. The output is a design that is coherent, resolved and ready for the next step.

Prototyping follows once the design is refined. D2M builds prototypes using our own in-house 3D printer and workshop facilities, alongside a network of third-party suppliers (as required). Process and material choices are driven by what the prototype needs to demonstrate and what level of finish and function is appropriate at that point in the project. Not every prototype serves the same purpose, and the decisions around how to build one are as important as the build itself.

The outcome is a prototype that reflects the refined design accurately, built to a standard that allows the client to test, present or develop the product further with confidence.

This service is particularly relevant for clients whose development has reached a point where progress has stalled, a previous prototype attempt has fallen short, or the design has been taken as far as it can go without specialist input. Sometimes the client may simply have reached the limit of what they can assess on screen and require something physical to test and prove the principle with. A refined, well-built prototype provides the evidence needed to make the next decision clearly or demonstrate to investors in order to move the project forward with confidence.

D2M are straightforward about what refinement involves before work begins. If the issues within a design run deep enough to require a fuller development process, this will be identified and communicated clearly at the outset.

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• Design Review
• Concept Refinement
• Further Design for Prototyping
• Proof of Principle Prototyping
• Mark II Prototyping
• Prototype Modifications
• High-Fidelity Prototyping

For many clients, there comes a point in development where a working prototype exists and the design has been proven, but what is needed next is something that goes beyond proof of principle. A high-fidelity prototype is the most advanced form of prototype D2M produces, and it serves a different purpose from the earlier stages of prototyping. Where previous prototypes are built to test, refine and resolve, a high-fidelity prototype is built to represent.

At this stage, the design is largely settled. The focus shifts to producing something that reflects the finished product as closely as possible, in appearance, finish and function. These prototypes are built to a standard that can withstand scrutiny, whether that means being handled by investors in a boardroom, presented to a grant body, or filmed and photographed for a crowdfunding or marketing campaign. In each case, the prototype is standing in for the final product, and it needs to do that convincingly.

The distinction matters because the decisions around how to build a high-fidelity prototype are different from those that govern earlier prototyping stages. Material choices, surface finishes, assembly methods and functional requirements are all considered in relation to how the prototype will be used and who will see it. A prototype destined for a private investment presentation has different requirements from one that will be used in a public-facing campaign, and D2M approach each accordingly.

D2M develop high-fidelity prototypes by drawing on both in-house capabilities and a wider network of specialist suppliers. The combination allows for the level of finish and functional complexity that this stage of development demands. Where electronics, moving parts or specific material finishes are involved, D2M coordinate the build across the relevant disciplines to ensure the result is coherent and complete.

The outcome is a prototype that a potential investor, grant assessor or future customer can see, hold and engage with, and come away with a clear and confident impression of what the product is and what it will become. For clients preparing to raise funding, launch a campaign or take the product to market for the first time, a high-fidelity prototype is often the piece that makes the difference.

Branding and packaging are crucial to successful product development. It's important that you have a clear brand that communicates the values of the product and company, and packaging that ties the product and brand together. Developing a strong brand and visual language for your product and ensuring that the packaging design is right for the sales channels you want to access, is an important step.

Where D2M have worked with you to develop the product, we have a strong understanding of the goals you have, that have shaped the development process. Our Branding & Packaging Design service grew directly out of the product design work we've done, as a natural extension of what has already been delivered.

The starting point varies from client to client. Some arrive with a complete, well-resolved brand identity already in place. In those cases, D2M work within what exists, applying it to the product and the packaging, without compromising what has already been built. Others arrive with nothing in place, or with early ideas that need proper development. D2M can build from the ground up in this case, developing the identity, visual language, tone and the logic that holds the brand, product and packaging together.

Having designed the product, we understand its form, its proportions, its finish and the market it is entering. This deep knowledge of the product and who it is for, informs branding decisions that an outside agency would have to work hard to fully understand.

Packaging is where the brand meets the consumer for the first time. That first point of contact shapes perception before the product is even opened. Packaging that is poorly resolved, visually weak or misaligned with the product undermines it regardless of its quality, while packaging that is considered and well-executed builds confidence and communicates clearly.

