the first deliverable- the design brie

• a brief can be many things.....
• a summation of the challenge.
• presents a starting roadmap.
• design requirements
• reference images
• timelines
• budgets and costings
• quotation
• responsibilities
• intellectual property
• deliverables

 

deliverables- what does the brief need?

• sketches
• mock-ups
• diagrams
• reports
• presentations
• prototypes
• project plans
• engineering drawings
• cad models

 

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user interface:
- displays
- buttons
- leds
- controls

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enclosure
- what physical items are to be housed?

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connects
- connectors and wires in/out of product
 
power source
- batteries
- 240v
- selv

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service access
- access hatches for programming?

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operating env
- heat
- cold
- moisture
- salt
- vibration

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regs
- safety
- fire
- rohs
- esd
- emc

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quantity
- part availability

 

 

 

hands are great teachers:
Assembly your own prototypes. Watch someone else assemble the same prototype.

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test it and break it:
Test your design, and test it hard. Offer someone a prize if they find a problem. Finding problems with prototypes is a good thing.

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draw:
Every time you meet a client, draw something

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always deliver:
Not every design needs to be a masterpiece. Better to deliver a good solution than to not delivery an ultimate solution.

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find the problem:
If you are struggling with a design direction - it’s usually because you haven’t fully defined the problem. Find a problem to solve and you will find your way out of the quagmire.

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get it in writing:
Get every design decision acknowledged in writing. It’s the cheapest insurance you’ll ever buy.

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