How long is this going to take?
A question we have heard a thousand times.
The short answer? 9-24 months.
The long answer? Let’s talk about that…
In product development, timeline mistakes are expensive. They drain funding, delay revenue, and give competitors time to move ahead. Yet most hardware companies still underestimate how long development really takes.
Here’s the reality: successful product development isn’t always about speed – it’s about predictability. At NEDlabs, we’ve developed over 30 products across consumer, commercial, and industrial sectors. Our most successful clients share one trait: they understand that hardware development is a bumpy road and and plan accordingly.
In this guide, we’ll break down the four phases of product development, examine what really drives timelines, and show you how to optimize your path to market. Whether you’re building your first connected device or upgrading legacy systems, you’ll learn how to create realistic timelines that actually work.
In this guide, we’ll discuss:
- The Four Phases of Product Development
– Understanding & Ideation (2-4 weeks)
– Rapid Prototyping (1-2 months/cycle)
– Iteration & Refinement (1-6 months/cycle)
– Production Preparation (3-6 months)
- Product Decisions That Impact Speed
– Technical Architecture Choices
– Manufacturing Requirements
– External Dependencies
- Managing Risk in the Product Development Process
– Early Risk Identification
– Active Risk Monitoring
– Adapting to Change
The Four Phases of Development
Understanding each phase of product development helps allocate resources effectively. Let’s examine how successful products move from concept to market.
Phase 1: Understanding & Ideation (2-4 weeks)
Most timeline disasters start here.
Rushing through initial planning leads to costly rework later. Smart teams invest time upfront to:
- Understand market and user needs
- Define requirements and success criteria
- Plan out the process and roadmap
- Build their team and key partnerships
During this phase, we help teams answer critical questions: What core technology challenges will we face and how problematic are they? What will the development process look like and how could this change based on key decisions? What regulations will affect your product and how will this impact the process?
These early decisions shape everything that follows.
Phase 2: Design & Rapid Prototyping (1-2 months/cycle)
This is the fun part. Can we make it work?
The goal isn’t perfection – it’s learning quickly. By focusing on the most challenging parts of the product, we validate (or learn and update) key technical assumptions. This addresses the highest risk aspects of the product development process.
This can be tricky as supporting systems and environments often need to be built to test the prototype.
We see most projects needing 2 to 4 design and prototyping cycles, with each cycle taking about 1 to 2 months.
At NEDlabs, we see this as a perfect time to run product-based testing in parallel. We support you in testing the product concept with potential users to get feedback and validate key product assumptions.
This provides key early insights that can help with the development process, as well as the rest of your business.
Phase 3: Iteration & Refinement (1-6 months/cycle)
Now, we bridge the gap between working proof of concept and refined product.
This is where most of the work happens as all key systems designed in the previous phase are refined and integrated into a single product. All supporting systems are developed.
Key insights and input from user experience testing and form-based inputs are also integrated at this stage. Detailed analysis and engineering lead to higher fidelity prototypes that can be stress tested against pre-defined requirements.
Iterations are fewer and changes are typically refining the product rather than making significant design changes (although it happens).
We see most projects needing 2 to 4 iteration and refinement cycles; however, these cycles are very different from design and prototyping.
Initial cycles are long (3-6 months) because they require a lot of initial design, engineering, and testing setup work. The cycles that follow are much shorter (1-3 months) as they refine a few aspects of previous work done.
Phase 4: Production Preparation (3-6 months)
This is the final push to transform your refined prototype into a manufacturable product.
Our engineering team examines every component through the lens of manufacturing and assembly, optimizing designs for efficient production while maintaining quality. During this phase, we develop comprehensive documentation packages – from assembly instructions and quality control procedures to user manuals and packaging designs.
We also submit your product for required certifications (FCC, UL, CE, etc.), which is the largest time variable at this point in the process.
We handle manufacturing according to your needs. NEDlabs can produce small batch runs in-house, perfect for market testing. For larger volumes, we’ll either work with your existing factory or help you find the right manufacturing partner.
While production preparation typically takes 3-6 months, it really depends on the certifications that your product needs and the due diligence you put towards qualifying your factory.
Get our free Product Requirements (PRD) Guide to make smarter decisions from day one.
Product Development Timeline Factors: Key Decisions That Impact Speed
Now that you understand the phases, let’s examine what actually drives development timelines. While every project is unique, certain decisions impact impact this timeline significantly.
Understanding these key decisions early can help you make informed decisions and set realistic expectations.
Technical Architecture Choices
Your initial technology decisions have the biggest timeline impact. These early choices often mean the difference between a smooth development process and months of costly rework. Let’s look at the three decisions that most often affect timelines.
1. Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf Components
The “build vs. buy” decision is rarely simple. While custom components offer perfect specifications, they add significant development time. When EuroCreek needed precision fluid control, using an off-the-shelf valve would have saved three months. But it couldn’t meet their accuracy requirements. The custom valve took longer to develop but delivered the needed performance.
Before choosing custom development, consider that it will require extra time to not only develop, but also test, and integrate. This could be as short as a few weeks or as long as half a year depending on the experience your team has with that technology.
