How do you plan out your electronics?

I like reading up as much as possible before starting a project. However, I wish I did that in other areas too. Also the actual work part of it reminds me of Agile. I should have used it for woodwork!

I spent several weeks (on and off) doing a seat-of-the-pants woodwork bit of fun project, using whatever I had in the shed, to make a bar-stool that converts into a table, and also as a book-tidy. It was to be a masterpiece 3-in-1 bit of furniture : )

I had no plan though, and didn't really design and test anything, so it was ad-hoc bits of thought as I went along with the construction.

However the reality was not great! I had not considered how the leaves would work.. since they don't fully fold and just hang down, in practice if anyone sits on it in the bar-stool mode, then the legs tend to press against the hinge edge of the leaf.. think it will cause the hinges to pull off over time : (

I should have prototyped up the bits I was unsure of, before getting too far in the construction : ( As it is, I cannot back out now, so the project has this fundamental flaw forever : (

That's the big difference between a hobby and a job. With a hobby, the end goal is to enjoy the process and perhaps learn along the way. There's nothing wrong with abandoning a project, parking it because something more interesting came along, using the "wrong" tool because you wanted to learn to use that tool, etc. Your only deliverable is that you had fun in your free time. Of course, some of the fun is to be proud of something you finished too.

I seem to be in a majority of just making it up as I go along. I just like the creative feeling of this approach. Usually a bottom up design approach as well, start with the Nano and work outwards. I just enjoy the crazy freedom of it all. I used to have to be organised and on-time when I was working which I may now be rebelling against, so I really enjoy to just do whatever I feel like whenever I feel like it approach I now use. I don't always finish and it doesn't always work but I don't care, I just enjoy the process.

I have started trying to make 3D printed coverings for the projects I'm making now, which has restricted my chaos, but I enjoy the process of design to reality of the 3D printer. I use TinkerCAD and it can be used in the bottom up make-it-up -as-you-go-along method I like. One day, I might even get it right.

Dubbie

I normally prototype to test the concept with dev boards where possible and then it's straight to Eagle.

I start with Eagle and Autodesk Fusion 360.

After those look pretty when rendered, I breadboard to make sure I didn’t miss anything. 

Then I go to oshpark.com with the .brd and have the board in a set of three delivered two weeks later.

sean

Wing it.  Okay. so I do start with a schematic - but it could be on a series of Post-it notes.  It might get breadboarded and it might go straight to protoboard.  Someday, I'll get serious and use the copy of Eagle I bought and make a genuine PCB.  THEN I will probably have a less haphazard process.

I draw a schematic by hand or with KiCad.  My silly mistakes are greatly reduced by doing so. If it is complicated and I am still sorting my thoughts I will start with a block diagram.

Proper diagrams, incremental (baby steps at a time). Usually pencil and paper.

CAD if I plan to make a PCB.

I just picked up simulation - trying out Tina-TI and LTspice. The recent discussions here on opamps were helpful to get hands dirty.  

I generally start with the schematics. Break down the analog and digital parts.

Do simulations if simulations are required on the analog side.

Make a prototype. This depends on the complexity of the project.

If its not containing many analog components, Then I will prefer breadboards

and development boards for prototyping.

If the project is complex and has more analog design then I will design the PCB

and go get the prototypes made from a local vendor.

Mean time i will write the board bring-up softwares/firmwares.

Then testing and validation of hardware.

At last if I am satisfied with the product then final release else another iteration of the design steps.

I usually start by designing schematics and PCB layouts on CAD. I don't use simulation although I do all calculations necessary to ensure the circuit will work.

I almost always design a PCB to build a prototype,  although I will use strip board if I don't have time to order a PCB and occasionally might use a breadboard to do a quick proof of concept or allow software testing before the PCB shows up.

I have so many extra PCBs lying around (because I always print more than I intend to populate) that I can sometimes find one that can be re-purposed. This works because I usually build in extra features on every PCB beyond what is required for the current project.

Actually the start of the process is just meticulous visualization in my head, which gets augmented by research before I start the tangible design process.