Author: Lucy

The Rise of Fractional Work, and How It Could Transform Your Company

Written by Lucy on April 29, 2025. Posted in Business, Our team.

We know that busy R&D and marketing teams are no strangers to the challenges of managing a diverse range of projects while maintaining the quality and timelines their business needs. At times, your team may be stretched too thin or lacking the specific expertise required for specialised tasks.

So, what’s the solution for your business when hiring a full-time employee isn’t the right option? The answer: fractional workers.

If this is the first time you’ve heard the term fractional work, let us explain what it means:

Fractional work is a modern work arrangement where a skilled individual provides specialised expertise to a company on a part-time or project basis. The individual may provide a service to multiple clients at the same time without the commitment of full-time or permanent employment.

In this blog post, we’ll explore how fractional work can be a game-changer for your business, and how partnering with the right contractors can help you scale your resources and achieve your goals faster.

How Can Fractional Work Benefit Your Business?

At its core, fractional work refers to engaging professionals on a contract or part-time basis to fill specific gaps in your team’s capabilities. Instead of committing to the cost and responsibilities of full-time employees, you can tap into high-level expertise exactly when you need it.

For the manufacturing businesses we work with, fractional employees provide a unique advantage. You get the specialised skills and experience your team requires without the burden of full-time hires, which can be especially beneficial for:

High-demand periods when your team is overloaded.
Specialised expertise outside of your team’s core capabilities.
Project-based work that requires temporary support for specific tasks or initiatives.

By working with a fractional employee, your business gains access to a flexible workforce that adapts to your ever-changing needs.

How Can Fractional Work Help with Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, and Marketing?

When you’re tackling complex product development or launching a new marketing campaign, the demands on your team can become overwhelming. This is where fractional support becomes invaluable. Here’s how fractional work can benefit each area of your business:

1. Industrial Design Expertise

As a business, you need creative yet technically feasible designs that align with your manufacturing capabilities. A fractional industrial designer brings fresh perspectives and innovative ideas without the overhead of a full-time hire. They can assist with:

Conceptualising product designs
Styling
User experience and ergonomics
Model making

By bringing in a fractional industrial designer, you ensure that your product’s design stands out and has been configured for usability.

2. Mechanical Engineering Solutions

For more technical projects, fractional mechanical engineers can be the perfect solution. From product development to troubleshooting, these experts help solve complex engineering challenges. Their expertise ensures that your products are functional, efficient, and ready for production. Whether it’s streamlining processes, enhancing product performance, or designing new mechanical systems, fractional engineers provide the flexibility you need for both short-term and long-term projects.

They can assist with:

Complex mechanisms
Ensuring designs are manufacturable and cost-effective
Prototyping and testing

3. Marketing Strategy and Execution

When it comes to marketing, having the right expertise at the right time is crucial to ensure your product or campaign gets noticed. With a fractional marketing expert on board, you can leverage targeted marketing strategies without the costs associated with hiring a full-time team member. They can assist with:

Product positioning and messaging
Go-to-market strategy development
Digital marketing, content creation, and campaign management

A fractional marketing expert brings the needed skills to execute your marketing initiatives successfully, from social media campaigns to product launches, ensuring your efforts are aligned with your business goals.

Why Fractional Employees Are a Cost-Effective Solution for Your Business

Hiring permanent staff comes with many associated costs, not least salary, benefits, and long-term commitment, while engaging fractional employees allows you to access high-level expertise without these financial burdens. Fractional workers tend to have their own software licences and home set up, so you don’t need to worry about these costs.

Here’s why fractional work is a cost-effective solution:

No long-term commitments: You can scale up or down depending on your project needs.
Access to specialised skills: You can bring in experts for a specific task without hiring a full-time staff member.
No overhead costs: You only pay for the work that’s needed, without the added costs of employee benefits and long-term salaries.

By hiring on a fractional basis, your business can save money while still achieving high-quality results from skilled professionals.

What are the Potential Risks of Hiring Fractional Employees?

Of course, while fractional employees present your business with a flexible option, there can certainly be risks associated with hiring this type of worker.

Availability: Fractional workers may be managing multiple clients, and as a result their availability may be limited. This is why Cornelius Creative has built up a network of fractional workers with different expertise to ensure we always have the right skillset on hand for our clients’ projects.
Lower commitment: Commitment from your team is naturally built over time, with contractors or fractional employees perhaps not as invested in your business. Our portfolio of fractional workers all have vast experience of working at different types of organisations, and as such, understand what it takes to integrate seamlessly into your team.
Culture challenges: As above, it can be more different to integrate fractional workers into the team and culture of a business. From our point of view, we take the brief and stay out of company politics, completing the work to meet your project deadlines.

How We Can Help You With Fractional Work

At Cornelius Creative, we specialise in providing top-tier fractional employees across industrial design, mechanical engineering, and marketing. Our team effortlessly integrates into your processes, offering the support you need to achieve your business objectives. Whether it’s accelerating product development or optimising your marketing strategy, our fractional experts bring the expertise and flexibility to ensure success.

Ready to Bridge Your Resource Gaps?

If you’re looking to scale your team with experienced professionals on a fractional work basis, we can help. Contact us today to discuss how we can provide tailored support for your business, from product design to marketing campaigns.

Final thoughts

As an R&D or marketing director, there’s no need to hire permanent employees for every project. By leveraging fractional work, you gain access to skilled professionals who can help you achieve your goals without the overhead of a full-time hire. Whether you need help with industrial design, mechanical engineering, or marketing, fractional employees provide the perfect solution to meet your company’s project goals.

Get in touch with us today to learn how our team can help fill your resource gaps with high-quality, flexible support.

SolidWorks: The Secret to our Product Design Success

Written by Lucy on March 20, 2025. Posted in Business.

