The Roadmap to Digital Product Development: 6 Stages You Need to Master

Published on October 27th, 2023

The digital process of roadmap to digital product development involves conducting market research to verify the concept of the product and then creating, prototyping and evaluating the product. Additionally, it involves the processes that go into creating the product in the first place and keeping it there.

Every stage of the roadmap to digital product development process requires a certain skill set and different resources. It’s an investment of a large amount and businesses must think about it carefully.

Why do you require the roadmap to digital product development?

A PWC study estimates an increase of 19% in efficiency of operations in the company, and a reduction of 13% in the cost of production after constructing digital products that are suited to internal and external customers.

These numbers highlight the importance of a roadmap to digital product development essential for companies that want to improve productivity, cut costs in addition to better meet the needs of their consumers.

This article will discuss the roadmap to digital product development along with its stages and the needs for each stage. We will begin by defining the definition of what digital product development is.

iTechnolabs provides businesses with new and innovative Digital Product Engineering Services to increase effectiveness, performance of the system and the user experience. Get in touch with us for more information on how to profit from the digital development of products and overcome its limitations.

What exactly is digital product development?

Roadmap to digital product development are digital assets that are developed by programming codes, providing particular benefits or value for the user whom they interact with. These include desktop, mobile applications for web digital dashboards, digital tools, and control apps, in addition to many more.

•  Offers a solution or a service for a particular user’s issue or need
• It is developed using a customer-centric method, which means the software was designed and created in accordance with the needs of the user and their preferences in mind.
• It is backed by a clear value-for-money and a revenue system that is justified by its creation and maintenance costs

A few advantages of developing digital products:

• Improved efficiency and productivity
• Cost-effective when compared to traditional development
• Customization and personalization are possible.
• Accessibility and reach to an even larger market
• Ability to analyze and collect useful data information
• Better customer experience and greater satisfaction
• Capability to expand the company to meet the growing demands
• More flexibility to adjust to market trends that change and user requirements

A quick glance over the lifecycle of digital products

Before we begin to explore the topic of developing digital products we’ll briefly discuss the idea of the life cycle of the digital product. Each product has its own journey through the market called the life cycle of a product.

The lifecycle of a product typically comprises four phases beginning, development maturation, decline and.

• Introduction is the process of debut is the moment when a product is introduced to the market.
• The expansion period is the time when popularity of a product has picked up.
• The maturation phase occurs when sales growth decreases and the product reaches its saturation point in the market.
• The period of decline is defined by a decrease in sales and a replacement for the product in the market that offers more appealing alternatives.

An understanding and planning of the lifecycle of digital products

• Companies can conduct more precise and accurate market research
• Provides guidance to product designers on how to design their product in a manner that can be adapted to the evolving demands of the market
• Engineers assist teams in identifying possible issues that could arise at various stages of the life cycle, so that they can keep these considerations in the process of creating the product

In the end, knowing the lifecycle of digital products can aid in optimizing the process of development, ensuring that you develop appropriate and profitable products over their entire life cycle.

Six phases of digital product development

1. Analysis and research

The first step of developing a digital product is to research your market, and then identifying a need to resolve. It is also necessary to conduct user research to identify the needs of your intended audience.

• Do market research

There are a variety of methods of conducting research on the market but a flexible approach is the best. The fact that it is continuous distinguishes market research from traditional methods. The entire process of conducting research is a series of iterations continually improving the quality of the data.

• Know the audience you want to reach

Understanding the traits of your audience’s behavior will help your development and design teams to develop products that are resonant with the user and offer the best user experience. Here are some methods to get a better understanding of your audience’s characteristics:

• Conduct market research and gather data on your potential customer’s demographics, habits, desires, needs, and interests.
• Create buyer personas with characteristics, demographics and goals as well as issues.

• Examine competitors

Before you start to think about an idea for your product on the internet, do thorough analysis of competitors to determine the gaps in your market and identify the needs of customers. Here are some guidelines to consider when looking at your competition:

• Determine your direct and indirect competitors. Identify your direct and indirect.
• Review your competitor’s offerings in terms of capabilities, features and prices.
• Learn about your competitors’ marketing strategies, including their marketing channels, messages and strategies.
• Examine the user experience of your competition such as their websites or app, as well as other digital touchpoints.
• Find the gaps in the market that your competitors miss out on.

