Our product development process
To optimise the product development process, we’ve created a unique pathway that reliably takes your idea from inception to prototype. This structure ensures we’ve fully explored the problem you’re trying to solve, or product you’re trying to develop, and provides ample opportunity for deep consideration before diving into the design-and-build phase.
2.Collaborate
1.Scope
3.Outline
5.Refine
4.Design-and-build
6.Handover
1. Scope
At this stage we have our initial 2-hour session where we meet, discover, and discuss. You tell us about your idea, and we’ll help flesh it out from a technical perspective, discuss applicable technologies, and provide direction from here. We can host this session at our premises, meet online, or pop into your place if you live in the Western Bay of Plenty - Tauranga area.
We understand that revolutionary ideas can be incredibly fragile at inception, so please feel free to bring along a nondisclosure agreement (NDA).
2. Collaborate
This phase sees a bit of back and forth, with discussion on the various relevant technologies, their uses, strengths, and limitations. Our aim is to pin down exactly what it is that we’re trying to achieve, do some research, and form a viable approach toward formulating an innovative solution.
3. Outline
At Littlechip Engineering we take care to fully define the project requirements prior to jumping into the bulk of work. Our aim is to accurately capture your specific prerequisites. If you’ve got a certain aesthetic look in mind for example, we’ll put together a bunch of designs for your review. Similarly, we’ll want some feedback on the various candidate solutions to the engineering problems associated with your project, their related costs, features, reliabilities, and expected performance.
At the conclusion of this stage, you’ll be presented with a comprehensive technical requirement document, which clearly outlines the scope of the project, and highlights significant milestones. This lets us define a baseline for comparison, so that we know approximately how far through the process we are, when we’ve hit our desired goals, and when more work is required.
4. Design-and-build
This is where your vision begins to take shape. We leverage our fabrication capabilities and years of research and development-led industry experience to produce robust, elegant and fit-for-purpose prototypes that meet the brief.
You’ll be kept in the loop as we progress through this stage.
5. Refine
Product development is an iterative process. This means building on insights gained through experience. Whether we need to conduct extensive testing or adapt our approach, we’ll keep polishing until your needs and expectations are met.
6. Handover
Our work here is almost done. We’ve defined the technical objectives of your project, demonstrated proof-of-concept and polished some finer details—now we’re ready for handover. At this stage you’ll have confidence that your product is mature enough to begin its journey to commercialisation.
We recommend taking advantage of our technical writing service at the conclusion of this step. We’ll produce a document to supplement your prototype as it transitions into a production environment.
We’re flexible
We understand that professional product development can be costly. Whether you’re ready to commit to a set amount of engineering time, or chip away at your own pace—we can accommodate you.
Feel like you’ve got what you need halfway through the process? No worries. You can discontinue our service at any time, no strings attached.