Book excerpt: In From Concept to Consumer, renowned product developer Phil Baker reveals exactly what it takes to create great products and bring them to market. Baker’s product successes range from Apple’s PowerBook to the Stowaway portable keyboard, the most successful PDA accessory ever created. Here, he walks you through the entire development process, showing how to develop products holistically, reflecting the crucial linkages between product design, engineering, testing, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. You’ll discover what makes a winning product, and why great ideas are just 5% of the process...the easiest 5%! You’ll find practical guidance for planning, establishing teams, creating marketing requirements, avoiding “feature creep,” prototyping, protecting intellectual property, market testing and positioning, preparing for customer service, implementing the optimal distribution strategy, and much more. After you’ve delivered your first breakthrough product, Baker shows how to follow up with another winner! Optimize your entire product development process Make everything work together seamlessly: from planning and engineering through distribution and marketing Get breakthrough industrial design without overpaying for it Deliver products that create a powerful emotional bond with your customer Time product delivery for maximum competitive advantage Make sure you don’t reach your market too late—or too early, either Leverage Asian manufacturing without falling victim to its pitfalls Successfully coordinate even the most complex worldwide product delivery programs