Do user studies

A thorough user study helps to make sure that the digital product can fulfill the expectations and requirements of potential customers. Additionally, it helps confirm the assumptions of your product and enhance accessibility.

Here’s how to do user-based research

• Set out your research’s goals as well as the research objectives.
• Select the best method for your research, such as interviews or surveys.
• You can recruit participants that are in alignment with your intended group of people.
• Develop a questionnaire to gather data.
• Utilize recording and observation tools to record user actions.
• Examine the research findings to find patterns.

2. Concept development and idea generation

Before you begin the ideation process before starting the ideation process, it is important to be aware of what the landscape of digital is. Knowing your intended audience along with market trends and industry standards are crucial in the creation of an effective digital product.

• Mind maps

Mind maps are an excellent way to stimulate thinking about and brainstorming ideas. It also helps to generate innovative digital products ideas. Mind mapping helps in the visualization of complex concepts and also helps to organize them into a clearly defined strategy for the product.

The best method to accomplish it is to begin with a basic idea, then extend to concepts that are related. Let’s take an example: you’re looking to create an eCommerce site to sell printed t-shirts.

Mind maps can assist you to keep the primary concept of the application in the center and then branch out into other tasks such as catalog, order customizing as well as operations administration.

Develop ideas and refine them into the concept for the product

Following the process of ideation then comes the development of concepts, which starts by the refinement of concepts. The mind map are arranged in a particular order of priority.

But, you need to make sure that these ideas are aligned to your organization’s goals. Here’s how you can do that:

• Make a list of possible ideas and then prioritize the ideas based on factors like potential feasibility, user demand potential revenue and market competition.
• Make sure your ideas are in line with the target people’s characteristics, behaviors and tastes.
• Explore ideas with surveys, focus groups and prototyping.
• Learn from potential customers, industry experts and other the other stakeholders

When initial ideas are formulated, the concept creation becomes simple. Concept development involves several key steps:

• Determine the issue that this digital item is attempting to address. This will help you understand the expectations and scope of the project.
• Create user personas that assist teams in understanding the needs of users, their goals and behavior to create products that meet the needs of their users.
• Develop user flow Maps Visualize your user’s experiences when using your digital products. This involves constructing the timeline of user interaction and identifying the areas of pain for improvement of the user experience.

A design is not only about appearances and how it appears at the surface. It must be a reflection of the essence of a product.

3. Designing and prototyping the digital product

The design phase starts with a few basic questions that will help to define the goals for the product

• What are the reasons you should need this digital solution?
• What is the goal of the product?
• How can you realize the goal of digital products?
• Who will benefit from the product?
• What is the solution to the problem of the user?

You should have found the answers to some of your questions including who would benefit from the product and what issues it solves at the end of the initial two phases of market research and conceptualization.

But, you’ll need additional information to aid in the process to achieve the desired outcomes.

An ideal product design process involves:

• Design specifications which include a digital-based overview of the product, a target customers, requirements for users as well as branding styles, among other requirements specific to the product.
• Wireframes can be created based on design specifications to bring the product’s vision to reality. Wireframes are also a way to visualize the functionality of a digital product and layout prior to when actual design work occurs.
• Making UIs and designing prototypes with high-quality that include several wireframe adjustments, which ultimately improve the design’s quality.

Finally, a digital product development process needs usability testing to make sure that high-quality prototypes meet the specifications you are looking to achieve.

• Conduct usability tests

Usability testing is the process of watching, observing, recording notes, and listening when the user interacts with the prototype in order to discover issues in the design. These tests require participants to take on specific tasks using the prototype.

There are many kinds of usability tests

• Testing usability in a formal way helps in helping “form” the layout of an online product. It lets you know how a person likes or dislikes a product and if they actually need it.
• Tests that summatively assessed the product’s design and provides a summary of the efficiency, effectiveness and level of satisfaction users experience. It assists in proving or proving how repeatable and effective processes are.
• Qualitative and. Quantitative testing helps you study the behavior of users in interaction with the product as well as the complex data. It helps you understand the factors that hinder users from finishing an assignment and the percentage of them can complete certain tasks.
• Moderated vs. unmoderated tests are two types of usability testing: one requires a moderator/facilitator, while the other is an automated process.

