It could be a piece of hardware, or a non-electric item. It could be a one-off physical prototype.<p>Many of us create software, but I can imagine it must be particularly satisfied to create a physical product or item.
I'm a retired software engineer and now I have time to indulge in an electronics hobby that's been simmering for decades. It's very satisfying when an electronics project goes from an idea through breadboard to a printed circuit board with a nice laser-cut case. It's a challenge to get a microprocessor-based project doing more with less hardware and smart software. I try for a professional result but don't try to minimize cost as the designer of a commercial product must. At the moment I have enough quality in the result to make gifts of some of my projects.