0In the world of mechanical design, a “product” is a real artefact with an exact physical shape and an engineering application. It therefore falls into that category of technical systems that function based on physical principles and are regulated by the laws of physics. In very general terms, “design” means any activity that can change existing reality into one whose conditions are preferable. About the technical side of human activity, it becomes a process of the organization and management of the human resources, and the information design has accumulated during its evolution. In the case of an actual physical industrial product with an engineering application that might be any mechanical system, “design” is a process of the transformation of resources (cognitive, human, economic, and material) into a whole of functional requisites to provide a physical solution (product and system). Although “design” and “development” of a product are often interchanged, they are frequently complementary, giving rise to the well-known “design and development of a product.” This leads to the possible distinction between activities that are specifically “design” in a sense just described, and a more extensive activity that includes designing but embraces something relatively larger, starting with identifying a need or a market opportunity and ending with the commencement of production. Sometimes, “product development” refers to an even wider sphere encompassing the entire process of transformation of a market opportunity into a saleable commodity, and therefore includes production, distribution, and commercialization. Thus, a process this complete involves all the main business functions (marketing, planning/design, and production), orienting them according to consumer requirements.
