Any woman with a baby on the way likely has a pretty long to-do list, including a lot of purchases for her changing body and the infant on the way. For many expectant mothers, the process is entirely new. For others, it has become old hat. But as a product designer, you’re going to need to take both types of customers into account, as well as considering their economic status, age, and region (amongst other things) in order to determine how best to create the products that they’re going to want, need, and ultimately buy. So if you find yourself designing a product for a mother-to-be, you’re going to need to immerse yourself in her world if you want to create the safest, most functional products on the market (and although form comes last, it shouldn’t be overlooked). Here are just a few things to consider when designing with the expectant mother in mind.
1. Purpose. The first thing to ruminate on is the purpose of the product. Whether you are designing a pair of pants, a rocking chair, or a papoose, you need to think about how your design is going to improve the life of your customer and meet her special needs. Pants, for example, need to stay up despite the fact that the woman wearing them has a rather large midsection. That usually means the waist-band has to go over or under the belly. In most cases, they also need to be expandable. Is your rocking chair low enough that mom’s feet touch the ground but high enough to facilitate sitting and standing with and infant in her arms? Who even uses a papoose (cradle boards have mostly given way to backpack-style carriers)? In short, you need to have a built-in market before you start designing.
2. Ease of use. Functionality is key. Most of us have a good, solid feeling for how our bodies will move and react in a given situation. But the bodies of expectant mothers are in an ongoing state of change. They therefor need products that will not only meet their needs today, but also a week from now and several months down the road. So think about the particular limitations facing pregnant women (physically, emotionally, and so on) rather than designing for the “average” woman.
3. Materials. This is important to a lot of women these days. With an eco-friendly attitude pervading anything baby-related (not only for the health and safety of child and mother, but also for the future of the planet that the baby is entering), it pays to be up to date on which material components are preferable. “Chemical-free”, “organic”, and “recyclable” should all be words on your radar, and you should consider the impact of manufacturing and production at every step of the way.
4. Cost. Some parents are willing to spend anything when it comes to their baby. As a result, most baby products are overpriced. But the majority of expectant mothers don’t have tons of money to throw around. For this reason, it is important to find ways to keep production costs low whenever possible and pass that savings on to mom.
5. Aesthetics. This is often the first thing that consumers react to and it is the reason they are drawn to one product amongst many. But for most mothers-to-be, it ends up as the last thing on their list of requirements (comfort, safety, and durability generally winning out over looks). So while it is certainly important to make your product visually attractive, it may end up being a moot point if that’s all you have to offer.
Leah Ryan writes for Adiamor Engagement Ring where you can find loose diamonds, engagement ring settings, diamond pendants, and other fine diamond jewelry.