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PCB Developers are the Unsung Heroes of Innovation!

Posted Jun 8, 2009, by Ed Goldman

Over the past few years the big management buzz has been about innovation. Innovation is what drives companies forward – by introducing innovative products, goods, and services, companies are able to gain an edge and drive their business forward through differentiation and value.

However, innovation usually has been associated with the appeal of a product and not always its functionality. I mean it’s usually the mechanical design that gets the buzz…. If you look at “Fast Company’s” top ten of the most innovative design companies from February 2009 you will not see PCB designs or any electronics design being called out (http://www.fastcompany.com/fast50_09/lists/the-most-innovative-companies-in-design.html). What’s strange about this is that it’s really what’s inside that makes the difference.

There was an article in Time Magazine this week about the Smartphone wars. A former executive from Apple who is now leading the charge with the Palm Pre claimed that a hard-drive was the “soul of the iPod” (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1902833-2,00.html). It wasn’t the sleekness of the product, or the software services, but the innards, the electronics inside that enabled the iPOD success. I doubt many people would think that a hard-drive made the difference – but that’s what happened according to an insiders’ account.

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Mentor Graphics recognizes the fact that you are Heroes! You deserve recognition. We have been sponsoring the Technology Leadership Awards for more than twenty years to recognize excellence and innovation in the PCB development community. This is a platform for you to demonstrate the great innovation going on in PCB development. We encourage all of you to enter the contest today at www.mentor.com/go/tla.

Now – I would like to hear from you…. Why do you think we do not get our recognition? What more can we do to raise the profile of the value of PCB Engineering and Design? Let me know by replying to this post. Looking forward to hearing from you.

About Ed Goldman

Ed joined Mentor Graphics in March 2007 and leads Mentor Graphics' marketing programs in its PCB division. Ed has over ten years experience in sales and marketing of high-tech software including CAD/CAM, PLM, and Digital Manufacturing and has worked at UGS (now Siemens PLM), Tecnomatix, and Tecnomatix Unicam. Ed is based out of Mentor's Longmont Colorado offices. Visit PCB Matters

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PCB Developers are the Unsung Heroes of Innovation!