This document outlines the process for developing a new smart meter product from concept to production. It involves 7 phases: 1) Framing the project scope, 2) Defining the concept, 3) Validating technical feasibility, 4) Defining functional requirements, 5) Designing the product and interfaces, 6) Developing prototypes, and 7) Testing through a proof of concept, pilot, and production. Each phase involves workshops, prototyping, requirements documents, and other activities to refine the concept and ensure technical and commercial viability before moving to the next stage of development.

1. Future Proof

2. Intro

3. 01
Framing
02
Concept
03
Feasibility
04
Functionalities
05
Design
06
Development
07
POC/Pilot/Production

4. The case

5. June: smart meter
Insights in consumption & automatic
energy supplier switch product & service

6. 01
Framing
02
Concept
03
Feasibility
04
Functionalities
05
Design
06
Development
07
POC/Pilot/Production

7. 01
Framing
Through the organisation of a workshop,
we further define the scope of the project.
Business Model
Canvas
Customer
Journey
SWOT Best Practices COINS AEIOU

8. Framing the project
Purpose
Outline the full picture, clarify expectations and focus of the project.
Activities
Framing session workshop - topics to be discussed:
● Share information and evaluation of the
functionalities of the current and next product.
● Discuss target group(s).
● Discuss added value for target group - definition of USP.
● Market and goal definition + discuss business model .
● Evaluation of best practices / good examples in the market
(can be on a product design level and/or interface level) / position
versus competition.
● Conclude with scope of the project.

9. 02
Concept
In this phase, we define the concept. The broad outlines of
function and form of the IoT solution are defined.
Personas Paradoxes
Lotus
Blossom
Sketching
Concept
Prototyping

10. Business model concept
Purpose
Define the business model.
Activities
● Market and goal definition.
● Target group definition.
● Pricing strategy.
● Production & Expected sales.
● Expected sales channels.
● Main benefits of the product (USP).

11. Landscaping
Purpose
Give sense to the IP situation surrounding the innovation, find
opportunities and help build the business plan.
Activities
GEVERS learns about the business model and cross-sects this with
the patent database to learn more about the business model and
its surrounding variables.

12. Product concept
Purpose
Come to a valuable product concept.
Activities
We generate ideas to solve the following challenges:
● Design: how can design translate the high-quality
of the product / …
● Usability of the product. (feedback, is the solution operational/not)
● Casing rigidity: material and mechanical characteristics
● Indication of product casing budget and production numbers.
We combine different ideas into one or more concepts. We will prepare
a presentation for each concept to clearly define the added value.

15. User interface concept
Purpose
Design a high level interface design.
Activities
Design of the interface with following important points:
● Different levels of usability.
● Basic: I know my product is functioning
and I know the main benefit.
● Middle: information about high-level
functionalities insights in feature-level.
● High-expert level: I want to know exactly
what the product is doing.
We make the difference between must haves and nice to haves.

18. Electronics design
Purpose
The goal is to design the electronics using the right
technologies useful for this solution.
Activities
We benchmark different technologies that are potentially
interesting, we do this by desk research and by tapping into our
network of technological industrial partners. We might need to
have early discussions with components vendors.
Based on the information we gather, we will define the high-level
design of the electronics and we will define high-level electronics
architecture.

20. GEVERS brainstorm
Purpose
Look at IP opportunities and pitfalls already from early on.
Activities
In about an hour or two, we discuss the project and brainstorm on
possible (future) IP, its protection, the legal framework, etc.

21. Secure proof
Purpose
Obtain time stamp, proof of creations
(against third parties), document IP
and know-how (NDA’s), establish who
did what (esp. co-creators).
Activities
File key documents and sketches at
regular times, including updates
(idepot, registration office).

22. 03
Feasibility
Validate the value (consumer and business) of the solution in real-life.
We also want to test the overall technical feasibility of the solution.
FMEA
Hardware
prototyping
Labo test RAT

23. Feasibility
Purpose
We also want to test the overall technical feasibility of the solution.
Activities
Based on the information we gather, we will
define the high-level design of the electronics:
● Integrate all the chosen hardware components.
● A quick and dirty prototype is build to test the
technical feasibility of a solution.
● We combine existing hardware components
and development kits to the needed setup.
● Basic firmware will be written for testing.
● List the top challenging elements of the solution.

25. Desirability
Purpose
Validate the value of the solution in real-life. (consumer and business)
Activities
Define which hypotheses and KPI’s to test. We want to test
the concept in real-life. The client will send a mailing to 50 - 100
potential consumers. We will track & trace consumer behaviour:
● Consumer behaviour on the website.
(time spent, bounce rate, clicks…)
● Foresee customer service. (people can ask questions,…)
● Pop-ups when customers leave page,…
goal: define the business value of the concept and detect
things that need to be changed in the design.

