Product Development Blog » Consultants

Gathering Consultants

Sam — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:08:19 +0000

Good job! You have read the NPD Planning Post and realize that to complete a prototype you may need outside expertise and the sooner you line it up the better. This post will give a quick run through of a assembling those experts. We use several different sites, depending on the type of expertise we need but this morning I used www.guru.com so I will focus on that today. Registering for Guru as an employer grants you access to search for freelancers depending on their area of expertise. Although this method may provide some results eventually, posting the project for freelancers to peruse delivers results quickly. Once a project is posted, you can invite specific freelancers to bid. The posting process begins with selecting the area of expertise required to complete the section of the project. Then you get to the project description. Here are some tips for the project description.

Catchy title describing skills and project
Quick description of who you are and what you are doing
Don’t give direct contact information
Describe type of work and what other aspects of the project need to be integrated
Don’t go into detail about what the project entails, that comes later
Ask questions like hourly rate, fixed bid projects, examples of similar projects etc.

The desired response from the project description is an available consultant in the necessary field that works with your pricing structure and has some experience with a similar project. Quotes from this stage are useless because you haven’t provided enough information for the consultant to accurately quote the project. Send the top tier of responders an NDA. If they don’t want to sign it and you care about that (we do) then don’t work with them.

After you have recieved the NDA, send out the Spec Doc (See Spec Doc and T5+2 Post). The spec doc will be questioned and you must work through those issues. This is not an opportunity to shy away from the potential issues with your product. Some consultants may want money upfront to look through and critique the spec doc, we don’t participate in this type of arrangement. Hopefully now you have shrunk the list of consultants to a few good candidates. Some projects this is like 50 responders, 10 top tier, 6 NDAs, 3 Final candidates. Now you must evaluate the options based on price, lead time, location and any other variables that are necessary for this project. Make your pick and work with it. It is also important to let the other candidates know that you have chosen someone else and provide a quick reason why. Now you have an expert and are on your way!

Specifications Documents

Sam — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:12:43 +0000

Spec Docs are a way to communicate the goals of the product in a specific area. Spec Docs need to be focused on a specific aspect of the development like electronics, design, mold and provide all the necessary information for an expert to execute that aspect of the project. Spec Docs are often replied to with technical questions that need to be investigated and answered. Eventually a spec doc will result in a commitment, a quote or a partnership. Even when a spec doc is accepted it will change, new parts will become available, technical aspects will emerge or the environment will change etc. It is important to update the spec doc to reflect your new findings.

Format of a Spec Doc

General Description: Quick overview of the product including the T5+2 elements.

General Specifications: Guidlines for work across several aspects of the device.

Might Include:

Durability
Cost
Weight
Size
Use Environment

Specifications: (Specific Area of Product)

Primary Specs: The most important elements in outline form with as much detail as you have

Ancilary Specs: Lower priority elements in same form.

Other things that might be appropriate include:

Concept Drawings
Schedule with task list
Bill of Materials

These documents should be focused, don’t view this as an opportunity to show off all the work you have done in different areas. Go into every detail you have for the specific area.

Unfortunately because development projects are very diverse we cannot provide a complete spec doc guide, but these are the basics that we use to build ideas. You should insert what you feel is important given the audience.

WHY, WHO &HOW to Develop Your Product

Sam — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:32:02 +0000

You have a product in mind, but don’t want to develop it maybe you need to
• Focus on the market
• Go to your Job
Or your product needs
• Expertise you don’t have
• Someone who has done it before

You can’t do it alone, so who do you go to? Product development firms can be very different in outcome and price. The larger more established firms deliver a production ready looking prototype for a large bill while small product development firms deliver an almost working prototype for minimum costs.

Match your expectations with your budget.

TO DO: Write up a concept description. It can be short or long, technical or not, include drawings from a napkin or a CAD file. Talk to a few product development firms about the possibility of doing the project. You may want some confidentiality so inquire about a NDA or confidentiality agreement. Once you feel comfortable with a few firms, send out the concept description and wait for questions that will lead to a schedule and budget proposal.

Sam Ruback is the Product Development Manager at Flashpoint Development. Sam would love to hear your feedback or comments about the post and your thoughts may be posted! sam@flashpointdevelopment.com