At Cornelius Creative, we’ve always believed that great product design is about more than just aesthetics, it’s about precision, efficiency, and delivering high-quality solutions for our clients. Since day one, SolidWorks has been a key ingredient in our success, enabling us to transform concepts into market-ready products with speed and accuracy.

If you’re new to the world of product design, engineering, or 3D modelling, SolidWorks is one of the most widely used tools to bring your product ideas to life. As a powerful CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software, it enables designers and engineers like us to create 3D models, simulations, and detailed technical drawings.

A Strong Partnership with Visiativ

Another key factor in our success has been our partnership with Visiativ, the official SolidWorks reseller that introduced us to the software. From the start, Visiativ has been a fantastic support system, providing expert advice, training, and technical support. They even helped us connect with potential clients, making them an invaluable partner in our growth.

Our MD Simon recently sat down with the Visiativ team to discuss how SolidWorks has helped our business grow. If you’d like to read the whole interview, pop over to the Visiativ website now.

Our Design Process with SolidWorks

Every project we take on begins with a clear understanding of our client’s needs. We kick things off by meeting with the client to gather the project brief and technical requirements. From there, we move on to sketching out initial concepts and refining the mechanical elements. Once we’ve established a solid direction, we jump into SolidWorks to start building rough models, checking for design intent, wall thickness, and fit.

One of the features we love most about SolidWorks is its ability to handle assemblies for multi-part designs. This means we can present live 3D models to clients, enabling them to make real-time decisions on the design direction. Once we’ve finalised the design, we use SolidWorks to generate photorealistic renders, which allow us to showcase our designs in a visually appealing way. Finally, we produce detailed 2D and 3D manufacturing drawings to ensure the product can be easily transitioned to production.

Looking to the Future

As we continue to expand, SolidWorks will remain at the heart of our operations. We’re particularly excited about the future developments in cloud-based CAD and AI-powered design tools, which promise to further streamline our workflow and enhance our design capabilities. We’re always looking for ways to improve efficiency, and SolidWorks’ ongoing innovation ensures we’ll stay at the cutting edge of product design.

Conclusion

At Cornelius Creative, we’ve built our reputation on delivering innovative, high-quality designs for clients across a wide range of industries. SolidWorks has been a critical part of this success, providing us with the tools to overcome challenges, accelerate time to market, and create exceptional products. As we continue to grow, we’re confident that SolidWorks will remain an integral part of our design process – helping us push the boundaries of what’s possible in product design.

Next steps

Want to see how we’ve helped other companies like yours launch successful products into the market? Take a look at our Product Design and Marketing Portfolio.

Speak to our team

And if you want to chat about how we can use SolidWorks to bring your product ideas to life, book your free consultation with our team today.

How to Patent an Idea in the UK

Written by Lucy on March 11, 2025. Posted in Intellectual Property.

Patenting an idea can be a crucial step for inventors, entrepreneurs and businesses in the product design process. If you want to protect an innovation and maintain exclusive rights to a creation, then it is recommended to get the idea patented.

In the UK, the process of patenting an idea is carefully regulated and involves several steps. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through how to patent an idea in the UK, what qualifies for a patent, and some tips we’ve learned over the years for navigating the system successfully.

Firstly, it might be helpful to understand exactly what a patent is. The UK Government describe it as follows:

“A UK patent may help if you want to take legal action against someone who uses your invention without your permission. For example, if they sell or manufacture your product in the UK.”

A patent in the UK can last for up to 20 years, but it must be renewed annually after the first five years.

So, let’s go through the steps you’ll need to take to patent an idea in the UK.

Step 1. What Can Be Patented?

Unfortunately, not every idea qualifies for a patent, so the first step is to make sure your idea is actually patentable.

To be eligible for a patent in the UK, the invention must meet three key criteria:

1. New: Your invention must be original and not have been previously disclosed or used anywhere in the world.

Real world example: Virtual Reality headset
We may think of VR as a modern invention, but it was actually considered new back in the 1950s. An American inventor called Morton Heilig lay the groundwork for the VR headsets we know and use today. His Telesphere Mask (U.S. Patent No. 2,955,156) was the first head-mounted virtual reality display, described by Heilig as a “stereoscopic television apparatus for individual use.”

2. Inventive: It must involve a significant inventive step and not be an obvious modification of an existing idea.

Real world example: Dyson Cyclone Vacuum Cleaner
Dyson’s vacuum cleaner technology used cyclonic separation to capture dust without using bags. This was inventive because it was not an obvious solution to people who had worked with traditional vacuum cleaner designs. The idea of using powerful centrifugal force to separate dirt was a novel approach, and it went beyond a simple improvement of existing vacuum models.

3. Application: The invention must be capable of being made, used, or implemented, and may involve a technical process or method.

Real world example: Apple’s Face ID Technology
Apple’s Face ID system uses facial recognition to unlock devices or authenticate users. It is a technical process because it involves the use of infrared sensors, cameras, and algorithms to analyse the user’s face and match it against a stored map of their facial features. It is both something that can be made and used (on a device like an iPhone) and a method of doing something (unlocking the phone using facial recognition).

If your idea is more of a concept or abstract thought, you won’t be able to patent it. Similarly, mathematical methods, scientific theories, or artistic creations do not qualify for patents, but they might be protected by other intellectual property rights, such as copyright.

Step 2. Conduct a Patent Search

Before you even start the application process, it’s important to conduct a patent search. This helps you determine whether similar inventions have already been patented, which could affect your chances of getting a patent. You can search existing patents using the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) website or other global patent databases. If a similar patent already exists, it might be challenging to prove your invention is novel (criteria one above).

You can get free advice from an intellectual property (IP) clinic, there are many across the UK and you can find your nearest one on the UK Government website.

