Speck Design

Speck Design was hired by SwellStop, a medical device startup, to optimize the design of a prototype for eventual production and deployment in a clinical trial. The goal of the project was to brainstorm alternative approaches to achieving the desired mechanism of action, critically examine the existing design, and gather advice regarding product development in the medical device technology space. Speck Design initially served in an advisory role, providing strategic support and helping the startup transition from a student project to a company. They explored alternative approaches, reviewed the existing design, and prepared supplementary resources for a NSF SBIR application. The team from Speck Design was led by Michael Sprauve and Denise Pliskin, who were highly involved in all meetings and calls.

As the Director of Engineering for a networking products company, the client hired Speck Design for product design and research. Speck Design assisted in various stages including concept development, detail design, building quick prototypes, and test coordination. They used SolidWorks and GoEngineer for modeling and Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoints for presentation and general engineering calculations. They also conducted market research when required. The team composition varied throughout the project, starting with 2-3 engineers and scaling up to around 15 as the design matured. The engagement began in 2000 and is ongoing, with the client having invested between $5 million-$10 million.

Speck Design was hired by a smart home devices company to design and physically build a prototype. The concept design was already created by another vendor and was presented to Speck Design who provided the expertise and components necessary to build the product. The project was handled by a team of four from Speck Design, including a project manager, an account manager, and two engineers. The project lasted from July 2022 to July 2023, with an investment of between $100,000–$200,000.