If you can build a box, then you can build a palace
Far too often people let their ambitions get in the way of their first step. When trying to picture the complexities of their grand vision they are left paralyzed by the detail necessary to build a project. Whether it’s a DIY woodworking project or a software side project I know plenty of people (myself being the perfect example) who are idea rich and execution poor. Sometimes it’s due to a lack of discipline, but often times it’s because people simply don’t know what tools they actually have at their disposal.
Somehow it seems that the more tantalizing the idea, the harder it is to take a first step. Immediately drawn back by so many potential hang ups, the best ideas remain in the unclear brains of timid builders. The logical deterrent from capable people creating real solutions is the initial investment of time and money…the thing is, prototypes are meant to iterate rapidly and be fabricated inexpensively. Almost any idea should be prototyped quickly and proven in concept very frugally if you know where to find the right tools. As a mechanical engineer, it’s my job to zero in on an idea and shortly after the ‘what’ has been defined, dive into the ‘how’ and figure out a way to make it a reality. On the job, I’ve learned a few processes and tools that can jumpstart any idea.
Where’s the proof?
This notion of being quick to build isn’t new. Tom Chi discusses what the process of prototyping the Google Glass looked like in his Ted Talk. A product inspired by a Tom Cruise movie with high tech virtual reality was prototyped with hair bands and fishing line in 45 minutes. It went on to be one of the most closely followed innovations of the last 10 years and has found a landing spot in many industrial settings to improve supply chain efficiencies.
Another Googler, Jake Knapp, is best known for his contributions to the Sprint Design Process. In this framework, the goal is to take the most pressing problem that a potential product is facing, and make the design decision, prototype it, test it, and get feedback about it in one week. Doing all of this definitely makes for a full week, especially when trying to get an entire team to agree on a prototype. However, it’s a process that has proven to be effective for so many teams, and one of the most flabbergasting aspects is that there is only one day of prototyping. That’s because the smart engineers at Google know that building should be quick and dirty in the early stages, and an allocation of more time than that can be wasteful.
How do you build in the first place?
Many people don’t realize that the palace they are trying build requires a blueprint that may start out as a cardboard box. And no matter what the vision may be, the resources it takes to prove it are easier to acquire than most people think. Some of these tools are very popular, others are infuriatingly cultish.
Tools like Codecademy are abundant and well known to help learn software. Lesser known programs like Onshape, and Sketchup, are great free resources to design 3D objects that are easy to learn. 3D hubs will be the next step that connects people who own 3D printers to people who want something printed. Turning an idea of a physical product into a tangible object can happen in no time if you can sit through 10 minutes of youtube tutorials and dedicate a little practice.
Have you ever explored Pinterest and seen intricate flat pattern designs that are too beautiful and clean for an average person to imagine? I’ll admit, at some point artistic ability and mastery of software becomes a factor, but the cheat code to making any clean, crisp, decorative flat pattern part is a laser cutter. These can be designed in OnShape, Sketchup, Adobe Illustrator, or any other CAD program that will export faces as .DXF or .AI files. From there, Pololu is just one company that will make your parts for as little as $25 and can help with choosing the right materials.
If you’re looking to make several copies of parts or even low production of a component, using a 3D printed or wooden mold and plastic resin or two part plastic epoxy can turn any workshop into a small production plant.
This process is similar to how the pros make thousands of units, and nearly identical to how some companies produce parts that only run several dozen.
These are the tools that get people off the ground, and with a little practice can build some fun projects that require very little technical background. Taking the leap and choosing to build is addicting. Before long, it’s clear that anyone can build a box, and I hope that leads to more people building palaces.
If you want a more pragmatic and technical approach you can see how your project will behave under real world stress if you’re willing to take a few minutes to learn FEA and want to analyze in a free software like Lisa.
Ultimately this comes down to show that being a builder is a daunting notion to many people, but the tools to put together a cool hobby project or a rough prototype are easy to learn and readily available to anyone. Everybody has ideas on what to build and why it would be such a great product, what people don’t realize is that it doesn’t take a ton of money or any specialty equipment to go from building a box to building a palace.
