The Intangible Factors of Design and New Product Development

When thinking about product value it is important to realize that there are two main value classifications to take into account, tangible and intangible value. Although it may not seem obvious at first, all values that the consumer receives through using a product, whether tangible or intangible, do not happen by accident. All aspects of a product are built in by design. This is possible because of the intangible factors of the design process and implementation itself that a design team can utilize. The intangible design process is defined by three major layers: the knowledge layer, the emotion layer, and the experience layer. Each has different aspects pertaining to them that not only make them important, but also connect them to each other in order to create the intangible value that the consumer realizes through consumption. The problem is that no one prior has created a model for intangible design, and thus unnecessary sales and market share were lost. Before, during and after consumption the consumer also develops brand loyalty, brand identity, and brand imagery. This happens for many different reasons answered by the descriptive and causal research presented to form a model for true intangible product design. A shift in focus to the intangible aspects of design has occurred amongst most corporations today because they are all waking up to the reality that intangible value dictates brand loyalty, higher sales and customer retention. The effects seen in real time this perspective is having on business today are remarkable to say the least