Preventing 100% Product Failure
BioLite - 2023
Solar Generators for Unstable Grid
THE PROBLEM
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There was high demand and pressure for the company to sell our solar generator to customers living with poor grid power, but we were uncertain if the product would require a redesign
THE SOLUTION
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Given the high cost of failure, I proposed and designed a field trial utilizing real customers and field agents to replicate the proper usage conditions and expediently identify failure points
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Both grid instability and low power-factor appliances caused the solar generator to fail after a few months of real and simulated use
THE CLUES
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Variability in grid power and electrical appliances in these regions were identified as the highest risks for product failure
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Neither the development team in NYC or Nairobi could realistically replicate the AC power conditions of the intended customers
THE AFTERMATH
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The product underwent a targeted redesign to mitigate the issues before shipping to customers, avoiding the financial and reputation costs of 100% failure rate for our West African customers
Tools: Measurement and DAQ tools, Solar Simulating PSUs, Large Electronic Loads (AC and DC), Grid simulator, Various Real-world Appliances
Techniques: Asynchronous testing with technicians in Nigeria, Field Trial Creation and Conducting, Customer Surveys across Language and Geographic Gaps, Electrical Stress/Limit Testing, Compatibility Testing