27. IP protection analysis
Purpose
Detect possible high level IP which can provide high level
protection.
Activities
Think about performing one or more novelty searches to evaluate
patentability.
If evaluated positively, file one or more patent applications.

28. FTO
Purpose
Early IP threat analysis can provide work-around opportunities
Activities
An early thorough search can reveal IP threats early on in the
process. This might give the opportunity to avoid the threat.

29. 04
Functionalities
Goal is to clearly define all requirements, features and use cases for the
proof of concept in the “Product Requirements document”.
Confluence
PRD
template
Review meeting

30. Product Requirements
Document
Purpose
Product Requirements document with a description of the product,
service, use cases, requirements and features.
Activities
Bagaar will set-up a requirements document with clear use cases and
requirements. We will define the features for the next phases: proof of
concept, pilot and production. In this document we will describe all
aspects as mentioned on the next page.
In this document we will make a clear distinction between the must
havesan haves and nice to haves.
This document will evolve overtime and become a detailed document
with specifications for each part of the solution: business, consumer
value, casing, electronics, software. (interface, platform and firmware).

31. Know-how analysis
Purpose
Assess whether critical information is well-protected as know-how
(trade secret):
- Towards third parties
- Increase value of business and valorisation perspectives.
Activities
- Identify critical information (technical, commercial, corporate,
strategy, marketing,...)
- Assess if information is duly kept secret, take reasonable steps
towards third parties (e.g. through NDA), internally (e.g. access
rights, user segmentation, HR policy), IT infrastructure,...
- Set up internal guidelines or trade secrets management tool.

32. Contracting
Purpose
You probably won’t get here alone, so define how you are going to work
together
Activities
- Look at interests and horizon of both parties
- Find a common ground
- Find a balance and be ready to trade-off between IP /
remuneration / exploitation rights
- Consider all valorisation perspectives, including tax benefits.

33. 05
Design
The goal of this phase is to visualise the solution: interface,
product design, electronics design,...
Fusion 360 Sketch Eagle
After
Effects
Invision Cinema 4D
3D
Printing

34. Design Identity

35. Further protection
analysis
Purpose
Check relevant IP protection
Activities
Review of protection strategy, considering amongst others:
- trademark
- design
- copyright
- software
- domain names
- …

36. Trademark protection
Purpose
Protect brand identity (name, logo, shape, position, sound, color etc.).
Activities
- Availability search
- Long list and short list of trademarks
- Filing and prosecution of trademark(s).

37. Design protection
Purpose
Obtain exclusive rights to the appearance of the product (shape,
materials, ornamentation,...):
- Protection against third parties (“knock offs”)
- Increase value of business and valorisation perspectives
Fall-back if no patent
Activities
- Assess relevant shapes (multiple design filing)
- Make line drawings, trimming down to the most basic shape (to
broaden scope of protection)
- Filing and prosecution

38. 06
Development
The goal of this phase is to develop the solution: interface (front-end
development), back-end, firmware, hardware (product and electronics),...
JIRA Cucumber Gif(flow) IDE
User Acceptance
Test

46. IP strategy
Purpose
To establish what is beyond the first filed IP rights in function of
territory and technology
Activities
File further patent applications in function of further technological
developments.
File further IP applications for further territories in functions of for
example business plan.

47. 07 The innovation spiral
The result of the development is a product, interface, and/or platform. The
result will be tested and validated in this phase: proof of concept,
a pilot and only as a final step go to production.

48. POC
POC / Prototype

50. Pilot
Purpose
Test 50 products in real-life
Activities
● Produce and assemble 50 products in house
● send those products to 50 test persons
● run test for 2 months
● receive results:
○ Mona’s fell off
○ picture of ceiling : )
○ …
● conclusion for redesign product

56. Production

63. Monetize IP
Purpose
Activate your IP to make profit.
Activities
- Innovation Income Deduction (“Innovatieaftrek”) -
reduction of corporate tax on profits from innovations up to
85%
- patents, software
- track and trace of R&D costs
- focus on innovations with biggest value creation
- Government grants (ex. Vlaio subsidies)
- Copyright movable withholding tax (“roerende voorheffing”
- 15%)
- Other fiscal and parafiscal measures
- License out / sell IP.

64. Enforce IP
Purpose
Reduce competition
Activities
Check possible infringement, assess risks, negotiate,
initiate court procedures

66. David Gillain
david@bagaar.be
@BagaarAntwerp
Gevers
Pieter De Grauwe
Jurgen Duyver
antwerpen@gevers.eu