22/09/11 Fools, Angels and Electronic Product Design
Once upon a time an 11 year old boy was struggling with a model car on the bedroom floor. The issue was that the car ran slowly and the batteries, which may well have seen use elsewhere before this project, were not allowing the car to run well. Unknown at that time was the fact that the slower the car ran, the quicker the batteries were "going flat".
Roll the calendar forward by a few decades and we have today's situation. The physics behind the problematic car are more far more accurately known and the necessary capabilities to create an improved drive are in reach.
However, the car has been replaced in this instance by an industrial device. The desire is for power and duration of use with the rechargeable batteries (Wouldn't they have been a bonus all those decades ago on the bedroom floor!)
The problem is that the simple perception of a motor and some batteries is not matched by the complex realities of a motor working in an industrial application. In addition, an industrial device requires far more than just an on/off switch as fitted to the model car. Battery charging and control of the motor operation "envelope" are just two of the requirements.
Unfortunately, an overly simple choice of motor and batteries was made. The requirement seemed so simple to the client that there was no need to involve anyone else. The project has escalated in time and cost due to the gradual awareness that the "wrong motor" is only wrong in the context of not having adequately considered the battery pack too. There is little that the electronics can do in the context of this project to change the physical limitations.
In any project encouragement should be given to bring in all parties/design disciplines at an early stage. The interactions between the parties and the resultant outcome of their considerations may well highlight some fundamental issues. Such an approach may well reduce costs, if not directly then certainly indirectly in terms of sales made.
There was a thought to include a phrase... but the origin of that phrase was unknown, so here are both:
Alexander Pope - An essay on criticism (1709)
Such shameless Bards we have; and yet 'tis true,
There are as mad, abandon'd Criticks too.
The Bookful Blockhead, ignorantly read,
With Loads of Learned Lumber in his Head,
With his own Tongue still edifies his Ears,
And always List'ning to Himself appears.
All Books he reads, and all he reads assails,
From Dryden's Fables down to Durfey's Tales.
With him, most Authors steal their Works, or buy;
Garth did not write his own Dispensary.
Name a new Play, and he's the Poet's Friend,
Nay show'd his Faults - but when wou'd Poets mend?
No Place so Sacred from such Fops is barr'd,
Nor is Paul's Church more safe than Paul's Church-yard:
Nay, fly to Altars; there they'll talk you dead;
For Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.
Alexander Pope refers to the literary critics as fools, not the somewhat insulting term that is often associated with fools today.
Posted by: Peter Hawkins on 22/09/11.