IET 24_10_13

Proof of Concept for New Electronics Products

Andrew LarkinsCEO

Lime Tree Innovation24/10/13

© www.limetreeinnovation.com 2

Normal Product Development

• Evolution– Cost cut (50%)– Enhanced performance (x2)– New features

• Revolution (10 x typical)– Serve same market need

• New – New product, new market

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Proof of Concept

Just make me a …

“Practical demonstration of working system”

I want it next week and there is no budget….

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Proof of Concept

• New product– No starting point for the design

• New market– No existing direct competition– Performance so different it radically chances the

use case– No one knows what is needed

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The starting point

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Prove what?

• Why the product needed• Scope of required function• Core technology• Performance characteristics• Consumer demand• Ease of use• Integration with existing systems• ……24/10/2013


Next step beyond the proof

• What gives the project the greatest chance of success?

• What maximises the size of that success?• What is required to get the go ahead for the

follow on development?

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© www.limetreeinnovation.com 824/10/2013

Acceptance Factors Description

Relative Advantage How much better is your product than the current generation?

Compatibility How compatible is the product with the way people currently work?

Complexity Is the product simple to understand and to use?

Trialability Is it easy for customers to perform a quick trial on the product?

Observability Is the innovation visible to others? How many people will blog about it?


Proof of Concept - Example 1

• Cancer diagnostic tool• Used to gather data in UK University• Analysis showed diagnostic capability

• Prototype design un-toleranced• Results were relative not absolute• Only applicable to the prototype• Major reengineering required• Practical reimplementation took years• Successful clinical trials24/10/2013



• Gas analysis device• Novel high performance technique (10x)

• Performance not fully compared to market– Regulatory requirements– Both over and under-specified

• Development refocused– Broad quantitative measures of success– 2 years further development of Proof of Concept

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• Proximity warning system• Simple breadboard of RF system

• Proof of Concept proved the underlying physics applied to the application

• Sufficient to gain investment• Lead to successful product design• Met cost and performance targets• Patent and award winning product

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Lessons learned

• State aims at outset– Think about the full system and POC scope– Compare your results against aims

• Independent customer & user feedback• Be tough on yourself– “It will be better once tooled”– “Its only software”– “That's a minor glitch”– “We can calibrate/shim that out”

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POC Risk Management

• Technical– Will it work?

• Market– Will anyone want it?

• Commercial– Can we sell a quantity at a profit?

• Development– Can we do it in budget and timescale?

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Efficient Design

• Off the shelf• Copy• Evolve• Reuse

• Identify and focus development on high risk/reward areas

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Common Issues

• Unknown requirements• New technologies• Prototype costs and lead times

• What is proof? – communicate clearly– On the balance of probabilities– Beyond reasonable doubt

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Techniques

• Scope– Do the minimum– Do sufficient

• Think full system– Know what is not included in POC

• Look for little problems – bug track• Bold design and implementation choices– Lots of ideas– Kill them fast

• Measure performance

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Examples

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Wireless Sensor Project Brief

• Unique sensor technology– Patented

• Wireless linked sensor technology• Battery powered– 5 year life required

• Complex signal analysis• Global industrial market

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Physical POC

• Sensor technology – High risk area– PC data logger and Excel analysis– Off-the-Shelf as far as possible

• Demonstrate measurement capability– Accuracy– Cross sensitivity, environmental induced errors

• Power, cost, size, route to manufacture

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Paper POC

• System diagram– Sketch of wireless sensor

• Analysis software concept– Sensor processing vs remote processing

• Data to be transfer– Quantity, Type, Frequency

• Radio system – Regulation, Range

• Power budget• Cost estimate

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Regulation

• Unaware• Underestimate• Untested

• Enhance• Exceed• Exaggerate24/10/2013

• Critical• Constructive• Confidence building


Successful Proof of Concept

• Quantitative– Define and measure success

• Small core team– Focused– Fast– Fussy

• Plus Multi-disciplinary advice– Users, customer, production, service, support, finance,

scientist, engineer, regulator, distribution, sales– Team building and collaboration

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Lime Tree InnovationTurning sharp ideas into growing businesses

[email protected]

07810 750417

http://www.limetreeinnovation.com/

mailto:[email protected]

© www.limetreeinnovation.com 2424/10/2013

Documents

IET 24_10_13