Inventor Information
NB: Advertising Agencies, Promotional Product Companies and major corporations just go straight to Contact Us.
Inventors, CLICK here to book an evaluation, once you have read the information below.
PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL or SEND UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONS or PROTOTYPES.
You could lose your copyright by doing this!
ALWAYS have confidentiality agreements signed before anyone is shown your idea.
To protect Kenhoward.com, ALL unsolicited submissions will not be opened but deleted from the Kenhoward.com server (Inbox and Deleted box) immediately. All physical mail submissions received will not be read. This protects both you and Kenhoward.com. If you wish to send information to KHDC, do so by filling out the form linked to the Information Pack link.
Kenhoward.com is well suited in helping you by designing and manufacturing your product, idea, toy or game. As well, their team of programmers is able to develop your computer software title concept. Ken Howard has published and developed over 350 titles and 35 million parts, pieces and products. KHDC does have the experience and knowledge to design and create virtually "anything". As Kenhoward.com focuses exclusively on product development and manufacture, they are well suited as a first-stop design studio. Kenhoward.com can pass on information, learnt from previous clients, on how they raised funding capital and how they marketed their finished product. Request an INFORMATION PACK, QUOTE, EVALUATION or S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS MEETING
You should review this page BEFORE any Evaluations, Meetings or Quotes of your concept.
A S.W.O.T. Analysis refers to a face to face meeting where the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of your product are discussed and evaluated. From here Kenhoward.com would quote on further involvement.
PROCESS (4 STEPS):
There is a four step process to developing your idea (or concept).
1. EVALUATION > 2. DESIGN > 3. PROTOTYPE > 4. MANUFACTURE
BUT FIRST
Stop spending anymore time or effort in developing your product, you may be wasting your time and/or money.
KHDC actually finds it easier to DEVELOP from scratch!
An EVALUATION is a REQUIREMENT before PROTOTYPE DESIGN services are accessible.
If you would like to book an evaluation, please fill in the appropriate fields on the INFORMATION PACK, QUOTE, EVALUATION or S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS MEETING form. The cost of an evaluation (meeting and/or quote) is *$5,000. If you are on a low income, you may be entitled to a further discount, pending verification.
(KHDC does offer discounts though, during advertising campaigns, so feel free to ask).
They appreciate that this may be a little out of reach for some, but with so many products to evaluate, they just don't have to time or the budget to be reviewing everyone's ideas for free. Kenhoward.com is in the business of HELPING inventors, individuals and companies, in "making" their ideas. So please appreciate that even if you have already had your idea evaluated (tested or quoted) by other parties, they will still need to satisfy themselves of the viability of your concept and whether they wish to proceed with it. As well, Kenhoward.com needs to determine that your idea does not conflict with an existing product on the market (to the best of their knowledge), conflict with one which they are working on or conflict with one from an upcoming or existing client. In reality, past experience proves that those who are unwilling to meet the cost of an evaluation are also unlikely to proceed with having KHDC develop their prototype. Kenhoward.com business is not to evaluate but to develop and with so many wanting them to evaluate or quote now, it utilizes their time and resources meaning they must charge a fee.
(*Amount in US dollars, except in Australia where GST is also applicable)
2. DESIGN:
KHDC puts incredible effort and energy into the design and development of each new product. Since they specialise in toy and game design, Kenhoward.com is second-to-none in this field. Their team of specialist graphic artists and industrial designers generate original graphics and parts which actually BECOME your property. The key is ORIGINAL DESIGN! Copying-and-pasting of CLIPART is not what they're into.
IMPORTANT TOY SAFETY LINKS WHICH MUST BE CONSIDERED WITH ANY NEW DESIGN (please advice KHDC of any dead, new, updated or amended links)
Safe Toys For Kids - Australian Competition and Consumer Commission - from NSW Government
Safe Toys For Kids - This one is from the Western Australian Govt. You will find most western countries have uniform guidelines for toy manufacture, it is your responsibility to make sure your product meets these guidelines. Even though KHDC may designs and manufacture your concept, it is YOUR product being invented, therefore SAFETY is therefore your role
Toy Safety Schedule - Australian and New Zealand Toy Compliance schedule
US Consumer Product Safety Commission - information for toys targeted for the United States
US Safety Standards - information from the US Toy Industry Association Inc.
US State Public Interest Research Groups & TOYSAFETY.net - Consumer DO make a difference!
