# 35: All These Different Reasons Why You Might Want to Do Something

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2014-01-15
- Length: 56m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/mes-ep35-mp3

## Summary

Chris Gammell, co-host of The Amp Hour podcast and employee at a large industrial electronics company, discusses his new online course, Contextual Electronics, which bridges the gap between academic theory and practical hardware design. He explains the course's structure, which targets advanced Arduino users by teaching them to design, source parts for, and build a 'Bench Buddy' project using KiCad and open-source tools. Gammell details the logistical challenges of running a remote hardware class, including managing global time zones, version control via GitHub, and optimizing for low-cost, low-quantity component sourcing.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something#t=6) Introduction to Contextual Electronics
- [1:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something#t=65) Course Structure and Target Audience
- [2:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something#t=174) Pricing Tiers and Value Proposition
- [13:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something#t=791) Motivation: Bridging the Education Gap
- [19:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something#t=1183) Consulting vs. Digital Products
- [30:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something#t=1812) The Bench Buddy Project and Tools
- [36:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something#t=2189) Logistics: GitHub, Sourcing, and Global Reach
- [51:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something#t=3112) Course Naming and Philosophy

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch

## Mentioned

- Contextual Electronics (product)
- The Amp Hour (product)
- KiCad (tool)
- GitHub (tool)
- LT Spice (tool)
- Adafruit (company)
- Digikala (company)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- Bench Buddy (product)
- Arduino (product)
- UT Austin (company)
- Coursera (tool)
- Udacity (tool)
- Curious Inventor (product)
- Tindie (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Contextual Electronics, ClubJameco and Solderpaste - Lifelong Learning Likelihood](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-06-05-contextual-electronics-clubjameco-and-solderpaste-lifelong-learning-likelihood) (The Amp Hour)
- [Rebuilding Projects with Dave Young](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-08-28-rebuilding-projects-with-dave-young) (The Amp Hour)
- [Pull The Trigger](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-02-19-pull-the-trigger) (The Amp Hour)
- [Otiose Ontocyclic Opiniasters](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-30-otiose-ontocyclic-opiniasters) (The Amp Hour)
- [A 2013 Recap - Year-end Yarn Yakking](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-12-31-a-2013-recap-year-end-yarn-yakking) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.