NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (NPD)

•  Encompasses design stages 1-9 (Ideation through Rapid-Prototyping & Testing)
• Generating a physical proof of concept (POC) encompassing the core functionalities of the product and ensuring proper alignment with the desired criteria.

• Encompasses design stages 9 & 10 (Rapid-Prototyping & Testing and Detailed Design)
• Given the testing data from the POC stage, EM makes iterations upon the preliminary design, integrating and expanding on more functionalities while tailoring the product towards the end production criteria – the development of a Minimum Viable Prototype (MVP) to be utilized in beta testing with potential end users.

Beta Testing is a subphase of Phase 2 and encompasses the in-field testing of an MVP with potential end users to gain design insight and aid in the development of a production design. 

• Encompasses design 9-12 (Rapid-Prototyping & Testing through Production & EOL Refinements)
• Given the beta testing data from the MVP stage, EM makes iterations upon the detailed design, integrating and expanding on more functionalities while tailoring the product towards the end production criteria – the development of a V1.0.0 production design. 

A majority of NPD projects follow the above three-phase development cycle. Depending on the scope of work of the respective product, phases or subphases may be added or subtracted to better suit the time to market, budget, or other constraints applied.

EM's NPD design standards are heavily influenced by DFx. principles and industry-standard frameworks incorporating the four-facet design philosophy of NPD:

1. Utility: Does the product at hand meet the functional requirements of the problem statement? Does the product address the concerns of the end user in a turnkey manner?
2. Usability: Does the product integrate into the ecosystems present in a turnkey fashion? Does the product feel natural, comfortable, and enjoyable to use by the user? Is the UX/UI of the product intuitive? 
3. Aesthetic Integrity: Does the product encompass the brand image of the respective company? Does the product look aesthetically pleasing? How does the product influence brand perception? Does the design language communicate trust and support?
4. Feasibility: Is the product scalable? Does it meet the budget, timeline, and physical constraints of the business and respective manufacturing process?

The use cases of NPD are vast and often specialized to their specific project themselves. For example, use cases include, but are not limited to:

•  Solving Unarticulated Customer Needs: Identifying and addressing specific end-user pain points. 
• Entering New Markets: Expanding your footprint by offering products tailored to a completely different demographic or adjacent market segment. 
• Leveraging New Technology: Transforming existing services by integrating disruptive technologies to enhance user experience. 
• Increasing Market Share in Saturated Industries: Defend your brand by launching innovative variations or modifying the current business model.

NPD covers a wide range of industries, as the application of NPD solves end-user issues directly. A few industries that EM supports by example are:

• eMobility 
• Consumer & Industrial Products 
• Medical Products 
• Oil, Gas, & Petroleum Product Development 
• Industrial Equipment & Process Industries 
• Robotics, Automation Systems, Manufacturing, Machinery, & Tools 
• Aerospace & Defense 
• Motorsports 
• Agriculture/AgriTech

At EM, turnkey ecosystems are our primary design language, and they are no less prevalent than in NPD. We integrate turnkey ecosystems into NPD predominantly in two ways:

• Product introduction into existing ecosystems: Integrating the design language, cross-linking, and interfaces of an existing product line/ecosystem into the respective new product developed in a turnkey nature -- seamlessly and with end-user experience in mind.
• Ecosystem generation: Configuring new products for eventual differentiations, product lines, or integration into future ecosystems with turnkey design as the centerpiece for integration and user experience design.

Approximately 80% of a new product's emissions across its lifecycle are determined during the preliminary design stage. Factors such as material choice, manufacturing process, energy consumption, and recyclability/EOL are the prime drivers for the potential emissions that a product produces. The remaining ~20% of total emissions are consolidated in logistics, sourcing, and other smaller sources that contribute indirectly to the lifecycle emissions. With EM's turnkey and sustainable design practices, approximately 40% of total emissions can be eliminated.