How do you plan out your electronics?

I'm not completely sure with what you mean by 'I note down the reference on breadboard', but over the decennia I learned to Always(!) draw diagrams.

A failure to plan is planning to fail. These days I honestly I don't care if "It's only an I/O pin, a switch and a resistor, what could go wrong?" Well I have stories!

Put principle and design on paper (I don't care what kind of paper and what you use as pen. Just get it 'not in your head only') Breadboard the idea. Find out where you messed up and fix + update designs from there.

Then, if you Really want to PCB it, PCB it.

Thing is also: If you've done some work on it, and it shows under other stuff, and you look at it a month later, your ideas and knowledge about it is gone.

Plus, and this is important: The 'design phase' is often the most pleasurable one if you do it in the garden, under a tree in the shade, enjoying a glass of your poison / soda of choice, optionally stopping and lighting a pipe or something. ^_^

I get my best ideas not sitting at a computer.

> 'I note down the reference on breadboard',

Most breadboards I've seen have a grid reference, numbers and letters, along the top/side, so that you could note them down and recreate the layout.

Ohhh, that. Ofcourse! Makes sense. ^_^

I never use that..

- First draw diagram,

- Breadboard the idea.

- Debug the result.

- Build on PCB.

I've never had much use for the breadboard coordinate system. I always figured it's used for educational purposes in which (Fritzing-like) drawings and instructions reference to it...

I loved your list and then thought of making annoying additions

• Get idea
• have sleepless nights about idea
• discuss idea with significant other about idea
• have to explain why idea good or accept being ignored.
• have more sleepless night thinking about idea
• discuss idea with technical buddies
• have conflicting suggestions
• have to justify the reason for implementing the idea
• accept it might be a bad idea but want to do it anyway.
• make drawing of idea

...

I'm fascinated by how people approach technical projects. Mine always start with the idea becoming a drawing. If it becomes a drawing there is a very strong possibility it will get developed. I have spent weeks on the drawings alone. Without the drawing it's not tangible in my mind. Examining the drawing forces me to ask questions. I rather have the questions and possible answer before starting than later finding out, awe shite, why didn't I think of that. 

colporteur  YES!!!  That's exactly how it goes! 

kmikemoo  wrote:

 

colporteur   YES!!!  That's exactly how it goes! 

and if you're michaelkellett :

• walk dog

Too true - the dog is full of good advice - she reminded me only this morning that I'd be better off basing my input amp for the Earth Resistance thread on a ready made diff amp with a Vocm pin !

I think she must communicate by telepathy, since she was splashing about in a river when the idea popped into my head this morning.

More seriously, I often find that the best thing to do when stuck is relax and do something else - walking is good, gardening doesn't work for me

MK

Your technique of relaxing has worked for me in the past. I find coupled with a good sleep and by good I mean, a few restful nights that the bladder doesn't have to use the white phone every three hours, the creative juices can kick life into dormant brain cells and the world narrows to your focal point, the project.

What I really enjoyed and found rewarding was flushing out an idea at morning coffee at work. Sitting with some techie's (those whos company you enjoyed) and sounding out an idea. Out comes a few pens and a napkin! The napkin from those session filled with doodles became like biblical stone tablet brought back from the mount. The environment was non-judgemental. Questions probed understandings. Success and pitfalls became evident. The brain share expanded awareness and seeded some paths for further investigation. If but nothing else it was an enjoyable break from the salt mine.

I tried the morning coffee scrum on E14CommunityA white board excercise on designing a Raspberry Pi temperaturing measuring device . I find the decorum of the participates on the site provide the right environment for successful interaction. The group effectively monitors it's self and ferrets out the bad. Disrespecting someone or being an elite that begrudges a few crumbs of their knowledge doesn't flourish here.

As I have gotten older documentation to me is to put down enough details like bread crumbs in the tale of Hansel and Gretel to find my way back

As I have gotten older documentation to me is to put down enough details like bread crumbs in the tale of Hansel and Gretel to find my way back