anujdeshpande/boldport-proto-vs-prod.md

## boldport-proto-vs-prod.md

      
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              boldport-proto-vs-prod.md
            
          
    Boldport, one of the interwebs better known hardware design guys went on a rant on how prototyping is so very different from production. If you have ever held a solder gun, or intend to, you should read this.

Why did your "hardware startup" Kickstarter fail? Because none of your prototyping skills are required for production.
source


Skill
Prototyping
Production


coding
sloppy
efficient


technical
stack overflow
$$$ consultants


sourcing
clickety-clack
interacting with distributors


iterating quickly
free next day delivery
12+6 week lead time and shipping from China


testing
woop, it works!
build jigs, test suite, train people


support
wha?
oh shit.


circuit design
cuta-and-pasta
actually need to know what you are doing


pcb design
this Arduino shield would do
Eagle isn't fun -> $$$ consultants


enclosure
over-night 3D print. easy.
tooling costs. Yikes !


shipping
FedEx overnight
holy damn, shipping is expensive, unreliable and lossy


breadth
I'll wing it. How hard can hardware be?
Crap. I'm a fraud


packaging
I'll just fold these 5 boxes
5 days folding 5k boxes isn't fun. Where do I even keep them?!


compliance
certification schmertification.
ESD, EMC, FCC, CE are expensive things.


pricing
unit cost should be $5 with $4.5 profit
It's so damn complicated. I'm about to lose a lot of money


knowledge
I know everything
I wish I knew about that much sooner


punctuality
3 months delivery max.
Crap, OK, I'll write the blog post explaining why we're 3 year late


PS: I put this here so that I can use this in future slidedecks.
Skill	Prototyping	Production
coding	sloppy	efficient
technical	stack overflow	$$$ consultants
sourcing	clickety-clack	interacting with distributors
iterating quickly	free next day delivery	12+6 week lead time and shipping from China
testing	woop, it works!	build jigs, test suite, train people
support	wha?	oh shit.
circuit design	cuta-and-pasta	actually need to know what you are doing
pcb design	this Arduino shield would do	Eagle isn't fun -> $$$ consultants
enclosure	over-night 3D print. easy.	tooling costs. Yikes !
shipping	FedEx overnight	holy damn, shipping is expensive, unreliable and lossy
breadth	I'll wing it. How hard can hardware be?	Crap. I'm a fraud
packaging	I'll just fold these 5 boxes	5 days folding 5k boxes isn't fun. Where do I even keep them?!
compliance	certification schmertification.	ESD, EMC, FCC, CE are expensive things.
pricing	unit cost should be $5 with $4.5 profit	It's so damn complicated. I'm about to lose a lot of money
knowledge	I know everything	I wish I knew about that much sooner
punctuality	3 months delivery max.	Crap, OK, I'll write the blog post explaining why we're 3 year late