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Welcome to The Wave Engineering Newsletter, your weekly guide to the cutting edge of engineering. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an eager student, or simply curious about innovation, we’re here to inform, inspire, and connect.

More than just a newsletter, we tell the human stories behind the tech—spotlighting the innovators, dreamers, and changemakers shaping our world. Backed by insights from Pipeline Design & Engineering and the Being an Engineer Podcast, we deliver the latest advancements, impactful collaborations, and stories that redefine what’s possible.

Join the conversation at The Wave, where ideas spark, questions find answers, and the engineering community comes together to create the future. Engineering isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. Subscribe and ride the wave of innovation with us.

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How has your approach to engineering challenges evolved as you've gained more experience?

Technical competence alone doesn’t’ guarantee professional influence. The best engineers understand that solving hard problems is only part of the equation. You also need to build the kid of technical credibility that makes people listen when you speak. You also need to master the crucial conversations that turn good ideas into implemented solutions.

This week’s newsletter dives into these interconnected skills through stories that explore systematic approaches to tackling the kind of complex problems that make or break projects, examine how top engineers build unshakable technical credibility, and break down the communication strategies that turn technical expertise into real-world impact.

The reality is that engineering problems are rarely just technical problems, they are in face human problems wrapped in technical complexity. The engineers who consistently drive results are those who can navigate both dimensions with equal skill.

What if I told you that the most important engineering lesson isn't about batteries, motors, or software - but about knowing when to ignore the data?

This week, we're diving deep into the story of Atlas Motor Vehicles, where CEO Mark Hanchett has taken $35 million and accomplished what most automotive startups can't do with $300 million. But this isn't just another electric vehicle success story. It's a masterclass in how engineers can rewrite the rules when tackling seemingly impossible problems.

Mark's story at Atlas Motor Vehicles offers several key insights for engineers tackling hard problems:

Start with requirements, not possibilities. Don't build something and see what happens. Define what success looks like, then engineer to achieve it.

Embrace constraints as innovation drivers. Limited resources force creative solutions that well-funded teams often miss.

Think systems, not components. The biggest breakthroughs often come from redefining the problem space, not just solving individual technical challenges.

Focus ruthlessly on what matters today. Perfect is the enemy of done, and done is the enemy of tomorrow.

Know when to ignore the data. Sometimes engineering breakthroughs require pushing forward when logic says to stop.

Listen to the full episode and read my synopsis at the link below.

The University of Arizona said it was impossible. But Les Voss and his team at Johnson & Johnson built an interferometry system that worked in a high-vibration environment - something never done before. It worked perfectly on the first try.

Two years and millions of dollars later, management shut it down.

The problem wasn't technical failure. The business case never made sense. "It was my failure as much as management's failure," Les admits. "I heard them saying parametric release, and every time I heard that it was like nails on a chalkboard... But I never went and showed them why it wasn't possible."

This story reveals what most engineers face: technical excellence alone doesn't build business influence. Les learned five key lessons:

Mind the Business Gap - "Even if the whiz bang system works, if it doesn't pay us back, we're not going to build it."

Communication is Everything - Most project failures come down to communication problems, not technical ones.

Partner with Question Guys - "I'm a solution guy, not a question guy," Les explains. Find colleagues who identify which problems matter to the business.

Learn Business Basics - Understand ROI, business plans, and how technical decisions affect company finances.

Challenge Business Assumptions - Use your technical judgment to validate business cases early, not just execute requirements.

Building technical credibility isn't about becoming less of an engineer - it's about becoming a more complete one. The goal isn't just to make things work. It's to make things that matter.

Listen to the full podcast episode and read my analysis at the link below.

Ever stayed silent when you spotted a fundamental design flaw? Watched unrealistic timelines get approved because challenging leadership seemed risky?

These moments cost engineering teams millions and sometimes lives. Yet we treat communication as a "soft skill" that develops over time.

"Crucial Conversations" offers frameworks that actually work for technical teams.

The core insight: skilled communicators create safety for controversial ideas - even ones that seem wrong. Teams with strong crucial conversation skills see 40% better project outcomes.

Two practical frameworks:

STATE Method: Share facts, tell your story, ask for perspectives, talk tentatively, encourage disagreement.

LEARN Method: Listen to understand, empathize, ask questions, reflect back, navigate solutions.

The difference between avoiding difficult conversations and having them skillfully can literally mean success or catastrophe in engineering.

Read my full book analysis at the link below.

Engineering is about solving, innovating, and connecting ideas to make a difference. Progress is a collective effort and your curiosity is what drives it forward. Thank you for exploring the dynamic world of engineering with all of us at Pipeline Design & Engineering and The Wave.

If you found value in this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague who might enjoy it too. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new perspective, idea, or breakthrough.

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” - Steve Jobs

In collaboration and creativity,
Brad Hirayama
Blueprinting tomorrow, today