# A First-Generation Product Master Class with Milo Werner, Recorded LIVE at "Build Better 2022" (hosted by Instrumental Inc.)

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2022-04-05
- Length: 49m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Milo Werner, General Partner at The Engine and former NPI leader at Tesla and Fitbit, shares lessons from launching first-generation products like the Model S powertrain and Fitbit's automated factories. She explains how Tesla reused proven components to accelerate the Model X launch, the critical importance of aligning incentives with contract manufacturers (CMs), and the need for early cross-functional collaboration to avoid late engineering changes. Werner also discusses managing team burnout, the role of data in defining quality specs, and the differing reliability expectations between automotive and consumer electronics.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=0) Introduction and Milo Werner's Career Path
- [5:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=316) Building the Model S Powertrain Team
- [8:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=516) Lessons from First-Generation Product Challenges
- [13:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=816) Accelerating Model X Launch via Component Reuse
- [17:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=1051) Transitioning to Fitbit and Contract Manufacturing
- [19:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=1174) Selecting CMs and Managing Supply Chain
- [23:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=1393) Defining Quality Specs and Data Infrastructure
- [35:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=2136) Team Management, Burnout, and Culture
- [27:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build#t=1640) Audience Q&A: Gullwing Doors, Automation, and Future Trends

## Topics

- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Tesla (company)
- Fitbit (company)
- The Engine (company)
- Model S (product)
- Model X (product)
- Good to Great (other)
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (other)
- A3 (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [221: How to Go from Prototype to First Manufacturing Run](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-04-11-221-how-to-go-from-prototype-to-first-manufacturing-run) (Product Startup)
- [064: Preparing and Executing Your Product's First Production Run](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-23-064-preparing-and-executing-your-products-first-production-run) (Product Startup)
- [S5E33 Devon Copeland | Working for Apple & Tesla, Building a Better MFG Execution System (MES)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-16-s5e33-devon-copeland-working-for-apple-tesla-building-a-better-mfg-execution-sys) (Being an Engineer)
- [S1 E4: Cracking the Code of Hardware Manufacturing with Scott Miller](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2023-05-15-s1-e4-cracking-the-code-of-hardware-manufacturing-with-scott-miller) (The Builder Circle)
- [S7E19 Ryan Schoonmaker | How to Take A Structured Approach to Solving Engineering Problems](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-05-01-s7e19-ryan-schoonmaker-how-to-take-a-structured-approach-to-solving-engineering) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-04-05-a-first-generation-product-master-class-with-milo-werner-recorded-live-at-build. 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 Manufacturing Happy Hour.