# 119: Planning for the Unexpected in Product Design

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2022-03-23
- Length: 27m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-23-119-planning-for-the-unexpected-in-product-design
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Kelly Schmutte, a Standford d.school lecturer and founder of PerfectFit, discusses navigating ambiguity in hardware design, drawing on her experience creating professional ballet shoes. She explains how prototyping evolved from learning to validation, detailing a costly pivot from EVA foam to silicone rubber after realizing the initial material failed to meet user needs. Schmutte emphasizes that early, parallel prototyping and accepting failure are essential for finding the right solution in product development.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-23-119-planning-for-the-unexpected-in-product-design#t=0) Introduction: Kelly Schmutte and Standford d.school
- [4:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-23-119-planning-for-the-unexpected-in-product-design#t=283) Defining Ambiguity in Design and Problem Framing
- [9:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-23-119-planning-for-the-unexpected-in-product-design#t=559) Academic Research on Uncertainty and Stress
- [13:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-23-119-planning-for-the-unexpected-in-product-design#t=832) PerfectFit Case Study: EVA Foam to Silicone Pivot
- [19:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-23-119-planning-for-the-unexpected-in-product-design#t=1152) Prototyping Frameworks: Learning, Defining, and Validating
- [24:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-23-119-planning-for-the-unexpected-in-product-design#t=1455) Budgeting for Exploration and Managing Failure

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Standford University (company)
- d.school (other)
- IDEO (company)
- PerfectFit (product)
- Navigating Ambiguity (other)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 203: So and So Johnson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2019-02-22-episode-203-so-and-so-johnson) (Making It)
- [IDology #11 - Most common mistakes in product development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2023-03-28-idology-11-most-common-mistakes-in-product-development) (IDology)
- [452: I Wish I’d Thought of That](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-08-23-452-i-wish-id-thought-of-that) (Making It)
- [Tips for Early-Stage Smart Device Prototyping](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-03-24-tips-for-early-stage-smart-device-prototyping) (Over the Air)
- [Fail culture in product design - IDology #16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2024-02-20-fail-culture-in-product-design-idology-16) (IDology)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-23-119-planning-for-the-unexpected-in-product-design. 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 Product Startup.