The Hard Work Hypothesis

The Amp Hour · 22 Dec 2010 · 1h 01m · Episode 22

What this episode covers

Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the 'Hard Work Hypothesis,' arguing that publicly exposing component failures via YouTube videos creates a competitive advantage by forcing companies like DigiKey and Maxim to respond faster and more thoroughly than they would to private complaints. They detail instances where public scrutiny led to high-level engagement and product improvements, contrasting this with the lack of response to private issues. The conversation extends to the state of open-source hardware, the economics of engineering education, and the philosophy of work-life balance in the electronics industry.

Mentioned

Companies
DigiKey, Maxim, Burns, X-Tech, National Public Radio, Liquidware, SparkFun, Artifruit
Products
BeagleBoard, Arduino

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