Discovery and Viability

Cobalt knows how to efficiently gather and distil the key information needed at the start of a project to validate whether a product idea has genuine potential. This includes researching the competitor landscape and prior art, understanding market trends, and reviewing technology from what exists now to the latest advances. We use this information to establish if a project can hit that sweet spot of being desirable, viable and feasible, and to find opportunities to make your product stand out amongst the competition.

Developing a successful product always starts with finding the right problem. We place great importance on understanding the network of stakeholders involved and the context the product will exist in to draw out pain points and unmet needs. This foundational work allows us to define the problem space more clearly and determine possible directions that will provide genuine benefit to users and a commercially successful outcome.

Products that rely on advanced or emerging technology often have a higher development risk profile. These projects often benefit from an early technical feasibility phase to research, review and understand the technical basis of the project and its feasibility. This process will identify the most appropriate technical approach and quantify risk before the main development commences. Our team will undertake a number of activities which may include existing product teardowns and benchmarking, engineering analysis, manufacturing and supply chain research and even preliminary engineering design and testing.

With experience in over 1200 development projects spanning the medical, scientific, transport and consumer industries, Cobalt are experts in discerning the requirements and scope for each distinct project. New Product Development is complex and dynamic by nature, but our multidisciplinary team use proven methods and processes that have been honed over decades to anticipate and manage the twists and turns. We provide you with a considered, realistic preliminary costing to give you the confidence to begin your New Product Development journey well-informed.