Why Hardware Companies Fail: An Industrial Designer's Take

[@MarcStollmeyer]

Great advice here. A big one missing that I’d like to add is Don’t ship too early. Too often hardware startups (especially VC funded/run startups) treat hardware companies like software companies. “Its ok if there are bugs we’ll just release a software update”. That mentality has killed so many hardware startups in the last decade its not even funny. Quality control is how you live or die, RMA’s on hardware are very expensive, you can’t update hardware on the fly. Test test test.

[@Design.Theory]

My next video is actually about this :)

[@richardtickler8555]

The softwarifaction of everything is a problem. Im a mechanical engineer mostly designing parts that need molds or other expensive custom tools in a hw/sw focused company. The amount of people (mostly sw devs, management) who dont understand that orderung tools takes time and you cant just change them as you wish

[@kausthubhtsr9636]

As usual great insights!! What to do when, non design background people, intervene into the design aspects of the product? How do we create that space for ourselves?

[@Design.Theory]

Establish yourself as the authority from the very beginning. It's hard to get the boundaries back if you haven't done it from the beginning. If you have found yourself in a position where your designs are being nitpicked by non-designers, you need to explain the rationale behind your designs. Make sure that the rationale loops back to the business goals. That way, it takes the subjectivity out of the design process and it establishes you as the expert. This can only work if you design in a way that is aligned with the goals of the business. That's why I was saying it's so important to design based on an agreed upon criteria.

[@kausthubhtsr9636]

@@Design.Theory this is so relatable! I'll make sure, I follow these points from next time! 😁

[@sumeet3773]

Very insightful video. Can you please make a video on digital product integration with traditional industrial design.

[@Design.Theory]

That's a good idea. I'll put that on my list of videos to do.

[@xelaxander]

Funny, these points are also relevant for software.

[@lukefrahn8538]

Great video! I really enjoy discussions about the overlapping and complimentary nature of product design and entrepreneurial activity; design thinking, iterative development, lean startup methodology, etc.

[@Design.Theory]

Glad you enjoyed it! In order to be a great designer, you must understand business. Our success in design is measured by our ability to bring value to others. Being a great designer is fundamental to doing that, but you need to know the ins and outs of making sure your design gets executed properly.

[@thedrunknmunky6571]

I work for a hardware startup myself and we do R&D work for other companies. We follow a system of agile hardware development (using Jira for planning, daily design meetings, etc.) and as far as I know we're the only hardware company that does it. We also understand that anyone can make a prototype but making a product for a mass market and designing for manufacturing require special skills that not everyone has.

[@richardtickler8555]

Agile is the new buzzword in product development and loads of companies try to implement it. Unfortunately most companies do it wrong, ignore quirks of their industry or try to force it onto projects that dont suit the agile approach (build hw that does the same as an existing product but for 48V instead of 12V)

[@alpacamale2909]

You deserve more subs, keep going!

[@Design.Theory]

Working on it :)

[@Joshi_Bhai]

Nicely articulated..

[@Design.Theory]

Thanks Abhishek :)

[@heyitsjitu1443]

Thank you

[@Design.Theory]

Welcome!

[@rishabhgupta9619]

I can relate to each and every sentence you said. 😎

[@Design.Theory]

Thank you!

[@lakshminarayanans1066]

This is awesome man! Thank you!

[@Design.Theory]

Thanks for watching :)

[@Perroloco603]

AWESOME channel dude! Thank you

[@Design.Theory]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Thanks (Canoo has this problem with their Microlleto, tricycle) but how does one know if he or she must use Steve Jobs' philosophy: "they will like it, they just don't know it" or something like that. Elon said that too w/ the first practical EV, the 2007 - 2008 Roadster? God bless.

[@Deliverygirl]

Critical thinking is important, some things are quite self evident that they will never catch on. A tricycle is not revolutionary nor does it solve an outstanding problem or create a new need to fill.

[@rockysage7760]

Are you a professor? These are some really insightful videos.

[@Design.Theory]

Yes, I teach at the college level part-time

[@michaljanovsky8966]

superb ID vid!

[@Design.Theory]

Thanks for watching :)