So, you have a concept design for your product. You know all the ins and outs of how it will look and work. You've done all your planning and covered all your bases, at least when it comes to the idea itself.
But before you invest in
prototyping and testing, you need to start with market research services and do a prior art search. This is when we find information on the current market environment and the available products that might be similar to yours.
The market research step encompasses surveys, focus groups, and analysis of your competitors' marketing strategies. It also includes a prior art search, which specifically involves research in patent and non-patent literature to discern what has been done before and how similar it is to your idea. The depth of the research will depend on the complexity of the idea, though an exhaustive study is generally best.