Designing and developing a new product is a challenging task that requires a lot of effort, time, and resources. It involves a series of processes, including design, development, testing, and production. In this article, we will explore the challenges faced by a team during the design and development of a new board, which will be installed in an electric heater.
The team had to go through a lengthy process to design, develop, and produce the board. It took them over a year to complete the process. Once the board was ready and installed in the electric heater, the work was still in progress. They had to finish mobile applications for both iOS and Android platforms, server applications, and firmware. Additionally, they had to perform various tests and modify software constantly.
One of the major challenges that the team faced during the design and development of the board was the risk of making mistakes in the printed circuit board (PCB) design. Making mistakes in the PCB design can be very costly as it requires the production of a new set of boards, assembling them, burning firmware, and testing them. The team had to be very careful to avoid making any mistakes in the design.
Despite being careful, the team encountered one costly mistake that they had to fix. They found a bug in the firmware that caused the board to restart every 10 seconds if the Wifi scanner was running, and there were no Wifi networks available around. Though this was a rare case, the team had to detect it in a special room where no signals could pass through the walls. This incident emphasizes the importance of being cautious while designing and developing applications, especially when predicting different working conditions.
Apart from the PCB design, the team faced other challenges during the development of mobile applications. We decided to use KMM (Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile) for mobile app development purposes. This was a risky decision as KMM is not yet mature. The team faced all sorts of issues with the iOS app and Swift UI, and even Android Jetpack Compose brought some unexpected surprises. However, step by step, they resolved all the complications and prepared the mobile applications for publishing to Google Play and Apple App Store.
The certification process is the final blocker before getting the mobile applications approved for publishing to the app stores. It involves a thorough review of the applications to ensure that they comply with the guidelines and policies of the app stores. Once the certification process is completed, the mobile applications will be published on Google Play and Apple App Store.
In conclusion, designing and developing a new product is a challenging task that requires a lot of effort, time, and resources. The team faced several challenges during the design and development of the board, including the risk of making mistakes in the PCB design and issues with mobile app development. However, they overcame these challenges through careful planning, testing, and modification. The team’s perseverance and commitment to quality will undoubtedly result in a successful product launch.