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Agile Hardware Consulting

Reduce risk. Ship faster.

I help hardware-development organizations reduce late-stage surprises, shorten time-to-market, and improve delivery predictability through Agile approaches designed specifically for hardware development. My focus is on solving the engineering challenges that cause projects to slip, costs to rise, and integration problems to emerge late in development.

Hardware development is not software development with longer lead times. It requires different planning horizons, different feedback loops, and different ways of managing technical uncertainty. I help organizations apply Agile practices that reflect those realities.

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If your organization is experiencing ...

  • 01 Late discovery of critical integration problems
  • 02 Development cycles that are too long
  • 03 Technical risks that aren't identified until they become expensive to address
  • 04 Costly late-stage design changes
  • 05 Hardware and software teams moving at different speeds
  • 06 Customer feedback arriving too late to influence development
  • 07 Engineers spending months designing before validating assumptions
... I can help.
Portrait of Dr. Kevin Thompson, Ph.D. — Agile hardware development consultant
Principal

Dr. Kevin Thompson

I am Kevin Thompson, Ph.D. (Physics), an Agile consultant focused on hardware product development. Drawing on experience from more than 100 consulting and training engagements, I help engineering organizations reduce development risk and improve delivery predictability.

I have helped organizations improve the development of both software and hardware products. My current work focuses on advancing Agile methods for hardware development through consulting, research, writing, and executive education. Clients have ranged from laboratory instrumentation and telecommunications to aerospace, robotics, and other complex engineered systems.

I am the author of Solutions for Agile Governance in the Enterprise, which explores Agile governance and product development in complex hardware and software environments.

Solutions for Agile Governance in the Enterprise (Sage)
Solutions for Agile Governance in the Enterprise (Sage)

Agile Project, Program, and Portfolio Management for Development of Hardware and Software Products.

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What I Offer

Consulting & Training Services

I offer a variety of consulting and training services. I can work with all levels at a client, from the hands-on engineers to the C-suite. I take the time to understand the unique needs of each client, and tailor consulting services accordingly.

Consulting

01 Advisory Engagement →
02 Assessment →
03 Agile Transformation →

Training

01 Agile Overview for Executives and Managers →
02 Agile Software Development with Scrum →
03 Agile Hardware Development with Scrum →
04 Agile Work Management with Kanban →
05 Agile Program Management →
06 Agile Portfolio Management →
07 Advanced Product Owner →
Representative Clients

Organizations Served

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Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Agile really work for hardware development?
Yes. I have led Agile transformations and introduced Scrum in multiple hardware-development organizations. In each case, the Scrum framework itself translated well to hardware development. The adaptations that proved necessary were not to Scrum itself, but to many of the software-oriented implementation conventions that have grown up around Scrum. When those conventions are adapted to reflect the realities of engineering physical products, Scrum becomes an effective framework for planning, coordinating, and delivering complex hardware systems.
How is hardware Scrum different from software Scrum?
The Scrum framework translates well to hardware development, but many software-oriented implementation conventions do not. Hardware products are engineered differently than software, so practices such as backlog decomposition, Product Ownership, and Story writing must reflect the realities of developing physical products rather than software systems.
Why do hardware Agile transformations often fail?
Many hardware Agile transformations struggle because they attempt to apply software-oriented implementation conventions to a fundamentally different engineering environment. The Scrum framework itself translates well to hardware development, but practices such as Product Ownership, backlog decomposition, and Story writing often need to be adapted to reflect the realities of engineering physical products. Those adaptations allow Scrum to achieve its intended benefits without forcing hardware teams into a software-centric way of working.
Can Agile help if our hardware and software teams struggle to coordinate?
Yes. One of the greatest advantages of using Scrum across both hardware and software development is that everyone shares the same planning process and the same language for discussing work. Sprint Planning, Reviews, Retrospectives, Product Backlogs, and Sprint Backlogs become common management practices across disciplines, making communication and coordination much easier. Although hardware and software teams implement Scrum somewhat differently, working within the same framework helps them coordinate dependencies, synchronize development, and reduce late-stage integration risk.
How do you know whether an Agile transformation is actually improving engineering performance?
A successful Agile transformation improves engineering performance, not just Agile metrics. While Scrum provides useful measures such as Sprint Burndown and Burn-up Charts, the most important indicators are more predictable product delivery, fewer late-stage integration surprises, better cross-functional coordination, and earlier identification of technical risk. The objective is not simply to adopt Scrum, but to improve the way engineering organizations develop complex products.
What kinds of hardware companies do you work with?
I work with organizations that develop complex hardware products, particularly those integrating hardware and embedded software. My clients have included companies in biotechnology, robotics, aerospace, telecommunications, and other engineering-intensive industries. They are typically looking to improve delivery predictability, reduce late-stage integration surprises, and strengthen coordination across engineering disciplines. While every organization is different, the common challenge is managing the complexity of modern product development.
What results do clients typically see?
While every organization is different, successful Agile transformations lead to measurable improvements in engineering performance. Clients typically experience more predictable product delivery, stronger coordination between hardware and software teams, earlier identification of technical risks, and fewer late-stage integration surprises. The result is an engineering organization that can plan with greater confidence, respond more effectively to change, and deliver complex products more reliably.
Can you help if we're already using Scrum?
Absolutely. Many of my clients are already using Scrum. In most cases, the issue isn't the Scrum framework—it's that software-oriented implementation conventions have been applied to a fundamentally different engineering environment. I help organizations adapt practices such as Product Ownership, backlog decomposition, and Story writing to better reflect the realities of hardware development. The result is improved coordination, more predictable delivery, and fewer late-stage integration surprises.

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