Invention by lone inventors or in collaboration creative teams is at the forefront of design. Designers must not only be creative and innovative but also understand the concepts that will make a new product viable. A designer must use imagination and be firmly grounded in factual and procedural knowledge while remembering the needs and limitations of the end user.

Designers will be successful in the marketplace when they solve long-standing problems, improve on existing solutions or find a “product gap”. The constant evaluation and redevelopment of products is key, with unbiased analysis of consumers and commercial opportunities.

Companies encourage advancements in technology and services, usually by investing in research and development (R&D) activities. Even though the R&D may be carried out by a range of different experts from varied fields of research, the development process is often based on common principles and strategies to identify the direction of development. This methodology structures the R&D of new technologies and services.

Collaborative generation of knowledge and high efficiency information flow allow for diversity, increased resilience, reliability and stability within an organization. Through participatory research, stakeholders can make full use of the resulting innovation and invention, by transferring findings relevant to the sector in which they are positioned. A designer’s increased awareness through shared industry knowledge enhances profitability and policy.

Designers need to consider the whole product cycle of potential products, services and systems throughout the design cycle and beyond. Products may have an impact not only on the direct consumer but also on society at large and the environment. 

Rogers’ four main elements that influence the spread of new ideas (innovation, communication channels, time and a social system) rely heavily on human capital. The ideas must be widely accepted in order to be self-sustainable. Designers must consider various cultures and communities to predict how, why and at what rate new ideas and technology will be adopted.

Designers must establish clear parameters for a marketing specification in order to create unique and creative solutions to a problem. Designers need to collect valid and useful data from the target market and audience throughout the design cycle to ensure the specification includes certain essential components.