4. Stage of development

Digital product development starts with clarifying the processes and technologies you will need to implement the design. Determining the process will require clarity about the method of development you’ll use.

There are two important digital methods of product development that can be utilized,

• Waterfall approach
• Agile development

Implementing the correct approach to development Waterfall Vs. agile

The waterfall method refers to a common approach that requires the exact sequence of steps to create a final product. Each stage only begins after the previous steps are completed.

However the agile method is based on a non-linear flow of process. It is a series of incremental iterations, and each is evaluated to gather feedback to improve an electronic product.

This process of development is iterative and allows constant improvement of the digital application by providing greater flexibility, quality, and fewer bottlenecks in performance.

We recommend taking an agile mindset and working in the DevOps culture to improve efficiency of development and increased productivity. Agile practices allow teams in development to quickly respond to evolving needs and provide benefits to customers on time.

While, DevOps culture focuses on the collaboration between operations and development teams, which allows for continuous integration of code delivery, deployment and.

After you’ve decided on the design approach your teams are using to create the digital product The second step would be to determine the most appropriate technology system that is compatible with the specifications for design and the technical requirements for the project.

The development of a suitable technology stack

A tech stack used for digital product development includes tools for backend, frontend, testing, database infrastructure and deployment. The technology stack you choose to use can significantly affect the quality of your product’s performance, security, scalability and the development time.

A variety of aspects must be considered when selecting a tech stack for the development of digital products. If, for instance, you decide to use a front-end platform to support UI development, it is important to be sure that it’s suitable with the backend you are using. In addition, you have to look at the design and architecture that frontend frameworks offer.

Other things to consider include

• Scalability: Does the tech stack support the growth?
• The flexibility –can your tech stack be adapted to the changing demands?
• developer skill set do you have experience in the tech stack they have selected?
• Budget: Can your budget afford support and licenses?
• Timing to market can this tech platform assist you launch faster?
• Security Security does your tech stack come with strong security features that protect your users and your products?

The infrastructure needed for developing your own process

Establishing infrastructure is essential to develop digital products since your teams must keep, analyze, and process large amounts of data throughout their entire duration of the product’s life. An eCommerce business’s ability to store the financial information of customers is an illustration.

The demands for infrastructure increase as company grows, and it is essential to provide greater flexibility. One method to ensure that your infrastructure is able to meet the evolving business demands is to utilize cloud-based infrastructure.

Some reasons why you should think about utilizing cloud infrastructure include:

• Increased capacity through the ability to scale resources on demand
• More efficient in terms of cost because of the decreased requirement for physical servers
• Accessibility improved with Remote access to cloud-based services
• Increased reliability through built-in backup and redundancy options to ensure the availability of your equipment
• Cloud-based cloud services are easy to collaborate across and platforms, enhancing the efficiency of remote capabilities and productivity
• Security that is robust and effective, including identity and access control (IAM)

The process of creating an electronic product

This is the point at which your team begins to write code to build your online product. However, we suggest building an initial Minimum Viable Product (MVP) prior to investing money into an actual product.

It can help you launch an initial product, try it, and then get feedback on small improvement.

Making the digital product may require multiple iterations of an agile approach to development. Each time you develop the product you can use tests and testing to ensure constant improvement.

5. Testing and the QA stage

Testing during development of digital products involves planning and executing test cases, then executing and analyzing the results. Testing involves performing different tests on the product in order to verify its performance and functionality.

There are various kinds of tests you can perform include units testing, integration tests system testing as well as acceptance testing. Each kind of test concentrates on a specific aspect of the product and can help find bugs or problems which need to be fixed.

However Quality Assurance(QA) involves the establishment of guidelines and procedures to ensure that the product is in compliance with quality standards. This includes defining test protocols as well as setting quality metrics and checking the product at every stage of its development.

