Identify
the "Bright Idea"
(Start Here)

Steps of the Process:

Step 1 &
    - Process Overview.

Step 2 -
    - Requirements.

Step 3 -
    - Info & Planning.

Step 4 -
    - Design.

Step 5 -
    - Prototypes.

Step 6 -
    - Production.
 

Continue Reading

Process Notes

When to Patent

Patents:  Protecting
   Your Big Idea
   (from HP.com)
 
 

A Page for Inventors

More Articles ....

In this work I see a lot of inventors.  I love inventors.  They have great ideas.  They are thinkers . . . . and I like that.  However, after getting the great idea, inventors often have no idea where to go next.  An invention is wonderful, but the idea is not much till it becomes a reality.

I am often asked:  "How do I get my great idea (invention) to market?"   - A great question with a not-so-simple answer.  Creating a new product is more than just making a few parts.  It's a process we call "Product Development".

This article is an attempt to address many of the common questions we've had in conversations about "What should I do next?"
 

A simplistic map of the process:

	Step 1 - Identify the "Bright Idea"
Requirements	Step 2 - Define the Requirements   Step 3 - Information & Planning       (Patent Search, Market Research)
	Step 4 - The Design Phase
Design		Prototyping	Step 5 - - Prototyping
Production			Step 6 - - Production

Starting at the Beginning:

The process starts with a great idea and ends, hopefully, with a desirable product in hand.  Morphing the "Bright Idea" into a "Final Product" is a process of thinking through issues & adaptations, working out details, compromises and defining all the specifics -- like how it's made, exact materials, possible failure modes, required regulations, patents and intellectual property protection, etc..

As an illustration of the process, here is an example we'll follow through the process.
 

 
What then, is the process?

A simplified diagram of the Product Development Process is shown graphically in the figures above.  For more information, select the hyperlink for each step.

Discovering the "Bright Idea" is the first big step -- and it usually occurs without much of a method.  Some typical steps for the rest of the process are discussed on the following pages.  Select a link below or

 Continue to Step 2

Process Steps:		Step 1 - The Bright Idea & Process Overview. Step 2 - Defining Requirements. Step 3 - Information & Planning. Step 4 - The Design Phase. Step 5 - The Purpose of Prototypes. Step 6 - Manufacturing Details and Production.
More information:		Process Notes - Time, Costs, Considerations. When to Patent - When and Why.