The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development

24.2. Goals and Design Strategy Prerequisites

NOTE

Design delivers value by embodying products across functional and emotional dimensions in ways that match or anticipate consumer's goals.

There are a variety of goals that an entity may have; however, for the most part these goals may be thought of as extending out on a continuum that ranges from maximization of financial return (for example, return on investment, profit) to building brand equity (for example, brand value and consumer trust) and extending toward more universal or altruistic goals (for example, to solve people's or company's problems, enhance quality of life, or improve the lives and existence of others—people, animals, the environment). Such a continuum, which moves out from company-centric to encompass objectives with an ever broader impact, represents "value," and it is usually necessary that financial return for the operating entity (for the company or organization to continue) be coupled with one or more of the broader goals (for example, enhance quality of life, solve problems) in order for a product to be viable in terms of offering value that others will embrace. These mission goals form the basis of the enterprise and can be distinguished from the strategies or strategic goals that design may be used to help execute and accomplish.

Along with mission goals, there are a number of prerequisites for design strategy formulation with respect to new product development. These generally fall into six categories: ...