Cornelius Creative Case study:

One of our clients approached us with the task of developing a groundbreaking protein supplement carrier and mixer. Before diving into the project, we began brainstorming ideas and submitted them to our patent attorney partner for an initial patent search.

The feedback we received from the patent attorney was crucial, as the direction we had been considering conflicted with existing patents. The patent attorneys provided valuable guidance on areas we needed to steer clear of, which helped our client avoid both unnecessary development costs and potential legal issues down the line.

Rather than a setback, we saw this as an opportunity to think outside the box. We rose to the challenge, crafting a completely novel design that not only sidestepped patent conflicts but also generated its own intellectual property.

Step 3. Prepare Your Application

Once you’re confident that your idea meets the requirements and is eligible for a patent, you’ll need to prepare your application. This is where it gets technical, and you may want to consult a product design agency like Cornelius Creative to help you with the application. You’ll need to provide:

A detailed description of your invention: This should explain how your invention works, how it differs from existing solutions, and how it is used.
Drawings or diagrams: If applicable, provide clear diagrams to visually demonstrate how your invention works. These should be precise and well-labelled.
Claims: This section outlines the specific aspects of your invention that you want to protect. It’s crucial to word these claims clearly, as they define the scope of your patent.

You can file your patent application online through the UK IPO website, or if you prefer you can consult a patent attorney to assist with the technicalities of the process. We have partnered with patent attorneys who have helped many of our clients file patents over the years.

Step 4. File Your Application

Once you’ve gathered everything, you can file your patent application. There are two types of applications in the UK:

Standard Patent: This offers the full protection of your invention for up to 20 years (subject to maintenance fees).
Short-Term Patent: This is valid for up to 8 years and is suitable for inventions that have a shorter commercial lifespan.

The application can be submitted to the UK IPO or via the European Patent Office (EPO) if you are seeking broader protection across Europe.

Step 5. Wait for Examination

After submitting your patent application, the IPO will examine it to determine whether it meets the necessary requirements. The examination process can take several years, depending on the complexity of your invention and the backlog at the IPO. During this time, they may request additional information or clarification.

Step 6. Grant of Patent

If your patent application is successful, you will receive a grant for your patent. At this point, you can legally prevent others from using, making, or selling your invention without permission. Keep in mind that after 5 years you will need to pay annual renewal fees to keep the patent in force.

Step 7. Consider International Protection

If you plan to sell or licence your invention internationally, you may want to seek patent protection in other countries as well, otherwise there is nothing in place to stop someone in another country taking your idea. This can be done through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or by applying directly to individual national patent offices.

Key Takeaways

Patenting an idea in the UK can seem like a complex process, but understanding the steps involved and preparing thoroughly can make the journey smoother.
Whether you’re protecting a game-changing invention or a small innovation, a patent gives you the legal rights to your creation, which can be critical for business success.
Always seek expert advice if you’re unsure about any part of the process.

SBS Event 2025: Our Exciting Key Takeaways from Birmingham

Written by Lucy on March 3, 2025. Posted in Our team.

On Friday, 21st February 2025, we had the privilege of attending the Theo Paphitis SBS Event at the ICC in Birmingham. Now in its fifteenth year, this was our third time attending since winning 4 years ago, and as business owners, we continue to find immense value in being part of this thriving community. The SBS (Small Business Sunday) event is an incredible opportunity for business owners to gain insights, connect with others, and find inspiration to take their businesses to the next level.

Theo Paphitis, widely known for his role as a former investor on Dragon’s Den, founded SBS in 2010. This initiative started as a way for Theo to spotlight small businesses and offer them the opportunity to join an exclusive community. Each week, Theo selects six businesses to join the SBS network, and we were fortunate to be chosen in 2021 on our first attempt. Clearly, he saw something special in Cornelius Creative! The SBS community has been a huge part of our growth and development, and attending the annual event continues to provide invaluable insights. See if you can spot us in the crowd below!

We’re still not over how great #SBSEvent2025 was on Friday 🥳

This week we will be highlighting key sessions, bits of advice and behind the scenes access! Follow the # this week for more. pic.twitter.com/Jq8h3wg12C
— #SBS Crew (@TheSBS_Crew) February 24, 2025

SBS Event Highlights

The event was jam-packed with sessions that provided both practical advice and inspiration. The main stage featured a variety of speakers throughout the day, with each session followed by a Q&A, giving attendees the chance to directly engage with the experts. Some of the standout sessions for us included talks by Imran Hakim, founder of the Hakim Group, who shared his entrepreneurial journey after first appearing on Dragon’s Den 18 years ago with iTeddy (who made an appearance at the show!) His session was full of wisdom, offering insights into how he reverted to his original career path in Optometry but saw a gap in the market and has built an incredibly successful business. The ability to pivot quickly and embrace change is what separates successful entrepreneurs from those who fall behind. This really hit home for many business owners who face the constant challenge of staying competitive in an ever-evolving market.

Another highlight was the session with Jo Tutchener Sharp, founder of Scamp & Dude. Her message was equally impactful. Purpose is the foundation of everything. If your business isn’t built on something meaningful, you’re missing the true value. This is something we, as business owners, can certainly apply to our own work and reminds us to stay connected to the reasons we started our business in the first place.

Richard Harpin, the founder of Homeserve, also delivered an engaging presentation. Having started that business in 1993, Richard’s story of perseverance and innovation was a great reminder of the long-term commitment needed to build a successful business and how failure is an opportunity for learning and a reason to keep going.

Community Building

One of the most striking elements of the SBS event was the sense of camaraderie among the attendees. Small business owners from all over the UK gathered, and there was a palpable sense of mutual support and collaboration. The event wasn’t just about listening to speakers; it was about building lasting connections. We saw business owners chatting with one another, swapping stories, and offering advice in a way that only small business communities can.