The most important tips to test and QA include:

• Determine the goals and requirements for the software that is being tested in order to make sure that the software is able to meet the requirements of the users.
• Create test cases with a thorough description which cover all scenarios and edge cases, to ensure that the software has been well-tested.
• Automate repetitive tasks in testing like regression testing to improve efficiency and decrease mistakes.
• Make sure your digital product is tested in real-world conditions that match the conditions under the environment in which it will be employed.
• Keep a thorough record of any issues that are discovered in testing, and follow the resolution process.
• Participate with stakeholders, like business owners and end-users involved in the process of testing to make sure that the product is in line with the requirements of their customers.

6. Launch and maintenance of digital items

It is the first step to setting up a clear and concise plan of action and timetable for launching as well as maintaining the digital products. This involves defining the product’s objectives, scope and intended users, and detailing the features, functions and design needs.

That’s where Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) comes to the fore. CI/CD aids in the automation of the process of deployment, allowing for the deployment of updates quicker.

The procedure of the launch of your digital product must be accompanied by these steps

• Set a clear and precise roadmap and timetable for the introduction for the online product.
• Determine the quality and testing metrics by identifying the test environment tools and methods necessary to ensure that the product is thoroughly tested.
• Set up monitoring tools, such as errors and analytics to monitor the performance of your product.
• When the digital application is in production, make use of the CI/CD pipelines to get periodic updates and bug fixings and improvements to the features.

Common digital product development challenges you may encounter

Making a digital product may be complicated and full of problems. Some of the most important digital product development challenges include:

1. Insufficient market research

The development of a product that is not accompanied by thorough and accurate market research is among the most costly mistakes that businesses make. Unsatisfying a product with market demands is not likely to generate any revenue.

When developing an online product, it’s essential to know the audience you want to reach as well as their pain points and what they require.

2. Budgetary constraints

Digital product development is expensive. Budget constraints can limit the capabilities of the product and limit its effectiveness. In these situations it is helpful to prioritize features and functions essential to the product.

3. No clear requirements

Incomplete requirements can cause delays in the development process, and create confusion among stakeholders. Make sure your team members are aware of the requirements for your product prior to starting the process of development.

4. Integration with older systems

Many companies have outdated systems that they rely upon to run their day-to-day routine. Incorporating a digital product with the existing system is a significant problem. It is essential for businesses to ensure that the new software can seamlessly integrate with existing systems with no disruption.

5. Securing cybersecurity

Digital devices are at risk of cyber-attacks, which could damage sensitive data and also cause damage to reputation. The security measures must be in place to shield the product from threats.

6. Lack of technical knowledge

The development of digital products requires expertise in technical aspects that might not be in-house. Companies might need to employ external developers or collaborate with a company for development to tackle this issue.

7. The landscape of technology is evolving

The technology landscape is continuously changing. Businesses must make sure that their digital offerings are current and relevant to keep up with changing technology.

8. The time to market is reduced.

The time taken to market a digital product is vital. The longer it takes to design and then launch a product, the more likely it is to be a victim of loss to rivals. Rapid development methods like Agile can aid businesses in reducing the time needed to launch their product.

How iTechnolabs has helped cut TAT 70 percent using the development of digital products

A digital product that is being developed requires constant effort across all stages which include the initial stage as well as conceptualization, design and development. It is essential to ensure that your digital product’s development and deployment is in line with the standards to ensure flawless performance.

It was the same problem that a major manufacturer was faced with when changing its processes digitally. iTechnolabs assisted manufacturers of transmission parts by implementing databases-driven solutions that helped them automate and digitize their RFQ process.

We utilized Azure Cloud and automated rules to speed up the process to generate quotations. We also helped them select the best tech stack using our CTO-as a-Service service.

In the end, the client now has access to improved processes and creates quicker quotations and a 70% decrease in turnaround time.

If you’re in search of solutions to streamline your processes or help serve the customers you serve better we’d love to assist you! Send us your requirements below and one of our experts will be in contact directly with you in order to talk about the possibility of implementing the project and to provide cost estimates.

