Design as Differentiator

Many young medical device companies believe that their product will succeed in the market simply because their technology is stunning. Why should such a company invest in industrial design? Because to not do so is bad strategy. Sure, revolutionary technology might be enough to get you established. But then what? Competition inevitably shows up, and one of the tactics they can employ to take market share from you is the use of thoughtful design.

The first MP3 player was a plain engineered box marketed by Eiger Labs (right – never heard of them). But the lion’s share of the market was taken by Apple years after the launch of the Eiger product, due in no small part to the iconic design of the ipod.

 
If you invest in ID at the beginning, you take away an opportunity from your potential competitors. Great technology combined with great industrial design yields a product that will command the market not only from the outset but for years to follow. That is a profitable strategy