FEATURE EMBEDDED TECHNOLOGY
TO THE RESCUE Preparing for failure and adapting to the cause
Words by Dunstan Power, director, ByteSnap E
ven with the best requirements and specifications, electronics design projects can drift. Missed deadlines lead to slower time to market, frustration in both technical and management teams, and potential financial/reputational damage if a product isn’t delivered. Each unsuccessful project has its own unique problems. Sometimes a single event is the cause. But often, a complex, entwined set of factors cumulatively result in failure.
Based on reviews of the projects presented for rescue, the following are the most common issues that lead to, or contribute to, the failure of electronics design projects: obsolescence, hardware choices, redesign life limited, field trial issues, slipping timescales, skills leakage, lack of resources, and the operating system no longer suiting the use. To counteract these concerns, ByteSnap, as an embedded systems consultancy, has recently launched a new, discreet service to put struggling electronics back on track. Dubbed the ByteSnap Design Rescue Service, it includes a thorough analysis of a project to identify reasons for failure, advice on
the best approach for rescue and the provision of realistic timelines for the ultimate delivery.
THE PROCESS The design rescue process is straightforward and operates as follows: Firstly, open communication is
established with project stakeholders, both technical and management: the development team needs to recognise there is a problem. The hardest part of the process can be making a start and admitting that there is a risk of failure. A consultation with a design rescue engineer can establish the problem and the device or system involved. Then there’s an analysis of the existing design - towards the end of the first consultation, a design rescue consultant will state whether the project is salvageable, and will subsequently provide an estimate of the time and cost involved. A detailed review by design rescue engineering experts thus leads to modifications to the system, testing the changes to find root cause of the problem and identify usable elements of the project.
With the results verified, together, the
next step is planned. This could involve verifying the changes with a limited production run, or releasing modified software to a few key customers. The service was developed for the increasing number of clients looking to troubleshoot hard/software design projects: here’s a case study.
CUTTING CORNERS Previous development efforts failed to deliver a working device for a client that originally wanted a customised off-the-shelf solution; they then engaged with a contractor to deliver something bespoke. However, the resultant development ended with a non-functioning product, and the client was “ghosted” by the contractor who cut off contact. ByteSnap was able to reverse engineer the device to salvage any hardware and software, and ensure that the product was ready for manufacture.
ByteSnap
www.bytesnap.com Tel: +44 (0) 121 222 5433
14 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 | ELECTRONICS
/ ELECTRONICS
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