Many people walked away with new contacts and potential partnerships, and this supportive environment made the event feel like a genuine community rather than just another business conference. There was a shared understanding of the challenges small business owners face, and everyone seemed eager to help one another succeed.

Networking Opportunities

Networking was another key highlight of the event. With attendees representing a wide range of industries, the opportunities for connecting with potential customers, partners, and collaborators were endless. Whether it was chatting with fellow entrepreneurs over lunch or visiting the stalls of event sponsors like DHL, Robert Dyas, and ilaw, there were numerous opportunities to expand our network.

The exhibitors, too, were actively engaging with attendees, offering valuable services and advice that could directly benefit small businesses. We took full advantage of the opportunity to meet with several potential partners and discuss collaboration ideas that could help us grow even further.

Practical Advice

Throughout the event, several practical strategies and actionable insights were shared, which we’re excited to implement into our own operations. For example, Google’s session focused on growing digital marketing skills, providing helpful tips on how small businesses can better optimise their websites and increase visibility online. NatWest Business also led a session on growth mindset and unlocking our potential as business owners.

Impact on Business Growth

For small businesses, attending the SBS event isn’t just about inspiration – it’s about real, tangible growth. Whether it’s the marketing tips shared by Google, the advice from NatWest, or the connections made with other entrepreneurs, every aspect of the event offers a potential to enhance a business’s marketing, sales, and overall development.

By networking with other business owners, we gained new ideas for marketing campaigns and strategies for reaching a broader audience. The advice we received on streamlining operations and optimising our digital presence will undoubtedly help us improve our day-to-day processes and scale our business in the future.

Conclusion

In summary, the Theo Paphitis SBS Event 2025 was an incredibly valuable experience, offering a wealth of insights, networking opportunities, and practical advice for us as small business owners. The event highlighted the importance of community, adaptability, and focusing on what you do best. As always, it was an inspiring day full of actionable takeaways, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s event!

Why We Changed Our Company Values

Written by Lucy on February 19, 2025. Posted in Business.

We’ve always believed in the power of innovation, collaboration, and delivering exceptional results for our clients. It’s always been our core reason behind the business that we set up after realising that there were no companies offering an equal mix of product development and design along with marketing and commercial acumen.

As we’ve grown over the past five years, we’ve evolved and adapted to an ever-changing world, it became clear that our core values needed to reflect who we are today, and where we want to go in the future. From our first days starting in a spare bedroom, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re now a team of twelve talented professionals across the UK, delivering desirable, functional and well-crafted products for our many varied clients.

2025: a time for change

Our decision to revise and update our values was not made lightly. It was a process that involved thoughtful reflection on what drives us, what we aspire to, and what sets Cornelius Creative apart in the competitive landscape of product design and marketing.

After careful consideration, we are proud to introduce our new company values:

1. Innovation: Pushing Boundaries with Creativity

Innovation has always been at the heart of what we do, but we wanted to ensure that it was more than just a buzzword. We are passionate about exploring new ideas and taking bold steps to solve complex design challenges. Whether it’s crafting cutting-edge product designs or developing groundbreaking marketing strategies, we are committed to always finding fresh, creative solutions. By embracing innovation in every aspect of our business, we can keep delivering value to our clients while staying ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving marketplace.

2. Collaboration: The Power of Working Together

We know that the best outcomes come from collaboration. By working closely with our clients and fostering an environment where ideas are freely exchanged, we can create solutions that are greater than the sum of their parts. Collaboration also means embracing diverse perspectives, whether from our internal team or our clients, which is key to ensuring we deliver the best possible results. We value the collective intelligence that comes from working together, and it’s what makes us stronger as a company.

3. Integrity: Building Trust Through Transparency

As we’ve grown, maintaining integrity has become increasingly important. We believe in being honest, transparent, and accountable in all our interactions. Whether it’s with our clients, our partners, or within our own team, we build trust by being open and straightforward. Our clients’ success is our success, and we’re committed to always being honest about what’s possible, what’s needed, and how we can best achieve our mutual goals. Integrity is the foundation of our long-term relationships, and it’s something we take very seriously.

4. Excellence: Striving for the Highest Standards

Excellence is not just a goal. It’s our standard. From the initial concept to the final delivery, we take immense pride in every aspect of our work. We push ourselves to deliver exceptional quality at every stage of the process, ensuring that every detail meets our high standards. For us, excellence isn’t about perfection, but about consistently exceeding expectations and always striving to improve. We know that our clients deserve nothing less.

“They were able to deliver an outstanding solution to a challenging brief”
Anand G, Hansgrohe

5. Sustainability: Designing for a Better Future

In today’s world, sustainability is more important than ever. As a company, we’re committed to designing products and strategies that are not only effective but responsible. We believe in considering the long-term impact of our work on both people and the planet. By incorporating sustainable practices into our product design and marketing strategies, we aim to create solutions that will stand the test of time, both in terms of quality and their positive impact on the environment and society.

Why This Change of Values Matters

We changed our values because we wanted them to align more closely with who we are as a company and the impact we want to make in the world. These values represent our commitment to being a forward-thinking, ethical, and collaborative company that puts innovation and sustainability at the forefront of everything we do. We believe that by embracing these values, we will not only continue to grow as a business but also help our clients and communities thrive.

These updated values will guide us as we continue to innovate, collaborate, and deliver outstanding results. We’re excited about the future and look forward to sharing this journey with our clients, partners, and team members.

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The Power of Visuals: How Computer-Generated Images Drive Product Sales

Written by Lucy on February 18, 2025. Posted in CGI.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, where visuals capture attention faster than words, leveraging the power of images has become more crucial than ever.

