Sample PortfolioThe Portfolio pictured below provides you with a basic understanding of how the product looks and works. This is an actual customer's portfolio near completion.
As seen below, in the Introductory Part of the portfolio, you become familiar with Product Engineering and the Development Cycle. You will also define your idea with words and sketches.
Here is a closer look at an original sketch of the idea. Several other sketches, not pictured, are also stored in this portfolio.
Once you have your product definition, the Concept phase must take shape.
Additional sketches and CAD work will be found in the Concept section. Quotes, printed e-mail, and meeting notes pertaining to the Concept phase are shown below.
A closer look at Concept work with sketches and CAD documents.
In the Development section, you will store documents reflecting decisions made during the concept phase. In development, components and specifications begin to take shape. Because this is an electronic device with a plastic housing, a large amount of information is collected here.
Until all components and design features are ready to be prototyped, conceptual work will sometimes continue to be done during the Development phase.
The Prototype section is used to organize everything related to this phase of development. Depending on your product, you could store pictures, CAD files, and CD's of information here. Several Prototypes may be needed before the final decision can be made to proceed to tooling, trade shows, etc.
Pictured below are the first of several prototypes made for this product. The first prototype was used to test and approve components. The second picture shows SLA models and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) that will be used for testing, and possibly manufacturing.
If you decide to actually develop your product, rather than license it to someone else, the next three sections are very important. Testing, Tooling, and Manufacturing will help take you from prototypes to the finished product.
The Testing section should be used to organize all results collected from focus groups, environmental tests, and engineering reviews. In this case, the customer performed many tests on his own, and recorded the results. Keep the usual related quotes, printed e-mail, and meeting notes in this section of your portfolio.
Detail drawings and documents recording any changes made to your product should be located in the Tooling section. Be sure to keep all tooling related correspondence, CD's, etc. in this part of the portfolio.
This customer is storing CAD and Assembly drawings, along with quotes and printed e-mail, in the Manufacturing section. He has also decided to include packaging information.
The Patent section may hold any legal documents and patent search materials. The owner of this portfolio applied for a provisional patent, and used this section to organize quotes from patent attorneys. He also kept print-outs of existing patents here.
The idea of Marketing begins when you first have your product idea. Pictured below is a small sample of documents that may be kept in this section.
The Research section may be used for certain studies and data that do not clearly fall into the portfolio categories. Depending on your idea, you may choose to add special tabs to further separate documents.
Your portfolio may resemble the sample provided above. I have looked through a few that are larger and even better organized. Innovative customers have added and used sections to better fit their product ideas. Use the portfolio sample as a guide, understanding that yours will be unique to your invention. Be creative, and make it work for you! | Home | Blog | About | Contact | Services | Search | Privacy Policy| Please enter the Password.
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