This investment might be worth it for core technology that differentiates your product. However, we’ve seen companies spend months developing custom solutions when existing components would have worked fine.
Conversely, trying to force off-the-shelf components into unsuitable applications often leads to costly rework.
Adding multiple wireless protocols to your product sounds great in theory. Every phone has Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular connectivity, why not your product? But each protocol adds cost, complexity, and development time. Smart teams choose a single protocol that matches their core requirements.
Each wireless protocol offers distinct advantages and tradeoffs:
- Bluetooth (BLE): Fast development, low power, and quick certification. Perfect for connections within 30 feet. Limited range and data rates make it unsuitable for streaming video or continuous data transfer.
- WiFi: Excellent for higher bandwidth applications and longer range. Works well with existing infrastructure but draws more power and requires more complex certification.
- LoRa/LoRaWAN: Extremely long range with minimal power draw. Ideal for sensor networks and IoT devices that send small data packets. Limited bandwidth and specialized infrastructure requirements add complexity to your deployment.
- Cellular (LTE-M/NB-IoT): Works anywhere with cell coverage and doesn’t need local infrastructure. However, it requires carrier certification, adds monthly costs, and significantly increases power consumption.
Your choice of wireless protocol cascades through the entire development process. For example, switching from Bluetooth to WiFi means redesigning power systems, updating certification plans, and often rebuilding parts of your software stack.
Choose your wireless protocol early and stick with it. Adding or changing wireless capabilities late in development almost always leads to costly redesigns.
3. Power Management
Rechargeable batteries seem like the obvious choice for modern products. Users are comfortable charging their phones daily, so why not your device too? But adding rechargeable batteries brings significant complexity that isn’t always necessary.
Let’s look at your power options:
- Rechargeable Lithium-Ion: Great for high-power devices and daily use. Users understand the charging behavior, but you’ll need charging circuits, battery protection, and safety certifications. Can add months to development.
- Replaceable Batteries (AA/AAA/Coin Cell): Simple to implement and familiar to users. Perfect for low-power devices that run for months. Limited power output but fast development time. Can often reduce development times by months.
- Direct Power (AC/DC): Most reliable option for stationary devices. Requires power supply design and safety certifications but eliminates battery management complexity. Development time varies based on power requirements.
- Energy Harvesting (Solar/Kinetic): Environmentally friendly but adds significant complexity. Best for ultra-low-power devices in specific applications. Can extend development by 4-6 months while validating reliability.
Sometimes simpler is better. During the SmarterWakeUp project, we initially planned a rechargeable system. However, switching to a coin cell battery that lasted two months simplified development and improved reliability. Users didn’t mind occasional battery replacement, and we saved three months of development time and cost.
The lesson? Don’t assume the standard way to do things is the way you need to do it. Make design decisions based on real user needs rather than market trends.
Manufacturing Requirements
Many teams assume manufacturing will be quick once design and engineering are complete. After all, the hard work is done, right?
Not necessarily. Manufacturing decisions can add months to your timeline, often in unexpected ways.
Quality Standards & Testing
Quality standards directly impact your development timeline. While every product needs testing, being too strict with quality requirements can delay your launch without adding real value.
Acceptable Quality Limit (AQL) defines how many defects you’ll tolerate per batch. Tighter AQL requirements mean:
- More extensive testing procedures
- Longer production cycles
- Higher costs for inspection
Choose quality standards that match your product’s actual needs:
- Medical devices need strict testing for safety
- Industrial equipment requires durability validation
- Consumer products focus on user-facing quality
Remember: Perfect is the enemy of done. Define quality standards that protect your users and brand without creating unnecessary delays. The goal is building reliable products that solve real problems, not achieving perfection for its own sake.
Shipping & Transportation
Offshore manufacturing can cut production costs significantly, but shipping timelines add complexity to your schedule. Ocean freight from Asia to North America typically takes 30-45 days – and that’s just transit time. Port delays, customs clearance, and inland transportation can easily add another 2-4 weeks.
Some real-world shipping challenges we’ve seen:
- Container shortages extending timelines by 3+ weeks
- Port congestion adding unexpected delays
- Customs holds requiring additional documentation
- Weather-related transit delays
- Lost or damaged shipments requiring insurance claims
While air freight offers faster delivery (5-7 days), it is only feasible for light and small products.
Smart teams build shipping protection into their manufacturing agreements. We recommend including clauses that require manufacturers to air freight partial orders at their expense if production delays exceed agreed timelines.
Pro Tip: When comparing onshore versus offshore manufacturing, factor in both shipping costs and timeline risks. Sometimes paying more for local production offers better overall value through faster turnaround and simpler logistics.
Get Expert Input on Your Development Timeline
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to review your project timeline with our technical team, and identify risks and requirements.
External Dependencies
Even with perfect execution, some factors remain outside your direct control. Understanding and planning for these external dependencies can mean the difference between hitting your timeline and missing key deadlines.