Whether you’re running an e-commerce store, a marketing campaign, or showcasing your latest product launch, visuals are the first thing potential customers notice. But what if the images you’re using aren’t just photos? What if they’re computer-generated?

Computer-generated images (CGIs) are reshaping how products are presented to consumers, offering limitless possibilities for creativity, precision, and engagement.

In this blog post, we’ll dive into how CGI can help sell your product and why more and more brands are adopting this technology.

1. CGI Offers Unmatched Creativity and Flexibility

One of the standout benefits of using computer-generated images is the sheer creative flexibility they offer. Unlike traditional photography, where lighting, locations, models, and other physical constraints can limit your creative vision, CGIs let you produce a perfect product image in any environment, setting, or style you desire.

For example, if you’re selling a piece of furniture, you can create CGI that places the product in various settings: a minimalist open-plan apartment or a cosy living room, for example. It not only showcases the versatility of the product but also allows you to appeal to different customer preferences without the need for expensive photoshoots in multiple locations. The customer can imagine the furniture in a home like theirs (augmented reality is also a handy tool for this!)

2. Cost-Effective and Time-Saving

Traditional product photography can be expensive and time-consuming. Between location fees, photographer services, travel expenses, props, and model hire, the costs can quickly add up, and for a small business can be unreachable. Furthermore, if your product requires multiple images for different angles or variations, those costs can multiply quickly.

CGI, on the other hand, can significantly reduce production costs. Once the initial 3D model of the product is created, it can be rendered from any angle, in any lighting, and with any background – without incurring extra fees. This flexibility not only saves money but also shortens production timelines, allowing you to get your product to market faster, and start selling.

3. Superior Precision and Detail

When you use CGI for product visualisation, you can achieve an exceptional level of detail. Unlike traditional photography, where certain elements might be blurry, overexposed, or hard to highlight due to environmental factors, CGI can precisely render every aspect of the product down to the finest detail.

This means that customers can see your product in its best light (literally and figuratively).

For instance, if you’re selling a watch, CGI can focus on the intricate texture of the watch face, the reflection of light on the metal, and the subtle gradients of the materials – giving your customers an up-close, high-definition view that may be difficult to capture with a camera.

4. Enhancing Customer Experience with Interactive Models

One of the most engaging ways CGI can sell your product is through interactive 3D models. Imagine being able to let customers rotate, zoom in, and explore every angle of a product on your website. This kind of immersive experience builds trust and gives customers the confidence they need to make a purchase.

For example, in the fashion or automotive industries, companies have started offering interactive 3D visuals, allowing customers to explore products in real time. This interactivity is particularly valuable for online shoppers, as they often can’t physically touch or inspect the products they are buying.

5. Perfect for Customisation and Product Variants

If your product offers customisation options (such as different colours, sizes, or configurations), CGIs are an ideal way to showcase these variations. With traditional photography, every possible variant would require a separate photoshoot, which is not only expensive but also inefficient.

With CGIs, you can create a base model of your product and then simply adjust the colours, textures, and configurations in the digital file. This enables you to quickly and affordably present all your product variants, giving customers a better idea of how different choices look before they make a decision.

6. CGI Helps Establish Brand Identity

Your brand’s visual identity plays a huge role in how customers perceive your product. Using computer-generated images allows you to maintain consistency across all your marketing materials. Whether it’s a sleek, high-end look for a luxury product or a fun, playful vibe for a children’s toy, CGIs can be styled to match your brand’s aesthetic.

By keeping a consistent visual theme, CGIs help reinforce your brand’s messaging and create a cohesive look across websites, social media, advertising, and packaging. This visual unity strengthens brand recognition and customer loyalty, ultimately making your product more memorable.

7. Increased Accessibility for Customers with Limited Resources

Not every business has the budget for a full-fledged photoshoot, especially startups or small businesses. With CGI, you can level the playing field. Even companies with limited resources can create high-quality, professional-looking images that rival those of larger, more established competitors.

CGIs standardise the creation of high-quality visuals, allowing businesses of all sizes to compete in the marketplace by providing stunning images that capture the attention of their target audience.

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8. Easier to Update and Adapt

Trends, promotions, and seasonal changes happen quickly and for a business that needs to refresh its content CGI offers a huge advantage. Instead of arranging a whole new photoshoot, you can update digital assets, adjust product features, and implement changes to your CGIs with a few clicks.

This makes it easy to stay current and relevant in your marketing efforts. Whether you’re introducing a new colour for your product or preparing a promotion, CGI allows you to make swift and effective updates without the hassle and expense of reshooting.

A note about AI-generated CGI

AI-generated CGI is also making its way into industries like e-commerce, product visualisation, and advertising. AI tools can quickly generate high-quality product images or animations from 3D models, helping companies showcase their products in various settings. This helps brands and retailers create stunning visuals without the need for expensive photoshoots or complex production setups.

While there is no doubt that AI-driven CGI offers tremendous potential and efficiency in many areas, there are also limitations and challenges that need to be considered, such as a lack of true creativity and difficulty with complex designs, along with ethical concerns.

We believe that AI can be used as a tool, but it needs to be supported by an expert who understands the image being created; someone who can spot anomalies and rectify where needed.

Conclusion

Computer-generated images offer an exciting opportunity to elevate your product marketing strategy. From saving time and money to offering limitless creativity, precision, and interactivity, CGIs are transforming how businesses showcase their products. By leveraging this technology, you can create visuals that not only attract attention but also inspire trust and confidence in your customers, ultimately driving sales and growth for your business.

If you haven’t yet embraced the potential of CGI, now is the perfect time to explore how they can take your product selling to the next level.

Book a discovery call today

Developing a New Product: Expectations vs. Reality

Written by Lucy on January 28, 2025. Posted in Design.

