Purpose of Conceptual Design
The purpose of conceptual design is to establish the underlying ideas behind a design and to visually express those core ideas. It is one of the first steps in the design process, generally before strict requirements for visual design and technical limitations are established. It is the point at which a product designer can truly let their creative spark run wild and dream up an entirely unique design.
A conceptual design is essentially a sketch or draft that helps communicate the ideas that you want to implement in your final product. This can be done through brainstorming, mind mapping, or other methods that involve collecting ideas on a whiteboard or a piece of paper. You can also research similar designs to see how others have implemented their ideas and what works, what doesn’t work, and the potential for future improvements.
During this stage, you should consider the users who will be using your design and what their needs might be. This will allow you to create a functional design that meets those needs in the best possible way. This will ensure that your final design has a strong chance of success and is as user-friendly as possible.
What is the Purpose of Conceptual Design?
In addition, it is important to consider the competition during this phase. This will help you to understand how the industry standard is set and what can be improved upon. It can also give you ideas about how to distinguish your own design from the rest of the market, something that is crucial for any successful product.
Lastly, it is important to define the design’s goal and what problem it is trying to solve. This will help you to narrow down your design options and reach a solution that is truly original. It can also help you decide whether or not your product is feasible in terms of cost and technical ability.
The most obvious benefit of a good conceptual design is the clarity it provides for your final product. It will make the design easy to understand from the offset and will help you carefully consider the end user’s points of view from the beginning of the project. This will make it easier to achieve your desired results later on in the production phase.
Aside from that, a good conceptual design will help you to clarify and communicate the goals of your product to the team and other stakeholders. This will help you to avoid confusion and miscommunication that can lead to major mistakes in the production phase. It will also help your team members understand how their work fits into the bigger picture, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
Aside from all of that, a great conceptual design will also be aesthetically pleasing. Creating an appealing design will ensure that your final product looks as professional as possible, which is something that everyone wants. The best way to achieve this is by researching similar designs from your competitors and analyzing how they have achieved their aesthetics. You can even use Webflow’s visual development platform to build high-fidelity prototypes that are completely custom and production-ready without writing a single line of code.