The summary.
BREADTH MATTERS MORE HERE THAN IN MOST FIELDS
Problems cross the hardware and software boundary constantly, and diagnosing them requires understanding both. Measurement resolves what argument does not.
AGREE TEST POINTS, DEBUG ACCESS AND MEMORY MARGIN BEFORE BOARDS ARE MADE
Adding them afterwards is impossible, and firmware grows while boards cannot.
BUDGET FOR AT LEAST ONE UNPLANNED HARDWARE REVISION
It is near-certain, and hardware and certification usually sit on the critical path, not software.
Field testing duration cannot be compressed — faults appearing after weeks take weeks to observe.
RUN A PAID PILOT WITH AGREED SUCCESS CRITERIA
Free pilots are not taken seriously and do not reach a decision. And ask users whether the information changed what they did — if nothing changed, scaling multiplies cost without benefit.
PRICE HARDWARE, INSTALLATION AND RECURRING SERVICE SEPARATELY
It makes the ongoing commitment visible and prevents later disputes. State data ownership explicitly.
NEVER DISMISS A CUSTOMER'S BELIEF THAT A READING IS WRONG
They know their site, and they are frequently right.
