consultaglobal

“Sometimes concept cars are created not to show to the public but only to inspire those inside the corporation (…) concept cars are three-dimensional question marks that ask ‘What if?’.

“Concept cars are dream machines, vehicles that we eagerly hope will provide a forecast of our own automotive future (…) through the artistic eyes and creative mind of the auto designer”.

Larry Edsall’s “Concept Cars“, a book published by Barnes & Noble.

When working on defining consumer products and applications, conceptual design becomes a crucial research technique enabling teams to further explore the potential of ideas, options and features. Designers can synthesize and visually communicate key aspects of the user experience more effectively than what lengthy discussions alone or written documentation can possible achieve.

As part of the process, sketches morph into mockups which, in turn, evolve into prototypes testing specific use cases and features. At this point, delivering measurable results means involving both resident and external users as part of conjoint analysis and usability testing. This kind of research relies on trial, error and refinement, rapidly iterating as needed to be able to innovate.

Selected concepts should be shared with actual customers to gather direct insights on what’s of value to them. This becomes a basis for design and feature prioritization as well as product roadmapping. However, there could be design concepts which could lead to design inflation if mistakenly positioned as close representations of what can be delivered. This means overpromising and, eventually, failing to meet customer expectations.

There are two tracks worth considering. One is concept design involving near term products, while the other is about forward looking experimentation. Both might have to be developed in parallel. Forward looking work is about leveraging design foresight to provoke strategy and innovation. As Bob Johansen states in “Get There Early” this is about being able to “sense the future to compete in the present”:

“It’s the ultimate paradox for leaders: you can’t predict the future, but you must make sense of it in order to thrive. To be successful, leaders need to sort out what’s important, devise strategies based on their own point of view, and get there ahead of the crowd”.

“But most leaders today are just concerned about getting there in time. Many are even willing to settle for getting there fashionably late. They focus on quick-fix problems, avoiding the kinds of long-term dilemmas that will characterize the future”.

If the above was of interest to you, then I would also suggest related posts such as: “Demo strategy for innovative technologies“, “Do you really need to be disruptive” and “Lead user innovation“.

The following pictures are the ones prompting me to write this post. These are concept cars recently showcased at Tokio’s Motor Show:

Source and reference: http://autoshow.autos.msn.com/autoshow/Tokyo2007/default.aspx

Posts of interest: Design Concepts: Future Car (1); Next Gen Prius?; Innovation and cultural differences; Unconventional partnerships: BMW and Google; Ergotrans.