Our Services
Our Ethos
Results-Driven
Successful products demand relentless attention to detail. Our execution strategy is focused on follow-through, no matter what it takes to get us there. If it’s too easy, we aren’t pushing hard enough. If it’s too difficult, we recalibrate. Every project will hit bottlenecks. Our job is to meet them head-on with honest feedback and proactive guidance in pursuit of quality products. We are happy to lock in commitment where others would throw in the towel, because we don’t cash in on poor results.
Collaborative
Product development should be an interactive process, and we prioritize collaboration. We have confidence in our work but we don’t plan to do it alone. Our job is to be responsive to your needs, whether that means taking over or backing off. Every company has a different balance of in-house capabilities and voids to be filled. Industrial design is how we close gaps and connect dots, guiding a vision without taking over your company. Shared success will come from valuing your feedback, as much as you value ours.
Business-Oriented
Value is determined by markets and efficiency, not good intentions. Profitable products are the result of informed analysis, timely development, and diligent optimization. As a product design company, we are artists and engineers at heart, but we perform our work in the context of manufacturing and user demand. We rely on research and trusted suppliers to understand the competitive environment. We evaluate the trade-offs of every decision. Our goal is to inform practical strategies that preserve budgets and schedules. Unit costs, margins, and logistics factor into our process from an early stage, guiding exploratory ideation to final distribution.
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Experienced
Our secret is not complicated: we have learned the hard lessons of product design and development. We pride ourselves on a history of delivering successful, functional, and beautiful products from our time in the trenches of this industry and lifetimes of innovation. Over the years, we’ve built supplier networks around the world and a unique skill set right here in California. We’ve seen design software evolve and 3D printing become the standard. We have hands-on experience with complex machinery, market research, designing innovative products that sell, and supply chain management. We hope to stay humble while we continue learning, and apply our knowledge to help you succeed.
Connected
We don’t do our work in a silo. What begins in our California studio reaches as far as it needs to, across oceans. Our connections include specialist suppliers, international manufacturers, and wholesale distributors. Technology, supply chains, markets, and media all play their role in today’s fast-paced business environment. Our home-grown prototypes can quickly be followed by data-driven surveys and production runs overseas. We have quality control “on the ground” to ensure every product gets the stamp of approval. Take advantage of our networks and knowledge base to keep your development plan on track and quality in check.
Versatile
We provide any service for any phase of design, but perhaps more importantly, we provide a backbone of processes. Product development requires a certain flexibility for creative direction, bound by rigid expectations with timelines and pricing. We connect those dots, wherever we enter the process. Our design tools range from digital and state-of-the-art to classic and casual. Our lean team structure makes it easy to pivot when changes occur. Our network of trustworthy suppliers and partners provide an extra layer of certainty in a world of moving targets. The result is an array of product development services that can structure your process from beginning to end, or anywhere in between.
Intuitive
The best products don’t need a user manual. Intuition drives much better margins than complex gadgets or pretty logos. We dive deep on the fundamentals of user interaction to ensure the notes are hit without the need to explain. Feature development requires an understanding of how each user will interact with the product and instinctively react. Each visual cue and natural position plays its role in guiding a pleasant interactive experience. Unless you’re building a rocket ship, we want each customer to feel a connection without any instructions.
Comprehensive
“Outside-the-box” is only the starting point. Everything from toothpicks to robots deserve fresh perspective to find their maximum potential. From an early stage, we consider how each product will work, what it will cost, how it will be made, and how it will ship. We want to help you turn pipedreams into profits by vetting every idea and ensuring everything is covered. Any concept, any medium, any scale of ambition—nothing is off the table in the search for the right solution.
– Alan J. January 2022
GOOD DESIGN RELIES ON A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS
Your Situation
Discouraged with other Design Firms?
Proof of Performance
DesignStein has worked on all types of products, including consumer electronics, medical devices, sporting goods, military, housewares, mobile accessories, office products, children’s toys, industrial equipment, CDB products, and the list goes on.