Phase 0: Planning

Phase 1: Concept Development

This phase includes identifying customer needs; establishing specifications; generating, refining, and testing concepts; evaluating competitive products; and building concept models.

Phase 2: System-Level Design

This phase includes defining the product architecture; identifying components and subsystems; developing target cost estimates; identifying key suppliers; and defining interfaces.

Phase 3: Detail Design

This phase includes defining part geometry, tolerances, and materials; defining production processes and tooling requirements; and defining quality assurance processes.

Phase 4: Testing and Refinement

This phase includes testing functional and environmental performance; implementing design changes; obtaining regulatory approvals; and finalizing marketing and training materials.

Phase 5: Production Transition

This phase includes transitioning product design to the manufacturing environment, working through any production issues, and evaluating production quality prior to distribution.