The crux of prototyping is broken down to two key aspects
- Ability to understand and translate clinical need
- Engineering capability
To understand and translate Clinical Need does more than just satisfying the clinician or the patient. It helps to reduce iterations, and therefore reduces time and effort wastage. By listening and considering feedback, a better form factor, better device usability are likely outcomes.
Engineering capability is based on the ability to have 1. Engineering tools and equipment. 2. Actual engineers that knows how to operate the tools, and engineering design skills.
Between the two, having engineering capabilities appears to be less of an issue, but it can be when the engineers are good in one aspect of engineering and therefore one part of the device, but not too good with others. Furthermore, the ‘capabilities’ here refer to the engineering resources in touch with you, not their suppliers.
A recent case is exactly, that, where the client is endlessly waiting for a (competent) supplier of the engineering company that was contracted, because of the lack of commitment from the supplier. What would be done in 3 months had stretched to 8 months. Does it matter? Yes! Because in the other 5 months you are eating up cash in other aspects. So speed indeed is the essence.
Therefore, some of the first checks to hunt for the right prototyping group
- If they are listening to you and considering your feedback, even when you don’t appear to make sense.
- Have the necessary engineering tools
- Ensure engineers are capable and not just their suppliers
- Commitment to your project, or else the project will drag on endlessly.
Still clear as mud?
