FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Developing a physical product is exciting - but it’s also where many projects go wrong.

From unclear direction to costly manufacturing mistakes, the process involves a series of critical decisions that can significantly impact time, cost and outcome.

To help simplify this, we’ve answered some of the most common questions we receive below.

Do I need a fully defined idea before working with you?

Not necessarily.

Many clients come to us with an early concept or partial idea. A key part of our role is helping define the product properly - identifying what it should be, how it should work and whether it makes sense to take forward.

This is often where the most important decisions are made.

What is your typical process?

We structure every project around a series of decision points rather than a fixed linear process. Each stage is designed to answer a specific question - ensuring the product is validated before moving forward. This helps avoid costly changes later in development.

Typically, this includes:

• "An initial development sprint to assess feasibility and direction"

• "Concept development and refinement"

• "Prototyping and testing"

• "Design for manufacture and technical detailing"

We work in short, focused sprints, allowing decisions to be made quickly while keeping the overall project flexible.

You can read more about our decision-gate approach on our studio page here. We can also introduce you to our network of experts who can help you with: branding, web design, IP & legal, sourcing, manufacturing & fulfilment and much more.

Have you worked on a project like mine?

In many cases, yes - we’ve worked across a wide range of physical products and industries.

If we haven’t worked on something exactly the same, we’ve likely tackled similar challenges - whether that’s materials, manufacturing processes, form, function or usability. Most projects share similar challenges - from defining the right product direction to making it viable for manufacturing.

Either way, we start every project with a structured discovery phase. This allows us to understand your product, your users and the market context, as well as identify any technical or commercial risks early on.

From there, we build a strong foundation before moving into detailed design and development - so even if your product is new to us, the approach isn’t.

Where do you gather your inspiration for design and development projects?

Our approach isn’t driven by inspiration alone - it’s driven by purpose.

We look at existing products, user behaviour, manufacturing methods and relevant references - but only where they support what the product needs to achieve.

Early in the project, we define clear goals around function, usability, differentiation and production. From there, we use the most relevant inputs to guide the design direction.

This ensures the outcome is not just creative, but commercially and technically grounded.

What is the most difficult part of the project?

There isn’t a single “most difficult” part. Each stage of a project comes with its own challenges. In our experience, most issues don’t come from design - they come from early decisions that weren’t properly validated.

At the beginning, the key difficulty is making sure the idea is right. That means understanding the market, identifying gaps and defining clear points of differentiation - especially in saturated categories. Most costly mistakes happen when early assumptions aren’t tested - so we prioritise validation early in the process.

During development, the challenge shifts to testing and refinement. Prototyping, evaluating performance and iterating efficiently are critical to improving the product and avoiding costly mistakes later on.

Towards the end, the focus is on precision. Ensuring that all technical details are clearly defined and documented is essential so manufacturers can produce the product accurately and consistently.

Each phase requires a different mindset and managing that transition is what keeps a project on track.

What is the typical timeline and cost for my project?

Timelines vary depending on the scope and complexity of the project, as well as external factors like prototyping, supplier lead times and feedback cycles.

As a general guide, most projects fall within 3-9+ months (depending on complexity) - from early concept through to production-ready design. Simpler projects can move faster, while more complex or iterative developments naturally take longer.

We structure our work into short, focused design sprints - typically around two weeks at a time. These are followed by pauses for feedback, testing or supplier input before moving into the next phase. This staggered approach keeps progress consistent while allowing space for informed decisions at each stage.

In terms of pricing, this is also project-specific. It depends on the level of development required, technical complexity and the stages involved. We typically provide an initial range early on, then refine scope, timeline and cost once the project direction is clearer.

If you’d like to explore your project, you can book a free 30-minute call here.

Do you handle prototyping and design-for-manufacture?

Yes, we support both prototyping and design for manufacture as part of the development process.

We produce professional, high-quality prototypes throughout the project - often using intended or similar materials and manufacturing methods where possible (mimicking the final product as closely as we can). This gives you a realistic understanding of how the product will look, feel and perform before committing to production.

Alongside this, we design with manufacturing in mind from the outset. That includes material selection, construction methods and optimising geometry for efficient production.

We deliver supplier-ready CAD and detailed technical documentation, so manufacturers have everything they need to quote accurately and produce the product to a high standard.