We exclude metals whose reduction is thermodynamically favored over hydrogen evolution in acidic solutions and focus on non-noble metals. Historically, the development of these processes was slow in comparison to those of metals like copper or gold. For nickel, avoidance of buildup of stress in the deposit was a significant issue. For zinc, current efficiency slumps and stripping problems were common in the early years of the development and operation of commercial processes. Important factors in the optimization of electrowinning processes for non-noble metals can be summarized as housekeeping issues, adequate electrolyte purity and current density, plating overpotential and its sensitivity to deleterious impurities, nucleation overpotential, electrolyte conductivity, and viscosity, supply of the cation to be reduced, and chemical factors which may be specific to the application. In highly acidic electrolytes, limiting current density may become a non-issue. For the ongoing development of processes in conventional parallel plate cells, including the introduction of alternative anodes, it will be important to consider each of these factors. A set of tools for measurement of important electrochemical and other physico-chemical and engineering parameters is suggested and discussed. We provide illustrations drawn from the literature and from the experience of the senior author for electrowinning of zinc or other non-noble metals.