D2M can develop both the visual and structural elements of packaging. The visual side covers what the consumer sees: the identity, typography, colour and communication of what the product is and why it matters. The structural side covers how the packaging is built: the form, the materials, the efficiency of production and the practicality of use. Both need to work together. Packaging that looks right but is expensive to produce or difficult to handle is not a good solution.

Where you are working with another agency on brand development, D2M can provide them with the information they need to fully understand the product and ensure their work is well-founded.

For start-ups launching their first product, branding and packaging done well provides immediate credibility in the market. For SMEs refreshing an existing product, it is an opportunity to realign what the product communicates with where the business is now.

• Brand Development
• Logo Design
• Packaging Direction
• Packaging Design
• Structural Packaging Design
• Insert Design
• Print & Digital Media Design

Protecting a product idea is not always straightforward but can be a crucial part of the design journey. Whether it's a Patent or a registered design, these applications are built on a precise, detailed and well-documented understanding of the product itself, as well as legal expertise, in order to successfully protect the idea.

The work typically involves three things. Detailed technical drawings, produced to the standard required for patent documentation. Design research, to map the landscape of existing products and establish where prior art exists. Clear written definitions of what the product is, how it works and what distinguishes it from what already exists in the market. Where relevant, D2M also provide expert input on design decisions that may affect the scope or defensibility of a patent.

D2M take direction from the attorney on what the filing requires and provide what is needed to meet that standard. The relationship works best when D2M are brought in early, before the filing is drafted, so that the design and documentation can be developed alongside the legal work rather than added to it afterwards.

For entrepreneurs and start-ups approaching intellectual property for the first time, this service provides important reassurance that the product has been developed is documented by the same people who designed it and that feedback from the patent attorney can be fed directly into the design process. The end goal is a product that doesn't infringe on existing IP, with strong, defensible design protection.

For SMEs with existing IP, D2M can review and update documentation to reflect product revisions, new design directions or developments that have occurred since the original filing.

• Patent Drawings
• Patent Review
• IP Opinion
• Registered Design Drawings

Moving into manufacturing involves a new set of challenges, relationships and risks from those that come with design. For many entrepreneurs and SMEs, it is the stage where progress slows. Not because the product is not ready, but because the path from a resolved design to a manufactured product is unfamiliar territory. The decisions made at this stage have a direct impact on cost, quality and the reliability of supply.

D2M's Manufacturing & Production Support service exists to guide clients through that process. It is open to businesses of all sizes, whether approaching manufacture for the first time or looking to improve an existing supply chain.

The work begins where the client needs it most. For some, that is documentation, such as detailed, accurate manufacturing specifications, technical drawings and support material that help to prevent misunderstandings and costly mistakes.

For clients who need help finding the right manufacturer, D2M can source and assess options. The right manufacturing partner depends on the product, the volume, the target cost and the quality standard required. D2M draw on their supplier network and experience to identify manufacturers who are a genuine fit for the project, not simply those who are available.

Cost and efficiency are part of the conversation throughout and we often work towards target unit costs for our clients. D2M review the product against manufacturing requirements and identify where design or specification decisions are adding unnecessary cost. Small adjustments at this stage can make a meaningful difference to margin and upfront tooling costs. D2M's understanding and experience in design and production, means we're well placed to offer this kind of support.

Supply chain development extends beyond a single manufacturer. Most products involve multiple suppliers across components, materials, packaging and assembly. D2M support clients in identifying and connecting with the right vendors across the supply chain, building a network that is reliable, cost-effective and appropriate for the scale of the business. For complex products, we can connect you to manufacturing agents who are able to offer bespoke services to support and advise, often visiting suppliers and managing quality and production for you.

Communication with manufacturers and suppliers is often where things become complicated, particularly for clients working with overseas factories for the first time. D2M act as a knowledgeable point of contact, managing communication, reviewing samples, raising issues clearly and helping to ensure production runs to the agreed standard.

The level of involvement is shaped by what each client needs. Some engagements are focused on documentation and sourcing. Others involve full support from the first manufacturer approach through to production sign-off. D2M is clear about what each level of involvement covers and what it is designed to achieve.

• Manufacturing Specification
• Sourcing
• Design Refinement
• Production Quotation
• Production Support
• Sampling Support
• Sample Review