It’s the start of a new year; the time when we typically set new challenges for ourselves. Businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs tend to set goals for the year, and some of these goals may be related to new product development.

Creating a new product can be one of the most exciting and rewarding challenges in business. It’s the moment when ideas take shape, innovation meets market need, and something truly unique comes into existence. However, while the process often comprises an atmosphere of excitement and innovation, the reality of product development is far more complex and filled with unexpected hurdles.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the gap between the expectations and the reality of developing a new product. Whether you’re a startup founder, a product manager, or someone interested in the product development journey, understanding these contrasts can help you navigate the process with greater clarity and preparedness.

Expectation 1: The Idea Will Come Easily

Reality: Innovation is often a messy process.

When brainstorming a new product, we tend to imagine that the perfect idea will just click into place. Perhaps you envision yourself having a lightbulb moment or feeling a sudden burst of inspiration that leads to a flawless product concept.

In reality, developing a new product often begins with days (if not weeks, months or even years!) of research, iteration, and testing. The initial idea might be vague or incomplete, and it may need to be refined multiple times before it starts to resemble a viable product ready for the market. The creative process is rarely linear, and sometimes, the best ideas come from feedback, setbacks, or looking at the problem from different angles.

Expectation 2: The Development Timeline Will Be Predictable

Reality: Timelines almost always stretch.

You’ve created a product plan with clear deadlines, and everything seems set for a smooth rollout. But, as any product developer will tell you, timelines rarely hold up as expected. Delays can occur for numerous reasons – technical challenges, changes in market demand, unexpected customer feedback, or even the complexity of sourcing materials.

Moreover, each phase of product development typically takes longer than anticipated. From the design phase to prototyping, testing, and market validation, there will be setbacks and revisions. While some parts of the process can be managed more effectively, it’s important to be prepared for unexpected obstacles and build in contingency time to avoid frustration.

Expectation 3: Development Will Be a Collaborative, Unified Effort

Reality: Collaboration can sometimes be more challenging than anticipated.

The expectation: teams work together seamlessly, everyone is aligned, and there’s an easy flow of ideas. The reality? Product development often requires balancing a multitude of perspectives, from engineers and designers to marketers and business stakeholders. Everyone has their own priorities, and aligning all these views can lead to disagreements, delays, and confusion.

Additionally, cross-functional collaboration involves significant communication efforts. Teams need to maintain constant dialogue to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Miscommunication can lead to costly mistakes and coordinating schedules for everyone involved can be tricky.

Expectation 4: Product Testing Will Be Smooth

Reality: Testing often uncovers a lot more than you expect.

Product testing is meant to be a phase of refinement, where you uncover and address issues before launch. While this phase is crucial to creating a high-quality product, it’s not uncommon for it to reveal far more problems than anticipated.

No matter how many prototypes you’ve built, the product may still face unexpected usability challenges. Design flaws sometimes often surface only when real users interact with the product. Testing isn’t just about fixing issues; it’s about rethinking assumptions, revisiting features, and sometimes going back to the drawing board entirely. The process can be frustrating, but it’s also the key to refining the product to ensure that it meets user needs and expectations.

Expectation 5: The Product Will Be a Hit Upon Launch

Reality: Gaining traction takes time.

There’s always hope that your product will immediately succeed once it hits the market. However, even the best products often require time to gain traction and attract a loyal customer base. Market conditions, customer education, and competition can impact a product’s success, even if it’s well-designed and solves a real problem.

For most products, the road to success involves careful marketing strategies, potentially improvements based on feedback, and even a bit of luck. You’ll likely face challenges post-launch, such as tweaking the product, revising messaging, or adjusting to user feedback. It’s rare for a product to hit the market and immediately find its perfect audience without a period of growth and adjustment.

Expectation 6: Financial Success Is Guaranteed

Reality: Financial success isn’t immediate or assured.

Developing a new product involves significant investment – both in terms of time and money. From development costs to marketing expenses, the resources required to bring a product to market are substantial. While the potential for financial success can be high, the reality is that product development comes with risks, and there are no guarantees that the product will turn a profit immediately.

In fact, many companies face financial pressure in the early stages, especially if the product takes longer to gain traction or if additional iterations are needed. Product success often requires a long-term vision, a willingness to pivot when necessary, and a constant focus on the evolving needs of your customers.

Key Takeaways

Developing a new product is as challenging as it is exciting. While there will certainly be moments of triumph and inspiration, you will also face obstacles that challenge your expectations and require flexibility, creativity, and perseverance. Embrace the unpredictability of the journey, stay agile, and be prepared to learn from both failures and successes.

By understanding the reality of product development, you can better manage expectations, anticipate challenges, and ultimately create a product that is well-aligned with the needs of your market. After all, the difference between a successful product and one that falls flat often lies in how well you adapt to the unexpected twists and turns along the way.

If you’ve reached the end of this blog post still determined to develop your next product, we have great news! We’re product development specialists, and we’ve gained a huge wealth of experience along the way. There aren’t many obstacles we haven’t faced, and we’re equipped to deal with them all. If you’d like to discuss next steps, book a call with our team today.

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Crosswater LIMIT range wins “Best Modern Bathroom” at Ideal Home Bathroom Awards

Written by Lucy on May 20, 2023. Posted in Business, Marketing.

The bathroom is often the most overlooked and smallest room in the house. When it comes to home interiors, it can often be neglected.

But this year, Ideal Home launched its very first awards to celebrate the humble bathroom.

Judged by a panel of bathroom and design experts, there were eleven categories in total.

We’re delighted that one of our clients, Bathroom Brands Group, won three achievements at the awards.

Even more special is that their newly launched LIMIT furniture range, which is part of their Crosswater UK brand, won the coveted ‘Best Modern Bathroom’ award.

