Specifications:

Specifications involve the formal statement of the required functions, features and
performance of the product or process to be designed.

The product design specification is the formal specification of the product to be designed. It
acts as the control for the total design activity because it sets the boundaries for the
subsequent design.

The purpose of the PDS is to ensure that your design actually addresses your customer
needs. This is essential if your product is to succeed.
The product design specification
(PDS) is a very important document in the design process as it contains all the
information necessary for a design team to successfully produce a solution to the
design problem.

A PDS splits the problem up into smaller categories to make it easier to consider
the problem. The final document should fully document as unambiguously as
possible all the requirements that a product must fulfil together with any
constraints that may affect the product.

The actual or intended customer should be consulted as fully as possible while the
PDS is being drawn up as their requirements are of paramount importance.
Any numeric properties in the PDS should be specified as exactly as possible
together with any tolerances allowed on their value .

Product Design Specification

The Product Design Specification (PDS) comprises your quantitative statement of what you
want to design prior to starting to design it.

In other words, the specifications of the PDS should be largely independent of any specific
embodiment of your product, so multiple solution concepts are possible.
The purpose of the PDS is to ensure that your design actually addresses your customer
needs. This is essential if your product is to succeed.
Each specification consists of a metric, a weighting of importance, units, a marginal value,
and an ideal value. The metric is something that you can measure. The weighting of
importance is scaled from 1, for low importance, to 5, for essential. Units correspond to
your measurement; for example, mm for length or degrees C for temperature.

The marginal value state the value, or range of values, for the metric that you feel the
customer would be able to tolerate. The ideal value states the target for the metric that you
hope your team can meet.
Your customer needs should be stated so that they are independent of the way that the final
design is actually implemented. For example, if your product were a roofing nailer, the
needs should not constrain your nailer to be implemented with an electric, a pneumatic, or
an explosive power source. Strive to make your PDS independent of implementation, also,
wherever possible.
As you approach the end of the design process, the marginal and ideal values are merged
into a single column of known values.

The PDS provides the specifications for ranking different ways of implementing your
design in the selection chart.

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A PDS checklist
The product design specification, or PDS, should contain all the facts relating to the
product. It should not lead the design by presupposing the outcome, but it must contain the
realistic constraints on the design.

This list is one attempt to cover the principal questions that need to be answered in
formulating a PDS. Inevitably, it isn’t comprehensive; specific products will require their
own additional items.

1. Performance At what speed must it operate? How often will it be used (continuous or
discontinuous use)? How long must it last?
2. Environment (during manufacture, storage and use) All aspects of the product’s
likely environment should be considered: for example temperature, humidity, risk of
corrosion, vibration.
3. Target product cost This is strongly affected by the intended market.
4. Competition What is the nature and extent of existing or likely competition? Does our
specification differ from the competition? If so, why?
5. Quantity and manufacture Should it be made in bulk, in batches, or as individual items
made to order? Does it have to be a particular shape? Can we make all the parts or must
we buy some in?
6. Materials Are special materials needed? Do we have experience of working with the
likely candidate materials?
7. Quality and consistency What levels of quality and consistency does the market expect
for this product? Does every product have to be tested?
8. Standards Does the product need to conform to any local, international or customer
standards? Is the product safe?
9. Patents Are there any patents we may either infringe or register?
10. Packaging and shipping How will the product be packaged? How will the product be
distributed?
11. Aesthetics and ergonomics Is the product easy and fun to use? Is it attractive to the right
customer?
12. Market constraints Does a market already exist or must it be created? What is the likely
product lifetime? How long do we have to get the product to market? What are the
customers’ likes and dislikes?
13. Company constraints Does the product fit in with company image? Are we constrained
in material or process choice? Are there any political considerations?