Product Structuring

The development of an appropriate range of products for an investment management business will flow from a clear understanding of its existing and potential clients.Some of the more critical issues regarding definition of clients including segmentation by client type and by geography are dealt with elsewhere in this section about Industry Challenges.

The product development process involves a number of component elements and should involve all aspects of the business. However, there are certain basic steps that need to be followed in the process of engineering the product. These include:

• Finding the product concept
  - Market analysis, research, competitor behavior
• Testing viability
  - SWOT analysis, market potential, competitive pressures
• Technical Development
  - Product features, commercial features
• Implementation
  - Delivery to market, deployment of resources

There a number of technical aspects to be considered in bringing new products to market or in making product changes. Some of the important areas that investment managers should be focusing on are dealt with in the sections outlined below:

• Product Structure
• Product Domicile
• Service Providers
• Product Features
• Bespoke Solutions for Clients
• Wrappers