How to structure a project from scratch
A design, development or manufacturing project seems complex mostly because it hasn't yet been broken into steps.
Breaking down the project rather than tackling it as a whole
A project that seems daunting as a whole becomes far more manageable once broken into distinct steps: framing the need, feasibility study, modelling, prototype, testing, adjustment, final manufacturing. Each step stays manageable individually, even if the whole seemed complex at first.
The order of steps matters as much as the steps themselves
Skipping a step, particularly the test prototype, to save time often means having to backtrack later, at a higher cost. Respecting the logical order of the process generally remains the fastest path overall, even if it seems longer step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to follow every step for a small project?
The same broad steps apply, but their duration and formality naturally scale to the size of the project.