How iTechnolabs Can Help Navigate the Roadmap to Digital Product Development 

In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, digital product development is a critical process for businesses aiming to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers. From ideation to deployment, there are several stages involved in bringing a digital product to market. Mastering these stages requires a combination of technical expertise, creative innovation, and efficient project management. This is where iTechnolabs can play a crucial role in helping businesses navigate the roadmap to digital product development. In this article, we will delve into the six essential stages of digital product development and discuss how iTechnolabs can be your ideal partner throughout this journey.

• Ideation

The first stage of digital product development is ideation, where you conceptualize your product. It’s about identifying a problem or need in the market and brainstorming solutions. This phase is critical for laying the foundation for your product’s success.

iTechnolabs can help by offering:

• Market Research: Conducting in-depth market research to identify trends, competition, and customer preferences.
• Idea Validation: Assessing the feasibility of your idea and validating it through user surveys, prototypes, and focus groups.
• Business Strategy: Developing a solid business strategy to ensure your product aligns with your overall goals and objectives.
• Design: The design phase is where your product takes shape visually and functionally. Creating an intuitive and user-friendly design is vital to the product’s success.

iTechnolabs can assist with:

• UI/UX Design: Crafting an exceptional user interface and user experience to engage and retain users.
• Prototyping: Creating interactive prototypes to visualize and refine the design before development.
• Design Sprints: Conducting design sprints to quickly iterate and fine-tune the product design.
• Development: Once the design is finalized, the development phase begins. This is where your digital product is actually built, requiring a team of skilled developers and engineers.

iTechnolabs can contribute by:

• Software Development: Offering a team of experienced developers capable of building web and mobile applications, APIs, and more.
• Technology Stack: Selecting the appropriate technology stack for your product’s requirements.
• Agile Development: Employing agile methodologies to ensure flexibility and adaptability during development.
• Testing: The testing phase is essential for ensuring that your digital product is free of bugs and functions as intended. This stage involves quality assurance (QA) testing, performance testing, and security testing.

iTechnolabs can support this phase with:

• QA Testing: Conducting thorough quality assurance testing to identify and rectify any issues.
• Automated Testing: Implementing automated testing procedures to expedite the testing process.
• Security Testing: Ensuring your product is secure against potential threats and vulnerabilities.
• Deployment: Deploying your digital product to the market is a critical step. It involves launching, monitoring, and fine-tuning the product’s performance in the real world.

iTechnolabs can assist by:

• Deployment Strategy: Developing a deployment strategy that minimizes downtime and maximizes user satisfaction.
• Performance Monitoring: Implementing tools to monitor the product’s performance and user feedback.
• Continuous Improvement: Making continuous improvements based on user data and feedback.
• Maintenance and Support: Even after deployment, your digital product requires ongoing maintenance, updates, and support to ensure it remains relevant and competitive.

iTechnolabs can help with:

• Maintenance Services: Providing ongoing maintenance services to keep your product up to date and functional.
• User Support: Offering user support and addressing issues promptly to maintain user satisfaction.
• Scalability: Ensuring your product can scale with growing user demand and evolving requirements.

Why Choose iTechnolabs?

iTechnolabs is a trusted partner for businesses embarking on the journey of digital product development. Here are some key reasons why iTechnolabs is the ideal choice:

1. Expertise: iTechnolabs has a team of highly skilled professionals with expertise in various aspects of digital product development, from ideation to deployment.
2. Flexibility: The company adopts a flexible approach, tailoring its services to meet the specific needs and goals of your project.
3. Proven Track Record: iTechnolabs has a track record of successfully delivering digital products across different industries.
4. Innovation: The company stays updated with the latest technologies and trends, ensuring your product remains innovative and competitive.
5. Communication: iTechnolabs prioritizes clear and transparent communication, keeping you informed at every stage of the development process.
6. Cost-Efficiency: The company offers cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality.
7. Timely Delivery: iTechnolabs understands the importance of meeting deadlines and strives to deliver your product on time.

Do you have any ideas for Digital Product Development?

Digital product development is a complex and multifaceted journey that requires expertise, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. iTechnolabs can be your partner in mastering the six essential stages of this roadmap, from ideation to maintenance and support. With their skilled team, flexible approach, and proven track record, iTechnolabs  is well-equipped to guide you through the intricate process of digital product development, helping you achieve success in today’s dynamic and competitive digital landscape.