The whole journey, mapped in ten stages.
One continuous path from raw idea to delivered product. The Free Sprint walks the first pass. Human experts take it deeper when the idea earns it. Every output is yours to keep and portable to any engineering or design practice.
DIAGRAM · DOUBLE DIAMOND, TAKEN DEEPER · 10 STAGES · ~70 ACTIVITIES
Two diamonds. One continuous path.
FRAMEWORK · DOUBLE DIAMONDSPRINT · STAGES 01–05 · LIGHTWEIGHT TRAVERSAL UP TO DESIGN · OUTPUT PORTABLE TO ANY PRACTICE
What happens at each stage.
STAGES · WHAT YOU HAVE WHEN IT IS DONE
Frame the idea
Capture the idea in plain language. Identify the real opportunity behind it. Set realistic expectations before any money is spent.
Understand the user
Who is this for, what problem does it solve, and how is that problem handled today. The user becomes specific, not generic.
Shape the approach
Explore how the product might work. Sketch the options. Test them against the problem before committing to one direction.
Pressure-test viability
Check the idea against market reality, engineering feasibility, and cost. This is where most ideas need refining, and where the Free Sprint ends.
Write the Specification
Pull the idea together into a single source-of-truth document. This is what any design practice needs to take the idea further.
This is where validation becomes commitment.
Everything above answers one question: should this be built? The Specification captures that answer: a single, portable document any design practice or engineering consultancy can work from. Without it, every cost downstream (tooling, suppliers, launch) is a guess. With it, you move forward with evidence, not assumptions.
Develop the concept
Turn the Specification into a considered design. Form, function, user interaction, and the outline engineering story all come together here.
Make it buildable
Detailed engineering. Material choices, tolerances, manufacturing method, and the decisions that govern unit cost and risk.
Prototype and validate
Physical prototypes, user testing, and iteration. The design survives contact with reality and comes out stronger, or it changes.
Tool up and produce
Commit to tooling, supplier selection, and first-article inspection. Cost and quality get locked in at this stage, not sooner.
Launch and support
Logistics, packaging, launch, and post-launch feedback. The product reaches real users, and the next cycle of learning begins.
Where AI helps, and where people do.
COVERAGE · AI vs EXPERTStructured questioning, at speed
- Frames the idea in plain language
- Walks the first-pass questions that shape a spec
- Drafts the Specification and the Viability Report
- Surfaces obvious risks and gaps for a human to check
Strong at structure and coverage. Weak at engineering judgement, manufacturability, and commercial context.
Judgement, numbers, manufacturability
- Sharpens cost signals with supplier-informed ranges
- Flags what the AI missed on manufacturability
- Adds engineering risk assessment
- Takes the Specification deeper, or passes it on
The Engineer-Verified Review is where this starts. Expanded Specification and Handover-Ready Package go further.
Where the Free Sprint sits.
SPRINT · SUB-ACTIVITY 01.04The Free Sprint is a lightweight first pass through Stages 01–04, ending in a Specification and a Viability Report. It is deliberately quick. It is not a substitute for Stages 05–10, which is deeper paid work you can elect after the sprint.
Both outputs are portable. Take them to any capable engineering partner. Cast Iron CAD is a natural next step because the framework was built there, not because you are locked in.
Common questions.
FAQ · OBJECTIONSDo I have to do every stage?
No. Most people stop when they have enough to make the next decision. The Free Sprint covers the first four stages. You only go further if the output earns it.
Is this only for hardware?
It is built for physical products. Software-only ideas are not the target. Products with a physical element and a software side work fine, and the framework flexes around the physical part.
Do I need engineering knowledge?
No. The Sprint adapts its language. The Engineer-Verified Review translates the output into a view a non-engineer can act on.
Can I use the output with another design firm?
Yes. The Specification and Viability Report are deliberately portable. Cast Iron CAD is one option. Any engineering or design practice can pick up from stage 05 onward.
How long does the full journey take?
From Free Sprint to production varies with complexity, tooling, and approvals. The sprint itself is about 15 minutes for a first-pass draft. Stages 06–10 are measured in months, not days, for most real products.
What if my idea is not viable?
Finding that out at stage 04 is the point. It saves the tooling, the supplier commitments, and the launch cost that would follow a bad spec.
Start where the framework costs nothing.
Run the Free Sprint. See what the first four stages give you. Decide from there whether an engineer needs to look at it.
Start the free sprint →NO COMMITMENT · UNDER 2 HOURS · OUTPUT YOURS TO KEEP