Component Lead Times
The global chip shortage has made component availability a critical timeline factor. Current shortages can add 6-12 months to development timelines. However, successful teams have found ways to mitigate these challenges.
A recent client saved three months by designing their control board to work with three different microcontrollers. This flexibility allowed them to use whichever component became available first. Smart teams consistently:
- Design with multiple component options
- Order critical parts early
- Build buffer stock when possible
Regulatory Requirements
Different markets come with different regulatory demands. Understanding these requirements early helps prevent surprises later. Here’s what to expect:
FCC certification (6-8 weeks):
- Documentation preparation takes about 2 weeks
- Laboratory testing requires 2-3 weeks
- Review and updates typically need 2-3 weeks
UL & CSA listing follows a structured process (8-12 weeks):
- Initial review period of 2-3 weeks
- Testing phase lasting 4-6 weeks
- Final approval taking 2-3 weeks
FDA for medical devices are more intensive as they should be (6+ months):
- 510(k) for Class II devices when there is a similar (“predicate”) device on the market (6-9 months)
- De Novo for low to moderate risk devices with no predicate device on the market (9-12 months)
- Pre-Market Approval for high risk devices is the most stringent, taking 18+ months and requires clinical trials, and multiple rounds of questions
CE certification for the European markets (8-12 weeks):
- Documentation preparation takes about 2-4 weeks
- Laboratory testing requires 3-4 weeks
- Review and updates typically need 2-4 weeks
WEEE is oriented towards the European market and typically takes 4-6 weeks.
Hardware Development Costs for budget implications of these decisions
Pro Tip: Start regulatory planning during Phase 1. Understanding requirements early helps avoid costly design changes later.
Understanding these timeline drivers helps you make informed decisions early in your development process. In the next section, we’ll explore specific strategies for managing risks and preventing timeline overruns, building on the factors we’ve discussed here.
Risk Management: Preventing Project Delays
Understanding timeline drivers is essential, but preventing delays requires active risk management. After years developing products, we’ve seen patterns that separate successful launches from delayed ones.
But here’s the reality: no matter how well you plan, product development will throw you curveballs.
Here are a few things we recommend any development team do:
Early Risk Identification
A risk is anything that could derail your project’s timeline, budget, or success. The best time to solve a problem is before it happens. Early risk identification helps you tackle potential issues when the cost of change is lowest.
At NEDlabs, we identify technical risks in the first weeks of a project and address the highest-risk items through early design and prototyping cycles. This front-loaded approach lets us validate critical assumptions early – when pivots are still relatively cheap and easy.
Key questions we address early:
- “Is ‘this’ something we can actually do?”
- “Is ‘this’ achievable within the time and budget we have?”
- “How does this part of the ‘product/system’ work?”
Missing a critical risk can add months of rework and always seems silly in hindsight.
“The best development process combines rigorous planning with the flexibility to adapt when reality doesn’t match your plan.”
– Riyaz Khair
Active Risk Monitoring
Risk management isn’t a one-time activity – it’s continuous learning and adaptation. We recommend development teams step back and reconsider risks regularly to catch new challenges early.
Beyond reviewing risks at key project milestones, set a regular cadence for risk assessment. Weekly design reviews and monthly project updates are natural checkpoints to evaluate both internal progress and external factors. During prototype cycles, each iteration brings new insights that might affect your risk landscape.
Adapting to Change
Perhaps the most important lesson we’ve learned is that successful product development requires both planning and adaptability. The best teams maintain a clear vision of their end goal while staying flexible about how to get there.
When plans go sideways, take time to understand why. These moments, though challenging, often reveal crucial insights that strengthen your development process. Every “failure” is really a chance to learn – to refine your approach, adjust your strategy, or discover a better solution.
The most successful products we’ve helped develop weren’t the ones that went exactly according to plan – they were the ones where teams planned thoroughly but stayed flexible enough to adapt when needed.
Hardware Development Demystified for more on risk assessment.
Summary: Your Time to Market
Product development timelines can seem daunting, but what’s worse is assuming a quick path to market only to face repeated setbacks.
Success starts with understanding the development process, making informed choices in key areas, and planning for risks throughout. Strategic planning combined with the flexibility to adapt will have you focusing on the right things at the right time.
Understanding realistic timelines from the start helps you plan better, manage resources more effectively, and maintain team morale throughout the development journey.
P.S. – Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways we can help you:
Dive Deeper with Our Cost Guide – If you found this guide helpful, you’ll want to read our next article: “Hardware Development Costs Explained.” You’ll learn how to budget effectively, spot hidden costs early, and optimize your development spending without compromising quality.
Get Our Free Planning Guide – Ready to start planning your hardware project? Our Hardware Development Planning Guide gives you the tools we use with our own clients. This practical resource includes project planning templates, requirements checklists, and timeline frameworks. It’s designed to help you ask the right questions and capture critical requirements before you invest in development.
Talk to Our Team – Sometimes the best way to move forward is to get another perspective. Schedule a 30-minute discovery call with our team to discuss your project. We’ll help you understand the technical requirements, identify potential challenges, and outline practical next steps.
