Product Engineer Agent

Design and develop new product concepts with comprehensive specifications.

This skill uses 5 specialized agents that analyze product ideas from different engineering perspectives, then synthesizes into a complete product specification.

What It Produces

Output	Description
Product Spec	Complete product specification document
Feature Matrix	Prioritized feature list with rationale
BOM Estimate	Bill of materials with rough cost estimates
Differentiation	How it differs from existing products
Next Steps	Recommended path to prototype/production
Concept Renders	Product visualization images (via image-generation)
Engineering Drawings	Exploded views, cross-sections, assembly diagrams

Prerequisites

• GOOGLE_API_KEY - For generating product visuals (uses image-generation skill)
• Works with any product category

Workflow

Step 1: Gather Product Idea (REQUIRED)

⚠️ DO NOT skip this step. Use interactive questioning — ask ONE question at a time.

Question Flow

⚠️ Use the AskUserQuestion tool for each question below. Do not just print questions in your response — use the tool to create interactive prompts with the options shown.

Q1: Problem

"I'll help you design this product! First — what problem does it solve?

(The core user need)"

Wait for response.

Q2: User

"Who is the target user?

(Who will use this product?)"

Wait for response.

Q3: Features

"Any must-have features or key requirements?

(Or say 'help me figure it out')"

Wait for response.

Q4: Constraints

"Any constraints to consider?

• Budget range
• Size/form factor
• Materials
• Manufacturing method
• Or describe"

Wait for response.

Q5: Visuals

"Do you want me to generate visuals?

• 🎨 Concept renders (what it looks like)
• 🔧 Engineering drawings (exploded views, cross-sections)
• Both
• No visuals (spec document only)"

Wait for response.

Quick Reference

Question	Determines
Problem	Core value proposition
User	User research focus
Features	Feature prioritization
Constraints	Manufacturing and design boundaries
Visuals	Whether to generate renders/drawings

Parse visual preferences:

• "yes", "visuals", "show me", "render", "drawings" → Generate all visuals
• "concept only" → Just concept render + lifestyle
• "engineering only" → Just exploded/technical views
• "no visuals" or not mentioned → Skip visual generation
• Unclear → Default to generating visuals (they add value)

---

Step 2: Run Specialized Engineering Agents in Parallel

Deploy 5 agents, each analyzing from a different perspective:

Agent 1: Industrial Designer

Focus: Form, ergonomics, aesthetics, user interaction

Consider:
- Physical form factor and dimensions
- Ergonomics and human factors
- Visual aesthetics and brand expression
- User interaction points (buttons, displays, etc.)
- Packaging and unboxing experience

Agent 2: Mechanical Engineer

Focus: How it works, materials, mechanisms

Consider:
- Core mechanism / how it functions
- Materials selection (strength, weight, cost)
- Manufacturing feasibility
- Durability and lifecycle
- Assembly and serviceability

Agent 3: User Researcher

Focus: User needs, pain points, usability

Consider:
- User journey with the product
- Pain points addressed
- Potential usability issues
- Onboarding and learning curve
- Accessibility considerations

Agent 4: Manufacturing Advisor

Focus: Feasibility, cost, production

Consider:
- Manufacturing methods (injection molding, CNC, etc.)
- Tooling requirements and costs
- Unit cost estimates at various volumes
- Supply chain considerations
- Quality control points

Agent 5: Innovation Scout

Focus: Existing solutions, patents, differentiation

Consider:
- Similar products in market
- Patent landscape (potential conflicts)
- Unique differentiators
- Technology trends to leverage
- Blue ocean opportunities

---

Step 3: Synthesize into Product Specification

Combine all agent outputs into a structured specification:

{
  "product": {
    "name": "Product Name",
    "tagline": "One-line description",
    "problem_solved": "Core problem it addresses",
    "target_user": "Who it's for",
    "category": "Product category"
  },
  "design": {
    "form_factor": "Physical description",
    "dimensions": "L x W x H",
    "weight": "Estimated weight",
    "materials": ["Material 1", "Material 2"],
    "colors": ["Primary options"],
    "key_interactions": ["How users interact with it"]
  },
  "features": {
    "must_have": [
      {"feature": "Feature 1", "rationale": "Why it's essential"}
    ],
    "should_have": [
      {"feature": "Feature 2", "rationale": "High value add"}
    ],
    "could_have": [
      {"feature": "Feature 3", "rationale": "Nice to have"}
    ]
  },
  "technical": {
    "mechanism": "How it works",
    "power_source": "Battery/plug/manual/etc.",
    "electronics": "Any electronic components",
    "software": "Any software/firmware needed"
  },
  "manufacturing": {
    "primary_method": "Main manufacturing process",
    "estimated_bom": [
      {"component": "Part 1", "estimated_cost": "$X"}
    ],
    "unit_cost_estimates": {
      "100_units": "$XX",
      "1000_units": "$XX",
      "10000_units": "$XX"
    },
    "complexity": "Low/Medium/High"
  },
  "market": {
    "similar_products": ["Competitor 1", "Competitor 2"],
    "differentiators": ["What makes this unique"],
    "price_positioning": "Budget/Mid/Premium",
    "target_msrp": "$XX"
  },
  "next_steps": [
    "1. Validate with potential users",
    "2. Create detailed CAD model",
    "3. Build first prototype",
    "4. Patent search (if applicable)"
  ]
}

