article: Every Prototype Is Also a Measurement Tool by markusgruen · Pull Request #140 · Zuehlke/software-engineering-corner

markusgruen · 2026-01-14T07:56:15Z

I am unfamiliar with git. I hope I did everything correctly....

Regarding the picture: I copied it from Unsplash. Am i required to put in a reference somewhere?

kunman93

very well written.

P.S. I used AI to review your PR, otherwise I wouldn't have found all of these findings.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T12:45:45Z

+Whether it’s a completely new, innovative product or the next iteration of an existing one, I keep seeing the same pattern.
+
+Right from the start — during requirements definition, system architecture, and in early functional prototypes — one crucial element is often overlooked. 
+And this happens regardless of whether you’re developing an electric toothbrush, a coffee machine, or a medical ventilator.


Suggested change

And this happens regardless of whether you’re developing an electric toothbrush, a coffee machine, or a medical ventilator.

This happens regardless of whether you’re developing an electric toothbrush, a coffee machine, or a medical ventilator.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T12:46:41Z

+And this happens regardless of whether you’re developing an electric toothbrush, a coffee machine, or a medical ventilator.
+
+From day one, the device is designed with the finished product in mind. 
+What's often forgotten is this: the path to that finished product is long, full of unknowns that must be explored, understood, and — most importantly — measured. During development, the final product doesn’t exist yet. 


Suggested change

What's often forgotten is this: the path to that finished product is long, full of unknowns that must be explored, understood, and — most importantly — measured. During development, the final product doesn’t exist yet.

What's often forgotten is this: the path to the finished product is long, full of unknowns that must be explored, understood, and — most importantly — measured. During development, the final product doesn’t exist yet.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T12:47:45Z

+
+From day one, the device is designed with the finished product in mind. 
+What's often forgotten is this: the path to that finished product is long, full of unknowns that must be explored, understood, and — most importantly — measured. During development, the final product doesn’t exist yet. 
+It only emerges through countless iterations, tests, measurements, debugging loops, and insights.


Suggested change

It only emerges through countless iterations, tests, measurements, debugging loops, and insights.

It emerges only through countless iterations, tests, measurements, debugging loops, and insights.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T12:48:40Z

+
+## The missing piece: measurability during development
+
+Especially in early phases, core functions of the device often need to be explored experimentally. 


Suggested change

Especially in early phases, core functions of the device often need to be explored experimentally.

Especially in the early phases, core functions of the device often need to be explored experimentally.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T12:57:34Z

+**But for development, the opposite is true.**
+
+System integrators and engineers need access to all relevant signals — and since nobody knows at the beginning which signals will turn out to be relevant later, "relevant" effectively means *everything*. 
+All raw sensor data, all actuator control values, all internal states (such as state machine states), ideally at the native sampling rate. 


Suggested change

All raw sensor data, all actuator control values, all internal states (such as state machine states), ideally at the native sampling rate.

All raw sensor data, all actuator control values, and all internal states (such as state machine states), ideally at the native sampling rate.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T13:10:15Z

+4.	**Selective logging:**  
+Developers choose only the signals relevant for the current measurement. This requires more logic and user interaction.
+5.	**Event-based logging:**  
+Useful for signals that change infrequently (e.g., system states). Harder to use with CSV because timestamps must be transmitted.


Suggested change

Useful for signals that change infrequently (e.g., system states). Harder to use with CSV because timestamps must be transmitted.

Useful for signals that change infrequently (e.g., system states) but harder to use with CSV because timestamps must be transmitted.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T13:10:25Z

+Developers choose only the signals relevant for the current measurement. This requires more logic and user interaction.
+5.	**Event-based logging:**  
+Useful for signals that change infrequently (e.g., system states). Harder to use with CSV because timestamps must be transmitted.
+6.	**Separate channels:**  


Suggested change

6. **Separate channels:**

6. **Separate channels:**

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T13:17:18Z

+
+Both approaches can work — but only if the architecture supports them. 
+Once again, this brings us back to early design decisions. 
+Inter-controller communication must either be designed for the required data volume and frequency, or the main processor must provide a system clock or heartbeat that other controllers can synchronize to. 


Suggested change

Inter-controller communication must either be designed for the required data volume and frequency, or the main processor must provide a system clock or heartbeat that other controllers can synchronize to.

Inter-controller communication must either be designed for the required data volume and frequency, or the main processor must provide a system clock or heartbeat that other controllers can synchronize with.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T13:22:53Z

+> A prototype that 'works' is useful".\
+"A prototype that is measurable is invaluable.


Suggested change

> A prototype that 'works' is useful".\

"A prototype that is measurable is invaluable.

> A prototype that “works” is useful. A prototype that is measurable is invaluable.

kunman93 · 2026-05-05T13:23:19Z

+
+Without complete and correctly timed measurement data, debugging becomes guesswork and optimization becomes trial and error. Planning a clear developer interface early saves time, reduces frustration, and dramatically accelerates product development.
+
+Or, to put it another way:


Suggested change

Or, to put it another way:

Or, to put it another way:

markusgruen added 11 commits January 13, 2026 15:37

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article: Every Prototype Is Also a Measurement Tool #140

article: Every Prototype Is Also a Measurement Tool #140
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	And this happens regardless of whether you’re developing an electric toothbrush, a coffee machine, or a medical ventilator.
	This happens regardless of whether you’re developing an electric toothbrush, a coffee machine, or a medical ventilator.

	What's often forgotten is this: the path to that finished product is long, full of unknowns that must be explored, understood, and — most importantly — measured. During development, the final product doesn’t exist yet.
	What's often forgotten is this: the path to the finished product is long, full of unknowns that must be explored, understood, and — most importantly — measured. During development, the final product doesn’t exist yet.

	It only emerges through countless iterations, tests, measurements, debugging loops, and insights.
	It emerges only through countless iterations, tests, measurements, debugging loops, and insights.


		## The missing piece: measurability during development

		Especially in early phases, core functions of the device often need to be explored experimentally.

	Especially in early phases, core functions of the device often need to be explored experimentally.
	Especially in the early phases, core functions of the device often need to be explored experimentally.

	All raw sensor data, all actuator control values, all internal states (such as state machine states), ideally at the native sampling rate.
	All raw sensor data, all actuator control values, and all internal states (such as state machine states), ideally at the native sampling rate.

	Useful for signals that change infrequently (e.g., system states). Harder to use with CSV because timestamps must be transmitted.
	Useful for signals that change infrequently (e.g., system states) but harder to use with CSV because timestamps must be transmitted.

	Inter-controller communication must either be designed for the required data volume and frequency, or the main processor must provide a system clock or heartbeat that other controllers can synchronize to.
	Inter-controller communication must either be designed for the required data volume and frequency, or the main processor must provide a system clock or heartbeat that other controllers can synchronize with.

		> A prototype that 'works' is useful".\
		"A prototype that is measurable is invaluable.

	> A prototype that 'works' is useful".\
	"A prototype that is measurable is invaluable.
	> A prototype that “works” is useful. A prototype that is measurable is invaluable.


		Without complete and correctly timed measurement data, debugging becomes guesswork and optimization becomes trial and error. Planning a clear developer interface early saves time, reduces frustration, and dramatically accelerates product development.

		Or, to put it another way:

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