There are a few product considerations to address before designing your prototype. One very important consideration is cost. Sometimes a design can appear to look terrific but, is not realistic from a cost standpoint to manufacture. It could be that you have a great looking design that works very well but, it would take so many parts to function, that the expense to make it, would put it out of reach for your targeted consumers.
The bottom line is that you want to check your design for compatibility to the market, to consumer price tolerance, to the manufacturer’s ability to produce it, and finally, to your bank account. Profit is not a dirty word. If the manufacturer can’t make a profit on your design, as good as it may be, they won’t want to produce it. Or at least, they won’t want to be licensed to produce it.
A perfect design would be a simple one that uses the least resources, is the easiest to manufacture, allows for a reasonable profit margin, light in weight to ship, and everyone needs one. Wouldn’t that be great? Well, that’s a hard list to meet but you’d like to get as close to that as possible. Some may think that a functioning design will trump all other concerns; not so unless of course, your product has no competition or is used on the Mars Lander.
As an example of function vs. cost; I invented this great tool for lifting differential gear carriers out of military style axles. It works great. It lifts over 1000 lbs with no problems and rolls out from under the truck, saving the mechanic a day or two of removing springs and all the rest. BUT, it has about 100 parts, weighs a couple hundred pounds, and I think all 3 people that could use this tool wouldn’t be able to afford it.
So, in the garage it sits for me to use on my own truck…period. So although it’s a great design and, it works very well therefore, saving me lots of time, it doesn’t fit all the other requirements to make for a successfully marketed product.
Bottom line? Consider all aspects of a product and design it accordingly. Keep your eye on the ball and don’t get lost in the thought of “just making it work”.