How to Turn Your Invention From an Idea Into Reality

Many of us wonder if something that we use could be better, and this is often where inventions come from. Translating your idea into a product that is commercially viable takes a little more than that. Let's take a look at some of the basic steps you would take, to make your idea, from product design into a real product that sells.

• Step 1. Conceptualisation. This is what you have done when you thought of a product. All manner of means can be used to describe and define exactly what it is your have thought of.
• Step 2. Checking legal. It is important that you make sure that you have actually invented something, and the patent does not already exist. Often people come across similar situations and come up with similar solutions even though they are very far apart in time and space. Thoroughly researching through patents is extremely important.
• Step 3. Research. For any invention to be made into a reality it must be a viable product, in terms of manufacture and profitability. An invention that is impossible to make or too costly to make and therefore is not required by the market, is not really an invention at all. Questions such as; Is there and how large is the consumer market for this product? What do current markets tell us about such a product? Should we use plastic injection moulding or not? Who has the capacity to manufacture? How many choices currently exist? What materials and what methods will be used to make it? Should it be made of steel or plastic? As you can see there are many questions that need to be asked as you move forward with your project.
• Step 4. Plan of action. Making a plan of action is extremely important. Remember that the best inventions still have to be made legal and have a marketing plan. You may need investors. You will also have to make a prototype of your product so that you can test and demonstrate it to the world. Modern virtual environments provide the best tools for developing your prototype and getting a real and tangible look and feel of your idea. You may make several modifications in this process because this is only the beginning. Through prototypes and rapid prototyping you will really get to understand where your idea needs work.
• Step 5. Production. The final stage after you are satisfied with your prototype and you have answered all of the issues raised in the first 4 steps of this process. As you can see this is not easy at all and you will need the help of very skilled and experienced industrial designers who understand materials and have experience how to design them into real and practical products in terms of both usage by the consumer and production by the manufacturer.
• Step 6. Marketing and sales. There is no point having an invention if no-one uses it, and this is the final stage of your product. Many of these questions should have been considered already. Even your industrial professionals will have many ideas on this.