Our framework maps the whole journey – so you always know where you are, what comes next, and what it will take to get there. Stages 1–5 are the Free Sprint, AI-assisted. Stages 6–10 are Expert-Led, delivered by Cast Iron CAD.
Capture the idea statement, identify the real opportunity behind it, and set initial expectations. The Viability Sprint starts here – framing the problem in plain language before any money gets spent.
Understand the customer, the industry, and the market context. Customer persona, stakeholder interviews, IP position, and a Value Proposition Canvas that ties it all together.
Diverge before you converge. Affinity diagrams, impact mapping, technology research, and sustainability thinking – exploring what the product could become before locking anything in.
Pressure-test viability. Business Model Canvas, competitor review, MVP scoping, risk assessment, and confirmation-bias checks. Where non-viable ideas get caught before they burn cash.
Everything tightens into a brief. Design challenge, moodboard, QFD analysis, timeline and investment outline, and a structured product specification that anchors everything downstream.
Concept work. Sketching, brand direction, mechanical and electronic concepts, 3D CAD concepts, 2D drafting, packaging and marketing visuals – the first time the idea becomes something you can see.
Prototyping and testing. Proof-of-concept through to functional prototypes, with structured test plans feeding results directly back into the specification. First contact with physical reality.
Production-grade engineering. CAD for pre-production, design for manufacture, mechanical analysis, FMEA, electrical engineering, CE marking, industry standards, materials research, and engineering drawings.
Production engineering and the production run itself. Tooling, jigs, fixtures, supplier selection, quality control, and the pre-production samples that signal ready-to-ship.
Distribution and sales. Packaging for shipping, logistics, sales channels, and launch support – whether it’s a batch of 100 or a run of 100,000.
Stages 1–5 are mostly thinking work. They’re cheap in money and expensive in clarity – the place where most ideas either become real projects or get quietly retired. So we built them into a free, AI-assisted Viability Sprint anyone can run.
Stages 6–10 are engineering work. They need CAD, tooling knowledge, supplier relationships, and years of “we tried that and it broke” experience. That’s Cast Iron CAD territory, and it’s billed as real engineering work.
You don’t need to know which stage you’re at to begin – the sprint will put you in the right place and walk you forward from there.