Development Process

Xentech Solutions sets itself apart from many design consultancies by our ability to provide you with an end-to-end product development service to meet your outsourcing requirements.

We have a proven approach to product development, based on a structured New Product Introduction (NPI) process. We will assign a Project Manager at the start of the project who will be your primary point of contact for the duration of the project, and will provide weekly status reports, host conference calls and face-to-face meetings during critical phases of the project ensure that you are fully aware of the project status, progress and issues. The Project Manager is completely accountable for the success of your project, including project schedule, budget, quality and unit cost requirements.

Most product development projects can be divided into phases, which can help to reduce risk, and allow the project to be monitored more efficiently.

Initial Engagement

The most important part of the project is the initial engagement and specification. The specification will define what you want to achieve. We will work closely with you to develop an initial proposal based on your initial requirements.

Specification and Proposal

The proposal will define the scope of the project, a technical analysis, the activities we would undertake to deliver your project, our deliverables to you, the risks, timescales, and costs. We will provide all of the information you need to support your decision to award the project to Xentech Solutions.

"The engineer's first problem in any design situation is to
discover what the problem really is." - Unknown

We can carry out product development projects on a fixed-price or on a time-and-materials basis, or a combination of both. As well as taking into account your preference, the choice usually depends on scope of the project is and the level of risk involved.

The price we will quote will be based on a realistic estimate of the effort it will take to complete the project, including the costs of the prototype builds, testing, and approvals. We are open with our pricing, and will discuss with you how the costs have been calculated.

Planning and Technical Architecture

CAD Design After awarding us the project, we will work closely with you to define the detailed Statement of Work (SOW) defining exactly how we will deliver the project, and the detailed product design to meet your requirements. We will provide the options available, providing the trade-offs between functionality, performance, cost and timescales to allow you to decide how to deliver the optimum product.

"To define it rudely but not ineptly, engineering is the art of doing that well with one dollar,
which any bungler can do with two after a fashion." - Arthur Wellesley

We consider the design, manufacturing and manufacturing test implications of the solutions to ensure a smooth introduction into a production facility. We develop the hardware, embedded and application software verification plans, reliability and regulatory certification plans, manufacturing and manufacturing test plans so that you know exactly how your product is going to be delivered.

These activities lead to the formal Statement of Work (SOW) and the Product Design Specification that form the basis of the Development Agreement for Xentech Solutions to develop your product.

"A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person
who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible." - Freeman Dyson

Prototype Design and Development (Alpha Phase)

The design and development phase commits the architecture into a physical form, culminating in the delivery of the first prototypes to demonstrate the hardware, enclosure and software. The designs are thoroughly reviewed internally and with you to ensure that the design meets your requirements, and that the design meets the requirements of all parties involved in the product. Reliability (DFMEA and MTBF), Approvals (EMC/Safety), Manufacturing, and Manufacturing Test teams are all involved in the design and review process to ensure that their requirements are met, and reduce the risk of problems being found later in the development process.

"Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort." - John Ruskin

Product Verification and Approval (Beta Phase)

Test Equipment The design verification phase confirms that the hardware and software design meets your requirements through rigorous testing to identify the limits of the design, and not just to prove that it works. The hardware can be put through preliminary EMC and Highly Accelerated Life Test (HALT) before finalising the hardware design for production, and submitting the platform for formal performance and regulatory certifications. All test and certification reports will be shared with you, and you will receive regular weekly updates from the Project Manager so that you are fully aware of the project status, progress, issues and software bugs.

Production Readiness (Pilot Phase)

With the product development complete, the product must be introduced into the production facility. We are totally flexible in our approach, and will work closely with your chosen manufacturing partners, or you can use our preferred partners. We will work with the manufacturing partner from the start of the project to ensure a smooth transition from prototype into production. We will understand their preferred test methodologies and capabilities, and develop a manufacturing test solution within their capabilities.

Production

We will continue to work with your chosen manufacturing and test partners to ensure that your ongoing production requirements are met. We can also provide ongoing technical support for the product if required.