In enterprise IoT (Internet of Things), users commonly experience a solution through two touch points: the physical device and the user application.
At MachineQ, we have an industrial design method for creating purposeful interaction with the physical device. Through years of cross-disciplinary collaboration, we have learned how to create enterprise-grade IoT products designed to ensure that aesthetics, performance, and usability coexist.
This article explores how we approach industrial design, why it matters to overall product success, and the principles that guide the creation of our devices in their current form.
The Product Development Process
Industrial design is the first part of the Product Development Process (PDP) that takes a project from wish to widget. Each stage builds on the one before it as the product moves closer to market. The four phases of the PDP are:
- Industrial design – project definition, component and assembly ideation, form and function models.
- Engineering – full definition of form, function, materials, and finishes, along with early testing and iterative prototypes.
- Pre-production – vendor selection, tooling, testing, validation, and certification.
- Production – mass production and shipping.
Early design decisions are critical because consumption of resources increases, and constraints become exponentially more rigid as a project progresses from one phase to the next. The PDP forms an inverted pyramid wherein the relatively low resource bottom must support the high resource top.
Optimizing design before moving to the next step can prevent costly changes later in the process, help manage risk, and ensure usability and reliability are integrated into the product from the start.
Design Phase
Our design process has two stages; each comprises two phases to ensure a balance of creativity and precision. The first stage is for discovery, and the second is for solutions. Within each stage, there is a first phase focused on divergence (collecting information) and a second focused on convergence (reducing information through decisions). This is how we arrive at one solution out of an infinite range of possibilities. An easy way to remember these phases is with the 4 Es: exploration, explanation, expression, and evaluation.
Exploration
This is the time for diverging discoveries. We research the problem to be solved, the users, and their needs. For example, we ask: what is the problem exactly? Who are the stakeholders and what do they want? What have others done regarding this problem or similar ones? We answer all these questions with research, experience, benchmarking, and discussions. Keeping an open mind helps avoid premature conclusions and ensures every design decision is grounded in insights, not assumptions.
Explanation
Next, we define targets for success. Clear targets turn creative ideas into actionable objectives. To successfully drive ideas into action, use the prior research to define targets for every goal, such as size, function, shape, manufacturability, user interface, sustainability, cost, brand, release date, communication, certification, privacy, safety, quality, environmental ratings, installation, strategy, sales, marketing, purchasing, repair, IP, and so on.
Also, rate the significance of those targets in numerical terms, such as on a scale of 1-5. For instance, if there is time to experiment with unproven solutions, the proposed deadline can be of low importance and rated 2. On the other hand, if there is an annual show in which you will introduce the product, the proposed deadline may be of high importance and rated 5.
Expression
This is the time for diverging solutions. That is, coming up with all the ideas you can. It is where designers sketch, prototype, and model potential answers. Collaboration is key and valuable insights will emerge from conversations with all the stakeholders possible. This phase encourages broad thinking while maintaining alignment with defined targets.
Evaluation
The final design phase is the time for converging solutions. We compare what’s been created against the list of targets and their importance. We prioritize ideas that solve many problems at once. Sometimes, evaluation reveals that earlier assumptions need to be revisited, prompting another iteration.
In practice, these four steps overlap and repeat. Information discovered at one point often reshapes thinking in another. This iterative approach allows us to foresee challenges and create products that serve all stakeholders, overlooking no one and accounting for not just the end user but also the worker assembling the product, the metrologist in quality control, the installer, or the recycler at the end of the product’s life.
The Form
When a MachineQ device reaches a customer’s hands, its form reflects countless decisions made months or years earlier. To illustrate, for the current form of our products, consider a mushroom. The shape of a subtle, white mushroom is simple, functional, and predictable. Yet, it belies the complexity of its composition and its origins. On the surface, it appears unremarkable, but underneath lies a large, concealed mycelium (roots) dependent on precise control of soil, moisture, light, ventilation, timing, and relationships with other species.
Our approach is similar. Like the mushroom, the simplicity and unassuming physical character of our devices conceals the complexity of both the product and its intertwined systems. Front-end servers, back-end servers, and integral electronics for sensing, processing, and communication are all represented by this unassuming device.
In the end, the design simplicity is intentional and represents a large, complex, and reliable network.
The Function
Enterprise IoT devices are made to handle a variety of environments and scenarios. From 8+ foot drops onto concrete to a vast temperature range (e.g., -40° to 140°), or achieving long battery life, and obtaining FCC and international RF certifications, the goal is to create devices that are robust, a breeze to deploy—whether self-install or via professional services—and dependable.
First Party vs. Third Party – Why Not White Label?
In product development, it’s often most efficient and cost-effective to use an off-the-shelf product if one is available. When suitable devices already exist, we integrate and optimize them into our platform, making the effort required to move through the four PDP stages less time-consuming, expensive, and risky.
On the other hand, when technology products don’t exist, we run through the same rigorous four-step PDP to ensure the product meets our strict requirements for enterprise-grade performance, reliability, and user experience.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is evolving quickly. It is predicted that in just five years, IoT will double from 20 billion devices to 40 billion. As the world becomes more crowded with sensors, our solution to what can be overwhelming is simplicity.
At MachineQ, simplicity is about making sure all touch points are carefully crafted to bring a comprehensive solution to the customer. After all, a chain is only as good as its weakest link.
