Join us as we explore a framework for iterative hardware-based product development. Kris Dobelstein will share insights into leveraging an Agile mindset, methodologies, and tools to envision product goals, clarify assumptions, uncover risk, align teams, and prioritize development resulting in timely, highly relevant products.

Agile practices aren't new, they're just rarely used effectively outside of software development. We'll give historical and practical examples, mostly from aviation, to illustrate some time-worn strategies for implementing Agile practices in hardware development. Most notably, an Agile product development framework for hardware products needs to:

1) Start slow to go fast 2) Delay key decisions as long as possible 3) Leverage 21st-century prototyping tools 4) Value high-bandwidth collaboration between teams, customers, and vendors over specifications, requirements, and contracts

Kris will provide an overview of a typical development cycle, highlighting how to get started with vision boarding, the product narrative, and development pre-mortem.

Then we will take a look at how to get the development ball rolling and maintain momentum in opportunity-rich environments using provisional architectures, various value lenses, customer feedback, and the all-important retrospective.

Come learn how hardware development offers unique opportunities to practice agility!

Take-aways - "Agile" product development isn't just 20 years old. In fact, highly collaborative, iterative development has been around for 80+ years. - Agile isn't about choosing a particular framework, it's about your mindset. - When you're making hardware, iterative approaches need to take the steps of designing and making tangibles into account. - Strategic communication tools help teams think about how to get started and align around a common vision so that they can learn to share iterations across disciplines. - Practical approaches for keeping hardware development modular and iterative.

About the Presenter

Kris Dobelstein has led hardware product development efforts using a variety of methodologies and techniques over the last decade. He has experimented with traditional and Agile project management methodologies and is constantly (and enthusiastically) looking for ways to evolve project management to optimize for creating products that customers love while keeping development efforts sustainable and enjoyable. He is a Pacific Northwest native and lives, works, and plays in Portland, Oregon with his family.

Notice: This meeting may be recorded.

Events are made possible by the AgilePDX community and our sponsors, including platinum sponsor ProFocus Technology (https://www.profocustechnology.com/). Learn more about our sponsors at https://agilepdx.org/sponsorship.

Additional Information:

Q: Is the space ADA accessible? A: Yes, Puppet is ADA accessible. Please knock to have the security guard help with doors.

Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms? A: We are still checking on this.

Q: Will there be food and drinks at this event? A: Pizza is sponsored by PNSQC, and soda is courtesy of Puppet.

Q: What is the easiest way to get to the venue? A: Street parking downtown is limited, but there are parking garages in walking distance. For public transportation options, please visit https://trimet.org/ to plan your trip to Puppet at 308 SW 2nd Avenue in Downtown Portland.

Q: How do I enter the building? A: Enter the building on 2nd Avenue, and knock for security guard to open the doors. Take the elevator to the 5th floor to access Puppet's event space.