When we set out to build Waldo, we knew that a long road awaited us. And we knew that, no matter how prepared we were, there would still be surprises.
And there were. Packed with a lot of challenges. A lot. We managed to overcome some. Others are still a „work in progress”.
So we thought we’d share a few of the biggest issues we’ve faced. Some of you may be already familiar with them. For the others: we don’t want to discourage you, just to give some insights of what’s out there. We really hope this will help you.
1. Components
This is a lengthy process that often involves reading tons of documentation. If you’re looking for a component that fits a specific use case that is not familiar to you, be ready to spend long hours going through tens of spec sheets.
2. Lead time
If you do manage to find the right components without going mad, there’s still one more issue: lead time. Unfortunately, you’ll most probably won’t find what you’re looking for on Amazon, so you can say goodbye to the two-day shipping of Amazon Prime.
3. Team
You need more people to create a hardware product than you do for its software counterpart. Probably because the hardware product also includes the software part. Luckily, we’ve got you covered here.
4. Cost
Apart from the transportation cost, the components themselves will be more expensive than you would hope. This is because you’re not buying 1.000 or 10.000, but two or three for your prototype. And before you know it, you’ve already exceeded your monthly budget.
5. Certifications
This is something most founders overlook. And we were no exception until recently when we started devouring resources on the topic. Don’t make this mistake. Even if your prototype is just cardboard and duct tape, it will help if you tackle this problem early on.
