The product idea concept is first developed from market and consumer research but with consideration of the technical aspects of the product. Usually, it is a combination of internal company information searching combined with consumer or, in industrial marketing, customer discussion groups. In industrial product development, it has been shown that selecting the most innovative customers for product concept development reduces the time and improves the product concepts. The product idea concept research leads to a more detailed description of the product ideas and also includes screening of the ideas.
Fig: New product development in garment industry
Product Development is the design and engineering required to make products serviceable, salable, producible and profitable.
The basic concept involved in PD may be of two types:
1. Creative
2. Technical
· Creative design focuses on analysis and creativity.
· Technical design which involves perfecting the style, fit and patterns and developing detailed specifications and costs.
· The product can either be one that is new in market or one that is new to your particular company or existing product that has been improved.
Why develop New Product?
· To create stars and cash cows for the future
· To replace declining product
· To take advantage of new technology
· To defeat rivals
· To maintain/increase market share
· To keep up with rivals
· To maintain competitive advantage
· To fill gap in the market
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS?
Management, Designers, Merchandisers are involved in the development of a line or collection of the fashion manufacturer's product.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS:
Apparel product development involves three phases:
· Pre-adoption
· Line-adoption
· Post-adoption
Pre-adoption
1. This phase involves:
§ Design Features
2. Design development through sketching, draping and CAD.
3. CAD system allows trial and error in developing concepts for approval without having to sew physical samples.
4. Design process may be conducted simultaneously in different sequences to reduce time for the product development.
5. Design may be original ,draw on fabric, stored in computer or given by the consumer.
§ Piece Goods
6. Fabric selection. Material testing for performance.
7. In the pre-adoption phase it is make sure that the fabric or other materials that we are going to use would be available in large quantity for production.
§ Trims
8. Accessories selection and testing if required.
9. The accessories and trims that are going to be used in the garment must be available.
Line-adoption
1. This phase involves:
§ Integration of line development and line presentation
2. Planning a Collection
3. Developing a Collection (Design Development)
§ Developing a sample garment
§ Preparation of sales samples
Post-adoption
Which designs will become styles in the line and how the styles relate to the lineplanning?
This phase involves:
§ Perfect Styling and Fit.
Because sometimes the fitness present in the sample cannot be achieved in the production process.
· Engineering production patterns.
· Assembly methods (to check the suitability in production.
· Developing Styles.
· Quality specifications.
· Estimate detailed costs.
· Estimate the operation cost.