From Concept To Consumer

About the Author

Phil Baker is a renowned product developer with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Throughout his illustrious career, he has played key roles in developing flagship technologies and products for numerous companies, including Apple, Seiko, Polaroid, and Atari. Baker co-founded Think Outside and serves as a consultant for U.S. and Asian product, business, and market development. He also writes the technology column for the San Diego Daily Transcript. His extensive expertise in product development is encapsulated in his book From Concept to Consumer, where he shares invaluable insights on transforming ideas into successful products.

Main Idea

From Concept to Consumer elucidates that a great idea accounts for only a small fraction of success in product development. According to Baker, "an idea is just 5 percent of what makes a product successful." The book emphasizes the importance of various factors, such as timing, pricing, marketing, and distribution, in achieving success. Baker provides a comprehensive guide on navigating the development process, making critical decisions, and leveraging external resources to bring a product to market effectively.

Table of Contents

1. New World, New Rules
2. Just Do It
3. The Basics of Development
4. Industrial Design Matters
5. Why Outsource?
6. Selecting and Working with an Asian Partner
7. The Marketing Component
8. Distribution: Getting Your Product to the Consumer
9. Top 10 Rules for Taking a Product from Concept to Consumer
10. Legal Advice: Knowing When to Ignore It
11. Now What?

New World, New Rules

The journey from concept to consumer has dramatically changed over the past decade. Product life cycles have shortened from years to months, and manufacturing has shifted from local to global. Distribution channels have moved to the internet and big-box stores. Today, companies must work at a frantic pace, with all disciplines collaborating from the outset. The key to success lies in timely market entry, competitive pricing, and effective marketing and distribution strategies.

Organizing for Rapid Development

Small, focused teams are more effective than large organizations because they communicate better and make decisions quickly. An ideal team comprises five to ten people from key functional disciplines: engineering, industrial design, marketing, finance, and manufacturing. This approach ensures diverse resources to address almost any issue efficiently.

Leveraging Outside Resources

Leveraging external resources accelerates product development by allowing companies to focus on their core competencies. Using outside experts reduces the need for permanent resources and fixed overhead costs, facilitating easier expansion and contraction throughout the project. This applies to design, manufacturing, delivery, and sales processes.

Remembering That Less Is More

Deciding which features to include in a product can be challenging. While engineers may aim to surpass the competition with more features, simplicity often leads to better outcomes. Unnecessary features complicate usage, lengthen development time, increase costs, and require extensive testing and customer support.

Don't Get Hung Up with Perfection

A product does not need to be perfect before going to market. It should be reliable, functional, and of high manufacturing quality. Real-world usage provides valuable feedback for refinements. Companies should offer liberal return policies for early adopters and provide discounts or trade-ins on future upgraded models to maintain customer satisfaction and advocacy.