This book details how a product is designed and developed , from identifying user need through market research to manufacturing and final performance. A complete case-study, the development of a postal box, illustrates the different steps and challenges.

The book provides an in-depth knowledge on how a product is designed and developed by Product Designers. This has been achieved through a case study of one product – the Post Box. This product was chosen for the study primarily due to its simple and non-technical nature as that would make it easy for the readers to comprehend the design process. At the same time the Post Box posed all the challenges a designer would face while creating a new product.

Through a step by step process the book gradually takes the reader through the design and development journey – right from understanding the product, identifying the user need through market research, comprehending client’s brief, generating product ideas and concepts to development of prototype, manufacturing and final performance of the product. Interestingly, the book also includes how the product had to be modified after its initial launch as a large section of the public failed to identify it as a Post Box!

To make thebook more stimulating, innovative case studies with interesting facts, figures and pictures on related issues like origin and evolution of Post Boxes in India and abroad are included. They are presented separately in boxes and columns without interrupting the flow of the core subject matter. The narrative and the language is simple and lucid and possibly balanced with a vivid formatting and layout that is easy on the eye.

Prologue.- Introduction.- The Design Process.- The Trigger.- The Motivation.- The Scenario.- The Insight.- The Product Brief.- The Idea.- The Creation.- The Final Design.- The Prototyping.- The Product.- The Production.- The Launch.- Epilogue.- The Design that Delivered.- Acknowledgements.- Suggested Readings.- Glossary of Terms.