leading the lean charge: pod point’s approach to accellerated innovation by erik fairbairn,...

Leading the Lean Charge:

Our Approach to Accelerated Innovation

Started : 2009

Charge Points Sold : >40,000

Valuation : c£100m

Staff : >100

Travel Shouldn’t Damage the Earth

ppt/slides/slide2.xml




Software MVP Iteration 1 Iteration 2 Iteration 3 Iteration 4 Iteration 5Software

Hardware Specify Develop Validate

Lean Hardware Development

Launch

Waterfall

Lean

EV Charge Point MVP Requirements:

• Authenticate User

• Control Power

• Measure Power

• Data Connection

• Remotely updateable








• Casing

• Layout

• Packaging

Specify Develop Validate






Sta

rts w

ork

ing

he

re

Mechanic

al

Ele

ctr

onic

s

Ele

ctr

ical • RFID

• Comms

• Metering

• UX

• Power

• Switching

• Safety











• Casing

• Layout

• Packaging







Sta

rts w

ork

ing

he

re

Mechanic

al

Ele

ctr

onic

s

Ele

ctr

ical • RFID

• Comms

• Metering

• UX

• Power

• Switching

• Safety




Really hard…….






9 months






V1 is really hard, and you don’t know what you are doing!

Mechanical

Electrical

Electronic

v1

V1 ends up being a bit rubbish…..

Launch

Feedback

Improve





Iterate one thing at a time.

Mechanical

Electrical

Electronic

Electrical

Electronic

Mechanical

v1 v2 v3 v4





Multiple Products – not like this:

So

loT

win

Mechanical

Electrical

Electronic

Mechanical

Electrical

Electronic

Mechanical

Electrical

Electronic

Mechanical

Electrical

v1

v2 v3v1

v2 v3 v4





Lean Charge Point Development – Like this…..

Solo

Tw

in

Mechanical

Electrical

Co

re T

ech

Mechanical

Electronic

Electrical

Electronic

Electrical

Electronic

v2 v3v1

Mechanical





Software is your friend.



• Quick

• Cheep

• Easy to fix

• Slow

• Expensive

• Hard to fix

• Simple Hardware

• Clever stuff in software





Take Aways:

Integrated Hardware & Software start-ups are really hard.

Make v1 as simple as possible.

• It isn’t the culmination of your vision – it is your first iteration.

Design your systems and process enable lean

• Modular technology

• Do all the hard stuff in software

• Make it remotely upgradable

Make lots of (expensive) mistakes.

Iterate until you win.

It can be done!





Erik Fairbairn

CEO

Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

leading the lean charge: pod point’s approach to accellerated innovation by erik fairbairn,...

Business