Blog · Custom Engineering Notes
What Makes Up a Custom Project Cost
A custom project's cost is mostly in the parts that are not hardware: requirements, integration, testing, documentation and support.
Overview
- Non-recurring engineering is the largest line and the hardest to estimate early — expect it to move after discovery.
- Integration effort scales with the number of interfaces, not with the number of devices.
- Testing and documentation are routinely underestimated; they are also the parts that decide whether it is usable.
- Support and spares are a recurring cost that should be planned from year one, not discovered in year two.
Related pages
- Scenario CustomizationView
- Platform and Payload CustomizationView
- Production StrengthView
- Intelligent Payloads and AccessoriesView
More in this area
- Writing a Customization Requirements DocumentRead
- Prototype vs Production ConfigurationRead
- Common Interface Issues in Integration ProjectsRead
- Why Payload Power Budget MattersRead
- Why Acceptance Criteria Come FirstRead
- Managing Requirement ChangesRead
- Preparing for Field TestingRead
- Managing Hardware and Software VersionsRead
- What Makes Up a Custom Project CostThis page
- Planning from Pilot to Volume DeliveryRead