In some situations, speed is of the essence. Think of self-styled “fast food” or “quick service” dining establishments. If such restaurants are unable to provide quality food quickly enough, their clientele may question the business model.
In many situations, however, the speed at which a good or service can be provided is less important than the quality. Although timing clearly does matter, speed doesn’t trump effectiveness. This is especially important to remember during pre-production.
The Perils of Pre-Production
The perils of pre-production are manifold. So many things can go wrong in these early stages that it would take us quite a bit of time and space to compile a complete list. One of the most dangerous perils, however, is that of jetting too quickly through the pre-production phase. In an effort to get on the market as soon as possible, developers often pass over important testing phases, thereby potentially undermining the quality and viability of their product.
Web developers have seen this dynamic in action.
[With] the desire to move to shorter development cycles and get to the “production” environment more quickly, companies are finding ways to take shortcuts as compared to traditional methodologies.
Software creators aren’t the only ones feeling this urge. Those of us who work with hardware also fight a similar battle.
The Tools at Our Disposal
While we do not advocate that you rush or skip pre-production, we do have tools at our disposal to help you move the process along at a faster clip. One of those tools is Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Through this process, you can learn potential strengths, weaknesses, and design flaws in your product without having to put your prototype through multiple tedious real-world tests. Instead, FEA software does the testing for you.
We Can Help
If you have further questions about how FEA works, or if you would like to chat with us about any of our other premium services, please feel free to contact us at any time. We have technicians standing by, and we look forward to hearing from you.
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