It Takes a Village to Ship Hardware
Hardware has a way of humbling even the most experienced engineers. Getting a product from idea to shelf takes far more than a great design. It takes an ecosystem working together.
From Slipping Schedules to Successful Launches: The TPM Advantage
On a clear walk along West Cliff in Santa Cruz, I found myself reflecting on a role that is often misunderstood in high-tech hardware product development: The TECHNICAL PROGRAM MANAGER (TPM). Too often, TPMs are viewed as administrative coordinators who track schedules, update Gantt charts, and manage checklists. But in high-performing organizations, a seasoned TPM is something entirely different…
The Salt and the Feedback Loop
The tide was pulling back from Natural Bridges today, exposing slick kelp and the sharp geometry of barnacles. Walking West Cliff with Michael, we watched anemones retract at the slightest touch—a simple loop of stimulus, action, consequence refined over millions of years. It struck us that while we often discuss Behavior Design as a modern concept, we’re really just codifying what the [...]
Webinar: Mastering Multi-Supplier Collaboration for a More Resilient Supply Chain
Join us on March 18 at 10:00 AM EDT for an informative conversation about working effectively with Contract Manufacturers and Joint Design Manufacturers. PRG experts Shirish Joshi, VP of Operations Consultant, and Michael Keer, Founder and Managing Partner, join Jim Ruga, Chief Technology Officer at Fictiv, and David Barry, Senior Solutions Architect at PTC for an engaging conversation.
Continuation Engineering: Turning Obsolescence into Opportunity
If you’re a hardware engineering manager or product owner, you know that the ability to manufacture and ship your product in volume to new and repeat customers depends heavily on factors outside your control. The largest of these is availability of components selected in the initial design. Components go obsolete all the time, and companies have departments set up to monitor this to be ready [...]
Hardware Product Realization in the age of AI Chapter 7: Preparing for Agile Hardware Implementation, 10 Warning Signs to Look Out For
This chapter sets you on the path towards being ready for agile hardware product development.
Hardware Product Realization in the age of AI Chapter 6 Part 2: Applying agile hardware techniques, changing the normalized “old ways”
This chapter concludes the discussion on applying agile methodologies to your hardware development process.
Hardware Product Realization in the age of AI Chapter 5: Applying agile hardware techniques, changing the normalized “old ways”.
This chapter explores the first part of a practical look at how to apply agile methodologies to your hardware development process.
Not All MVPs Are Equal, Nor Should They Be
What does minimum viable REALLY mean, and how minimum is too minimum? Most people think of an MVP as a minimum functional version of a product that’s good enough to test market demand, usability, or competitive positioning. But in regulated industries like medical devices, where product lifecycles can stretch 7 to 15 years, there is another MVP that matters just as much.
From Soil to Soul: Digging into the Future of Hardware
On a beautiful walk along West Cliff, Hardy and I explored an unexpected but powerful parallel: what healthy soil ecosystems can teach us about the future of hardware, design, and technology. Along the way, one theme kept surfacing.
Hardware Product Realization in the age of AI Chapter 4: Distinguishing between Agile Hardware and Agile Software
In this chapter, the differences between Agile Hardware and Agile Software are explored to help you apply agile techniques to a hardware development workflow.
In a Rapidly Changing Global Supply Chain, the Fundamentals Still Matter
As John and I walked a sunny West Cliff Drive, one theme kept surfacing from his depth of experience working with global manufacturing partners: even as technology accelerates, the core principles of building resilient supply chains remain largely unchanged.
