Technological development focuses on making our lives easier by alleviating numerous burdens. However, innovative ideas are always combined with the risk of not being accepted by the public. What will help reduce this risk?
Proof of concept (PoC) is a key to successful project development since it allows testing your idea before introducing it to the market. PoCs are especially useful for embedded projects due to the costs product developers usually spend to create a device https://lembergsolutions.com/embedded-engineering. Coupled with a considerable market research, PoCs allow turning an idea into a well-thought-out plan.
Caring about our ideas, we may not notice that our judgements are subjective. This is why we should check whether end users require our product and how it covers their needs. PoCs do just that.
In this article, we explain why PoCs are so paramount and share the tips on how to make your PoC a perfect tool for entering the market.
What is a proof of concept?
PoCs include hardware and software development that determines whether your project idea is technically feasible and valuable for end users. Engineers use off-the-shelf components to create an initial version of the product, which acts as a proof that it will function as planned and cover customer needs. PoCs allow you to validate your idea before engaging in more extensive development, product testing, and full-scale production. PoC creation includes concept preparation, market research, product value measurement, product design and development, and initial testing. When the PoC is ready, you will understand which direction to take to make your product a market-ready solution. However, PoC may also demonstrate that your idea is not viable or technically possible. At this point, you can fix the project flaws and develop a PoC that proves feasibility and business value.
Why is it important to develop a proof of concept first?
Trying to implement a unique embedded device idea is a journey full of challenges and pitfalls. Comprehensive PoC development is exactly what you need to add clarity and confidence to your project. PoC targets many other issues, which you can read below.
Makes your estimation more accurate
When you come up with an embedded project idea, you will face specific difficulties during the estimation process. Prediction of the timeframes, as well as the implementation costs, for each stage strongly depends on your product development knowledge. However, you cannot predict the technical feasibility of a device without designing and developing its alpha version, which includes the core functions of the product but isn’t complete yet. Including a PoC development stage in your estimate will help you allocate your resources right.
Helps to choose tech components that suit your project the best
Even if your tech knowledge is high, there are some cases when you need to check your ideas in practice. You should take into account component incompatibility that sometimes cannot be predicted. The best way to avoid any unpredictable issues is to build a PoC and check how your device functions with a specific component set. This way, you will be able to correct the course of development at the early stage of your project.
Reduces the risks and saves the costs
Embedded product development comprises the risk of miscalculating your end user demands. You can create a state-of-the-art solution with multiple useful features, but your customers may not like it. PoC ensures that you meet your target user requirements and make the product convenient and even irreplaceable. You can test your PoC with the help of a focus group, collect their feedback, and adjust your product to the end user’s opinion. PoCs allow to discover the bugs and inconveniences, which you can fix early on before entering the market and risking to fail.
Prepares your embedded product to enter the market
A well-developed PoC decreases time to market and ensures a positive user experience. Since the PoC stage requires thorough market analysis, you will have all information necessary to make your product climb the charts. Since you will test your PoC and gather feedback from the focus group, your market entry will be more smooth, without unpleasant surprises.
As you can see, PoC is a business savior that promises a cost and time-effective way to develop your product. Don’t hesitate to integrate this project development stage into your business processes and get more accurate results.
Key steps to make your PoC for embedded project a success
With a sound approach to PoC development, you increase your chances to succeed. Check out which steps to take to make your project thrive.
Research the market and available technologies
Conducting research to make your PoC more sound and well-designed is an important first stage of the project. Find relevant experience of the fellow engineers and analyze how they handled the technical challenge. Prepare your team and provide useful information that will help them implement your embedded device idea. If nobody in your field have realized a similar project before, proceed with searching for a suitable theoretical data and studies. PoCs always set specific technical challenges, even if the idea isn’t new. Eventually, your team will find the needed solution through trial and error.
Analyze the relevance of your idea
A clear-cut purpose of your embedded project is a must. Create an accurate image of your target audience and determine whether your device will cover their needs. You can conduct interviews to gather necessary information and set the right direction for your team. You should know your users’ expectations to make your device hit the bull’s eye.
Make sure your idea is feasible
Before investing in your project, check whether it is technically possible and how much effort you will put into its implementation. The feasibility check includes the complexity of your project, its approximate cost, project scope, viability, and tools you will need to use.
Examine potential risks
PoC serves as a guarantee that your idea is worth a shot. Include all the risks you may face during project implementation and after entering the market to get a clear picture. Note that you will make certain adjustments to reduce the risks that come to light when the first PoC is ready.
Establish success metrics
To measure your PoC’s success, you will need metrics that clarify how close you are to your goal. Decide on the timeframes, costs, and results you expect to have after the PoC is developed.
To sum up, the PoC stage is indispensable for embedded project development. From the research stage to feedback gathering, PoC allows to make your project course more clear and reliable. Not only it simplifies the task for your embedded engineering team but also helps you to check the viability of your idea with the help of the focus group. Build your PoC using the tips in this article and implement your innovative ideas smoothly!
