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+visibility: public
+---
+
+# electronics workflow
+
+the practical process for building electronics projects, learned at a neurotech startup.
+
+## the build sequence
+
+1. **breadboard** — get the circuit working at all. ugly is fine.
+2. **get it to work** — functional prototype, doesn't matter how messy
+3. **make wiring nice** — clean up connections, organize
+4. **make UX nice** — put it in a box, hot glue, add controls
+
+this mirrors the general principle from [[software-workflow]]: make it work, then make it good. resist the urge to make it pretty before it's functional.
+
+## fundamentals
+
+- power sources: DC, understanding volts
+- signals: what's being sent where
+- PWM for control: pulse width modulation to manage output
+- program microcontroller → flash code
+
+## practical lessons
+
+jumper cables are worthless — use proper breadboard connections. this sounds minor but bad connections cause hours of debugging phantom issues. always ensure robustness (see [[intentionality]]).
+
+## connection to prototyping
+
+the breadboard-first approach is the hardware version of prototyping. "prototyping is so great" — whether it's a circuit or a codebase, getting something working fast lets you learn what you actually need to build.
+
+having a pretty cool thing to show off and demo is very powerful. even a rough breadboard prototype gets people excited and provides feedback. see [[critical-path]] — the demo is often on the critical path even when polish isn't.
+
+see also: [[software-workflow]], [[research-workflow]], [[intentionality]]
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