Develop physical products faster and more efficiently across the spectrum, from basic hardware to smart connected devices.

Physical product development

test with image

Overview

Revolutionize how you design and deliver products, from first concept through scale-up. We set product strategy, modernize R&D, and streamline lifecycle management. Drawing on deep cross‑industry experience, our teams bring to life everything from traditional hardware to connected devices featuring embedded software and cloud intelligence. Whether you’re launching new products or evolving existing ones, we help boost performance, lower cost, and sharpen your competitive edge in a connected world.


Market trends

76%

of executives believe that companies failing to embrace industrial realignment will be irrelevant within a decade

Source https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/industrial-products/library/future-of-industrial-products.html
46%

of companies are investing in IoT as a catalyst for future growth

Source https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/supply-chain-operations/manufacturing/connected-physical-product/surfaceink/building-smart-connected-products.html
42%

of CEOs say their company has begun competing in new sectors over the past five years, increasing product complexity

Source https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/c-suite-insights/ceo-survey.html
57%

of operations and supply chain leaders have integrated AI into selected functions or throughout their organization

Source https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/supply-chain-operations/library/digital-trends-operations-survey.html

Capabilities

Product innovation

Establish the strategy, processes, and operating model needed to turn innovation into business results. We help define your product aspirations, identify and prioritize sources of innovation, and design operating models for incubation and portfolio management. From there, we help you connect innovation to commercialization, shaping monetization strategies that unlock more value from new, existing, and evolving products.

Product and portfolio strategy

Define a clear product development vision and strategic priorities that align with your business objectives. We assess your current strategy, pinpoint gaps against leading practices, and set priorities that better connect product development to corporate goals. Actionable benchmarks and KPIs help measure progress along the way so you can allocate resources where they create the most impact.

Complexity and lifecycle management

Cut the hidden costs of product proliferation while boosting the lifetime value of your offerings. We break down portfolio complexity and build platforming strategies, design-for-X (DFx) approaches, and cost optimization programs that streamline your product architecture. Simplify SKUs, increase component reuse, and reduce wasted portfolio spend while preserving the product variety your customers expect.

New product introduction (NPI) and tech transfer

Bring new products to market on time and at quality. We help you move product designs from engineering to manufacturing, making sure specs, processes, and knowledge are ready to scale production. Our support includes contract manufacturer selection, tech transfer planning, and regulatory certification across medical, consumer, military/aerospace, industrial, automotive, and other sectors.

R&D and pre-commercial development

De-risk product development in the early stages before committing to full-scale investment. We support R&D strategy, technology feasibility assessment, and pre-commercial quality processes that validate product concepts and identify potential issues before they're costly. Make informed go/no-go decisions, reduce prototype spend, and build confidence in your development pipeline.

Industrial design

Create products with standout user experiences that reinforce your brand. We blend user research, market insight, and human-centered design to shape product concepts, visual design languages, and specifications for form, ergonomics, color, material, and finish. Our industrial design team has deep expertise bringing products to life across a wide variety of markets including consumer electronics, medical devices, robotics, and industrial equipment.

Hardware engineering and integration

Translate product vision into functional, reliable hardware ready for manufacturing. We bring together mechanical, electrical, and audio/acoustics engineering to tackle complex hardware challenges, from first prototypes to production-ready designs. Integrated teams work across disciplines to cut technical risk and get you to market faster.

Firmware and software engineering

Power smart, responsive device behaviors for standalone products or IoT-connected systems. We develop firmware and embedded software that controls device actions, user interfaces, and data processing, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cloud connectivity for connected products. Apply AI and machine learning at the edge to enable intelligent features while enhancing code for lower-cost hardware and extended battery life.

Engineering simulation and modeling

Physical prototypes are expensive and building them to find problems can be inefficient. We use simulation and modeling to test designs virtually, spot potential issues early, and boost performance before you commit to hardware. Capabilities include computational fluid dynamics (CFD), structural and thermal analysis, and consumer electronics simulations. By shifting to digital models, you can shorten design cycles, lower testing costs, and move to production sooner.

Production readiness and operations ramp

Transition validated designs into reliable, scalable production. We support EVT, DVT, and PVT build phases to confirm designs are ready for manufacturing, plus vendor sourcing, tool bring-up, and assembly process improvement. Our in-region engineers work with contract manufacturers to resolve issues, helping you ship quality products on time and at scale.


Insights


Case studies


Contact us

Russell Rasmus

Operations & Supply Chain Solutions Leader, PwC US

Brian Gilbert

Operations Transformation Digital Leader, PwC US

Jeff McKinney

Physical Product Development & Manufacturing, Managing Director, PwC US

Follow us

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

Your personal information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Statement. You can update your communication preferences at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in a PwC email or by submitting a request as outlined in our Privacy Statement.

Hide