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When we think of “hardware,” we often think of gadgets. But the term covers a wide range of physical products, from simple screws to connected devices. Everyday tools and devices make household tasks easier and workplaces more efficient. Scientific hardware enables transformative discovery. And some types of equipment, such as face masks and medical devices, can even save lives.
Bringing new products to market has never been easy, and the list of famous fails is long: In recent years, Juicero, Google Glass, Amazon’s Fire Phone, and the Theranos Edison have all made headlines for missing the mark. Still, every inventor holds out hope that they will be the one to launch the next iPhone, OXO peeler, or Vipp pedal bin.
Of course, there are many obstacles along the way; that’s why so many products don’t make it. The rise of digital has changed our view of product development; American companies have become adept at making apps, but manufacturing has been declining for decades. Hardware development is time-consuming and expensive, especially compared with software development’s relatively low barrier to entry. The costs and complexities ripple across the entire hardware development process.
This week, we look at the hardware development process and how we might develop new products for a new era.
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