---

Step 4: Generate Product Visuals (If Requested)

Only generate visuals if user requested them in Step 1.

If user wants visuals, generate using the image-generation skill:

Visual Type	When to Generate
Concept Render	User said "yes", "visuals", "concept", or "both"
Lifestyle/Context	User said "yes", "visuals", "concept", or "both"
Exploded View	User said "engineering", "assembly", "exploded", or "both"
Cross-Section	User said "engineering" AND product has internal mechanism

From Industrial Designer:

• product_concept.png - Main concept render (studio lighting, clean background)
• product_context.png - Product in-use/lifestyle shot

From Mechanical Engineer:

• product_exploded.png - Exploded view showing all components
• product_section.png - Cross-section (if internal mechanism is key)

Visual Generation Order:

1. Concept render first (shows overall design)
2. In-context shot (shows usage)
3. Exploded view (shows engineering)
4. Cross-section (if needed)

If user didn't request visuals: Skip to Step 5 with spec document only.

---

Step 5: Deliver Complete Package

Delivery message (with visuals):

"✅ Product design complete!

Product: [Name] Problem: [What it solves] Key Differentiator: [What makes it unique]

Estimated unit cost: $XX at 1,000 units Suggested MSRP: $XX

Generated visuals:

• Concept render ✓
• Lifestyle/context shot ✓
• Exploded assembly view ✓

Next steps:

1. [First recommended action]
2. [Second recommended action]

Want me to:

• Deep dive on any section?
• Generate additional views or angles?
• Explore alternative designs?
• Estimate costs for different volumes?
• Compare to specific competitors?"

---

Delivery message (spec only, no visuals):

"✅ Product specification complete!

Product: [Name] Problem: [What it solves] Key Differentiator: [What makes it unique]

Estimated unit cost: $XX at 1,000 units Suggested MSRP: $XX

Next steps:

1. [First recommended action]
2. [Second recommended action]

Want me to:

• Generate visuals? (concept renders, engineering drawings)
• Deep dive on any section?
• Explore alternative designs?
• Estimate costs for different volumes?"

---

Integration with Other Skills

This skill works well with:

Skill	Use Case
image-generation	Generates concept renders and engineering drawings
brand-research-agent	Ensure product fits brand guidelines
patent-lawyer-agent	Check patentability and draft patents
market-researcher-agent	Validate market opportunity
pitch-deck-agent	Create investor presentation
media-utils	Generate PDF report from product spec

---

Generate PDF Report

After completing the product specification, offer to generate a PDF:

"Would you like me to generate a PDF report of this product specification?"

python3 ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/media-utils/scripts/report_to_pdf.py \
  --input product_spec.md \
  --output product_spec.pdf \
  --title "Product Specification" \
  --style technical

---

Agents

Agent	File	Focus
Industrial Designer	industrial-designer.md	Form, aesthetics, UX
Mechanical Engineer	mechanical-engineer.md	Function, materials
User Researcher	user-researcher.md	Needs, usability
Manufacturing Advisor	manufacturing-advisor.md	Cost, feasibility
Innovation Scout	innovation-scout.md	Competition, patents

---

Output Files

When generating a complete product design, you'll receive:

product_spec.md           ← Complete specification document
product_concept.png       ← 3D concept render
product_context.png       ← Lifestyle/in-use shot
product_exploded.png      ← Exploded assembly view
product_section.png       ← Cross-section (if applicable)

---

Example Prompts

Basic:

"Design a new portable phone charger that's more convenient"

With context:

"I want to create a kitchen gadget that helps with meal prep. Target audience is busy parents. Budget under $30 retail."

Iteration:

"Take my existing product idea and suggest improvements: [description]"

Competitive:

"Design something better than [competitor product]"

With visuals:

"Design a smart water bottle and show me what it would look like"

Engineering focus:

"Design a modular desk organizer and show me the exploded assembly view"