Embracing a Consumer-Centric Approach to Product Development
Doug Roberson, CTO of Alterco Robotics (maker of the Shelly IoT brand), explains how the company uses a consumer-centric approach to product development by listening to customers via social media and forums. He discusses the importance of versatile hardware form factors, such as the Shelly 1 relay, and the critical lesson that a working prototype does not guarantee a profitable product due to Bill of Materials costs. Roberson also emphasizes data privacy by offering local control options and advises founders to build experienced teams and say 'no' to superfluous features to avoid failure.