Can you even imagine the number of electronic products being developed each year. There are many life-changing innovations behind every successful electronic design. Thomas Edison, father of the light bulb, had more that 1,000 patentable inventions. None of them made it into useful devices. Even though a unique invention doesn’t automatically mean that it will develop, there is still a secret to the success rates of those who do find success. The reasons for the success of the succeeders and the non-starters are varied. However, it can often be traced back at whether the original requirements had been clearly defined. While the original creator may have a clear idea of what an electronic, space-age, supersonic whatsamagigit is supposed be doing, the necessary development of requirements will determine the whats and hows. Even before the development plan is written, it is important to thoroughly examine all aspects of the electronic product. The requirements stage is critical to the success of a product electronics market.
Requirements at the forefront of the electronic product creation process provide a foundation that helps identify potential flaws and winsnows them out. This increases the chances of success and lowers the cost of the electronic product development process. It can also be completed more quickly. The greatest cause of design errors is at the product requirements level. This stage is where the customer’s product vision is compared to the technology used by an engineering firm. This ensures that a development plan can be developed. Later in the project, inadequacies may be identified and will lead to delays or do-overs. The product development process is becoming more costly as a result. As the expectations of product performance change, interfaces are modified and agency testing is required (UL CE FCC CSA). They are getting more difficult and more costly. The costs go up rapidly.
Many of our clients are engineers, so they understand engineer-speak well. However, some customers need their requirements to be translated into Basic English. To create products that are exactly what customers want, we need to translate and help to define the information. This is to make sure the product meets industry standards.
Here are some of our questions that help us to determine the key facets necessary for the development specifications of well-planned, requirements-driven electronic goods:
- What are the product’s unique features?This is often subject to change as the product design progresses. What is the corporate ID (identity for the product)?
- What agency approvals will you need?FCC. UL. CE. And specific subdivisions such a medical 60601-2.
- Which performance characteristics will it exhibit?i.e. It should last for one charge. How long are you expecting the product to work before it should need to be replaced
- What are the functional specifications?i.e. Do they need to store data? What data and for how much time?
- What power requirements do you need?
- What are some of its limitations?For example, production costs
- Can the product be built using commercial-off-the-shelf or by leveraging other available parts?Or, will custom development be required?
- Is there anything unusual about the environment in which it will live or be used?
- What is the required life expectancy?
- Who is the user of the product, and how do they expect to interface with it.
- How much are you willing to pay for the product and how many can you expect to sell it?What are the production costs and in what quantities?
- How will it get packaged?
- Is it important to have the production on time?
- Are there safety issues in product design?
- What type user interface or other system interface is required for this purpose?
- What are the volumes and where will they be manufactured?How should it all be set up in order to keep manufacturing costs as low possible?
- Where and how will it get distributed?