3. PROTOTYPE:
When you finally see your finished prototype, KHDC is convinced that you will be really pleased with the result. Their quotes on prototype development are competitive with other design studios. Plus your evaluation fee is deducted from the development cost, if you decide to go ahead. Their experience, design skills and the fact that they have published and developed so many products, means you don't have to go anywhere else.
If you require any plastic pieces or parts for your toy or game idea, their industrial design team is also able to design these items from scratch in a 3D CAD program then export them for preparation into a prototype. They use a couple of different processes, including STEREOLITHOGRAPHY (SLA) and 3D Solid Printing. Simply put, SLA is a laser-liquid plastic-resin process and 3D Solid Printing is exactly what it describes, a unique process of building the model up in layers on a sophisticated 3D printer. These finished "rapid" prototype parts look and feel like injected moulded plastic. These are great for prototypes, saving you tens of thousands of dollars!
If electronic parts are required, Kenhoward.com also offers Industrial Graphic development services (similar to the electronics for the dash in your car or the touch pad on a washing machine). This includes full chip design and programming.
If computer game development is required, they have a team of programmers at our disposal headed by their own programmer who will oversee all projects. KHDC has successfully developed quite a number of titles.
On average, prototypes take from 1 to 6 months to complete, depending on how much work is involved and how complex the idea is. KHDC uses all original graphics. They have a vast resource network to source parts as well, minimising development costs. They are also able to offer assistance with COPYRIGHT protection as well as TRADEMARKS and PATENTS.
4. MANUFACTURE:
Kenhoward.com is then able to manufacture your idea for you (and even include their margin) less than you could. This is due to the buying power from making so many of their own products as well as for clients. A PROTOTYPE is a requirement BEFORE KHDC begins the MANUFACTURING process.
TESTING: Once you receive your finished sample, it is important that you test-play the prototype to make sure it works properly (particularly relevant with board games, to make sure your RULES actually work in real "playing"). Also, at this time you must extensively check grammar and spelling, as many inventors tend to make a lot of mistakes here. KHDC provides a proof-reading service but like all publishers, they take NO RESPONSIBILITY, even for their own mistakes, the reason being that working so closely on a project it is easy not to notice errors (this is a common problem in the publishing industry)
ON-SELLING your idea is the next step. You may already have someone who will license the concept from you or else you could market it yourself or be referred to someone who is looking for NEW products. KHDC can advise on what you can expect but the negotiations are up to you and your legal people, at this point KHDC can be used as an INTRODUCTORY SERVICE
PRE-PRESS, MANUFACTURING (or PUBLISHING): Kenhoward.com can take on this whole role for you. Pre-press includes all the colour separation, film work and preparation of printing plates and cutting formes. With manufacturing, this is what KHDC specialises in, due to their "buying" power. Having performed so many production runs with so many contacts, enables them to negotiate the best prices. You get your product manufactured cheaper "piggy-back" style by bundling the production at the same time as other products. This means VOLUME PRICING.
BRANDING & POSITIONING:
It is vital that during the whole process of developing your product, that it is branded correctly. By definition "BRANDING" means determining what the product is, how it will be labelled, named, packaged and positioned in the market place etc etc.
You may have invented a "flattened piece of dry toasted corn" but unless it gets branded (as a "corn flake") all it ever will be is: flat dry corn. From this point, positioning comes into play... the corn is positioned into the food market... but which part?... "breakfast". The branding cycle is NOW complete. It is the same with your product. Kenhoward.com's team will help you brand your idea.
STORAGE, DISTRIBUTION and MARKETING: KHDC can advise on all these areas and has many years of experience as well as some good contacts to assist you.
Request an Information Pack or contact KHDC to book an evaluation.
Awards (Click here to see some of KH's achievements)
It is hoped that this information helps you and KHDC wishes you all the best with you product or idea. Please don't hesitate to make contact for any further assistance.
NB: Kenhoward.com only DEVELOPS and MANUFACTURES products on a fee-for-service basis. Please DO NOT ask for a free evaluation. Kenhoward.com is running a business NOT a charity. If you are a genuine inventor and do go ahead and have kenhoward.com make your prototype, that prototype's development cost is discounted automatically to compensate for the evaluation fee paid upfront. As there are so many requests for evaluations, time is greatly limited to valued clients. EVALUATIONS are not what kenhoward.com is in business for but for DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS.
THERE ARE NO FREE EVALUATIONS. So please do not ask.