New developments start with a product brief.

This is true, but we do not pick our ideas out of a hat.  Kevin and I sat down two years ago and envisioned a product outline spanning 4 years and over 40 SKUs.  I keep a visual of this product board in my office. 

The brief allows us to take something nebulous, put it on paper, and have a pathway forward for our development.

Here is an inside look at a product brief for one such item.