When should the designer get a third-party involved? If you wait until design validation it's probably already too late and if it's done very early it could compromise the competitive position.
I think an important technique to avoid design flaws is prototyping and pilot-testing. Even if you have a very ellaborate design on paper, it may contain design flaws that would be identified in the prototype and it's use in the actual environment.
I agree that it may be a good choice to have design consultants albeit just for design review if not for design development because they deal with a large number of customers and have sufficient expertise to guide you.
The design flaws especially the ones related to the use cases come mainly because of the incorrect requirement specifications.
Normally the marketing teams arrives at the requirement specifications for a product to be developed . This is based upon either an exiting product from a competitor or a totally new product idea. If marketing clearly specifies the target customers for whom the product is based then such basic mistakes as has been descibed by mr. Sanjay Gupta , will not happen in the deisgn stage.
The manufacturers/engineers need to understand that technical excellence cannot be achieved until the end usage is predicted well and the expectation is incorporated in the technical design phase. Else, the product may be great technically with no one to acknowledge it as the product would be in a form in which it cannot be used.
The essential thing to have in a designing/engineering consultant is that the consultant brings knowledge that cannot be arranged by employing permanent employees or it is not feasible to do so. The kind of knowledge can either be something which is design-specific or knowledge which is specific to the location where the end usage is expected (may also include local laws to be complied with while designing, knowledge of which is not available inhouse).
KISS (Keep It Simple and straitforward) concept can be both applied to electronic components/devices and software design. That is what should be taught in all design classes. I remember my instructors used to put emphasis on "designing together with end users".
This is what happens when the technical overtakes the project objectives. It is easy to forget WHO the end solution will be used for when you are trying to make it 'perfect'. Some important things can easily get sidetracked for performance or optimization purposes. That's just the start.
I agree with the points made in your article. In India where the market is very disparate it is vitally important to engage local expertise to tailor the offering to best meet the Indian market. The same can probably be said for many other areas too.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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