We are proud to have supported the market research of new products for the Bathroom Brands Group and Crosswater UK over the past two years, and LIMIT was one of the first product ranges upon which we conducted market research.

Heather Young, Editor-in-Chief at Ideal Home said:

“We love the inclusion of the wood-effect panelling in the Limit bathroom range from Crosswater. It feels so of the moment and has an instant calming effect.”

This win is a fantastic achievement for our client and supports our approach that gathering valuable insights from your target audiences can lead to developing commercially successful products.

Market research empowers brands to make smarter decisions about which products to bring to market.

We offer a full package of market research options and can tailor to any product or stage during the development process. Speak to our market research experts today to see how we can help your brand.

You can see all of the Ideal Home Bathroom Award winners here.

Future Trends: Explore the Exciting Innovations of 3D Printing Technology

Written by Lucy on April 18, 2023. Posted in 3D Printing.

Additive manufacturing, known more commonly as 3D printing, has been in existence since the 1980s, but it’s only in recent years that it’s become a household word. It’s still an emerging technology, although we are now entering a period of sustained growth as more companies turn to 3D printing.

3D printing is now commonplace in manufacturing

In the product development industry, the use of 3D printers, or rapid prototyping machines, has revolutionised how we create prototypes. It provides a cost-effective and quick solution and enables us to quickly test whether a design will work in reality, or not.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, 3D printing was used reactively, a short term solution. But now many companies are adopting a more strategic approach, they see the long-term benefits, and that temporary fix has shifted the mindset. 3D printing has assisted in the digitalisation of manufacturing – by simply sending a file the process becomes decentralised and more flexible. Something that incredibly important during Covid-19 – mitigating supply chain risks, reducing the reliance on manual labour and reducing manufacturing costs. In 2022, the global 3D printing market size was valued at 18.33 USD billion and it is projected to grow to 83.90 USD billion by 2029, exhibiting a annual growth rate of 24.3%.

Moreover, our current global insecurities, from the climate crisis, supply chain issues and impending recessions, can be alleviated somewhat by 3D printing, so it’s likely that more and more businesses will turn to 3D printing. Complex designs that could previously only be manufactured at great expense can now produced by 3D printers, which supports the ongoing acceptance and integration of 3D printing into mainstream manufacturing.

It was recently announced that the first piece of cheesecake has been 3D printed – so does this spell the end for bakers and chefs? Well judging by the look of these two slices, it’s safe to say their jobs are secure for now!

But cheesecake isn’t the only food being produced this way. 3D printed steaks have been hitting the headlines for a couple of years.

But aside from food, what are the likely future trends for 3D Printing across other industries?

3D Printing in Manufacturing

As already highlighted, one area where 3D printing is already making significant impact is within manufacturing. As product developers, we use 3D printing for many of our clients. It enables us to create prototypes quickly and cheaply. It speeds up the design process as we can instantly see any design flaws and make the necessary amends.

3D printing also allows for the creation of complex and intricate designs that would be difficult or too expensive to produce using traditional manufacturing methods. This has the potential to significantly reduce the cost and time required to bring new products to market.

Medicine and Health Care

In the medical field, 3D printing is already being used to create custom implants, prosthetics, and even human tissue. It is being used for orthopaedics, dental and surgical instrumentation. Medical device manufacturers are creating patient-specific implants from metals and polymers that are customised to the shape of individual bones. Many hospitals now have their own 3D printing facilities to tighten supply chains and ultimately provide better patient care.

As the technology advances, it may be possible to use 3D printing to create entire organs for transplant, eliminating the need for organ donors and reducing the risk of rejection. Some companies are already bioprinting human tissue for drug treatments, which may eliminate the need for animal testing in future.

Construction

In the construction industry, 3D printing is being used to create buildings and structures using a process called “contour crafting”, and in fact entire towns are being 3D printed. This process allows for the creation of complex structures with a high degree of precision, and it has the potential to significantly reduce the cost and time required for construction projects which could revolutionise the house building industry globally, particularly in developing countries.

Personalised Consumer Goods

The trend for personalised goods has been on the increase for the last few years, and this has resulted in manufacturers utilising 3D print technology to help meet the demand. The products created range from customised footwear, moulded to the shape of the individual’s foot, or orthotics, which help alleviate foot pain. Other sporting goods such as goggles and glasses, for skiing and squash for example, or even golf clubs moulded to the person’s hand.

Space Exploration

Another area where 3D printing is making strides is in space exploration. NASA is already using 3D printing to create spare parts and tools on the International Space Station, and is even creating a Mars habitat using 3D printing to simulate what life on Mars might be like. In the future, 3D printing could be used to create habitats and other structures on other planets.

What’s next for 3D printing?

Looking to the future, one of the most exciting prospects for 3D printing is the development of new materials. As new materials are developed specifically for 3D printing, it will become possible to create even more complex structures and objects. Metal will continue to gain traction within the rapid prototyping world, as will the ability to print with multiple materials in a single build, which will allow us to produce more complex and functional parts and open up exciting new possibilities in manufacturing.

Additionally, advances in software and hardware will continue to improve the speed and accuracy of the printing process, making it more accessible and affordable.

Injection moulding will be ever present in high volume manufacture, until 3D printing speed increases, however, for one off prototypes or bespoke items, 3D printing will always win as it’s not reliant on tooling. And with the adoption of more exotic filled and blended polymers the gap between injection moulding and 3D printing is closing rapidly.

Key takeaways

The future of 3D printing is incredibly promising and exciting.
The technology continue to transform industries and change the way we approach manufacturing, medicine, and construction along with other industries like space exploration.
3D printing will continue to tighten supply chains, reduce tooling costs and enable flexible working.
The development of new printing materials and technology will continue to improve the speed, accuracy and quality of prints.

