Products go through a development process that starts with an idea and ends with production. Every step is very important in ensuring the best chance of success and making sure your product turns out as how you envisioned it. The first step is coming up with a workable idea. This is often the hardest step because while almost everyone has an idea, most of them will not be possible to produce and make a profit. Below is a chart that shows the steps an idea must go through before becoming a product on the shelf of a store:
After the idea is found it must be put through idea screening. Idea screening is a large topic itself that consist of asking different questions to see if the idea will succeed. Since the topic is so important I posted another blog right below this one that breaks down the importance and meaning of idea screening.
Now that we know the idea will be viable, the idea begins to be designed. First the idea will be designed on some type of cad program or drawling board. This is crucial because many flaws can be found by sketching the product which would save the company money in the long run. Now that the product is sketched, a prototype is made. The prototype will allow for a real visual of how the product is going to look. From here the designer can decide is the shape is not what he envisioned or if its size is too large or too small.
Now that the prototype is finished the company must test how interested people in the market are in buying this product. Even if someone made the best product on the market, people may say it is way too expensive and not purchase it. The company has to be 100% sure that when they mass produce this new idea it will sell and not just take up space on store shelves. Now that this step is complete the product can finally start production and be sold to its customers.
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Mar-No/New-Product-Development.html#b