If your business is ready to explore 3D printing, please get in touch with our prototyping specialists.

How is AI changing the product design industry?

Written by Lucy on April 4, 2023. Posted in Business, Design, Innovation.

Bill Gates has called it “the most important technological advance in decades” but how is Artificial Intelligence (AI) going to impact our industry of product design?

AI is undoubtedly a hot topic at the moment, not a day goes past without a potential horror story in the media – whether that AI machines are going to take over, or that middle class workers’ jobs are under threat, or the risk of fake news, like Donald Trump’s arrest depicted in AI-generated images, which then went viral on social media.

AI generated photos of Donald Trump being arrested - as shown on Twitter

Open AI, which owns ChatGPT, has estimated that 80% of jobs could be impacted by AI, but how worried should the design industry really be? Are these just scare stories, or will jobs seriously be at risk? And how can we use AI to improve the product design industry?

Artificial Intelligence has already had a significant impact on many industries, including tech, marketing and PR, and the product design industry is no exception. AI-powered technologies are starting to transform the way products are designed and manufactured. AI is enabling designers to create better products in a shorter period, while also providing valuable insights that were previously unavailable.

Generative Design

One of the most significant ways AI is changing the product design industry is through the use of generative design. Not to be confused with generative design in engineering, generative design using AI is a technique where designers input design parameters into an AI system, which then creates a range of possible design solutions based on the given constraints. It enables designers to explore many more design options than they could manually, and in a shorter space of time too. It can also provide them with data-driven insights about the design. The result is more efficient and effective product designs.

As an experiment, we created this image using AI with the prompt “sports bottle, grenade, bidon”. Yes it’s a cool looking image, but there is relatively little other than the aesthetics that you can take from it, but potentially with different prompts it could start to produce some real world products.

But of course, these are concepts, it will still require human input to produce the design and ensure it will work in real life.

Predictive Modelling

Another way AI is transforming product design is through the use of predictive modelling. Predictive modelling uses machine learning algorithms to analyse data and predict future trends. This helps designers to create products that are more aligned with customer needs and preferences. For example, AI can analyse data on customer behaviour and preferences to identify design features that are likely to be popular.

This is certainly interesting, as ensuring there is a market for a product is something that we always build into our projects.

Testing and Validation

AI is also making product testing and validation easier and more efficient. Traditionally, product testing has been a time-consuming and costly process. However, AI-powered simulations can now test product performance under different conditions, helping designers to identify potential problems and make improvements before a product goes into production.

Again, this element of AI could speed up projects and reduce costs, but it is an area that we would undertake with caution because real world testing often highlights issues that even Finite Element Analysis. Think about Formula One cars; they go through rigorous virtual testing processes within different simulators and wind tunnels. But then a person sits in the car and drives it and all of a sudden there are issues that need to be fixed.

Personalisation

Finally, AI is enabling designers to create more personalised products. AI-powered algorithms can analyse data on customer preferences and behaviours to create products that are tailored to individual needs. This can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, as customers are more likely to be satisfied with a product that is designed specifically for them. Here we see some value, particularly within the medical sector when thinking about protheses.

Our view

The way we see AI impacting us as a consultancy, and the wider product industry as a whole, is that AI will become an integral part of the product design process, but will be used as a tool rather than a replacement for product designers. Its value is more in aesthetics than it will be in problem solving difficult design decision or coming up with new ideas for how a product functions. This still requires years of education and expertise.

AI will add value in mood board creation and generating colourways for products, and in some instances general style direction.

But AI will always require input from humans to function, it cannot think for itself (for now, anyway!) so it will always be reliant on an instruction and must abide by any rules put in place by programmers.
Simon Cornelius

In conclusion, AI is here and it’s here to stay. It’s transforming the product design industry by enabling designers to create better products in less time, providing valuable insights, and allowing for more personalised products. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even more changes and improvements in the product design process. We think the future of a combined AI and human product design industry is very exciting.

AI is undoubtedly fast, efficient and exciting, but it can’t replace human experience. Our team have experimented with some AI tools, and the results have been interesting so far. We are yet to use AI on a live project, but we imagine that day is coming soon.

We view AI as a modern tool that will help speed us the product design process, rather than take over completely. Similar to how we use washing machines now, rather than hand washing clothes, it’s a tool to help us. Throughout history humans have created machines that benefit our lives, and AI is no exception.

Key takeaways

Artificial Intelligence has arrived and it is here to stay.
The product design industry is already seeing changes from AI through Generative Design, Predictive Modelling, Testing and Validation and Personalisation.
AI has the potential to transform the product design industry to create better products in less time, meaning output could be significantly increased.
We predict that AI will never fully replace humans, but instead will be a tool to make us work smarter.

We’re running an exciting AI experiment soon, which we will update on here once completed. In the meantime, if you’d like some human input into your next product development project, please get in touch with our design experts.

Author: Lucy

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2025: a time for change

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A note about AI-generated CGI

Conclusion

Expectation 1: The Idea Will Come Easily

Reality: Innovation is often a messy process.

Expectation 2: The Development Timeline Will Be Predictable

Reality: Timelines almost always stretch.

Expectation 3: Development Will Be a Collaborative, Unified Effort

Reality: Collaboration can sometimes be more challenging than anticipated.

Expectation 4: Product Testing Will Be Smooth

Reality: Testing often uncovers a lot more than you expect.

Expectation 5: The Product Will Be a Hit Upon Launch

Reality: Gaining traction takes time.

Expectation 6: Financial Success Is Guaranteed

Reality: Financial success isn’t immediate or assured.

Key Takeaways

3D Printing in Manufacturing

Medicine and Health Care

Construction

Personalised Consumer Goods

Space Exploration

What’s next for 3D printing?

Key takeaways

Our view

Key takeaways

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