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What's one piece of technical knowledge you wish you had learned earlier in your career?

If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants," wrote Isaac Newton in 1675, acknowledging that even his groundbreaking discoveries built upon centuries of prior knowledge. Nearly 350 years later, as we race to develop artificial intelligence systems and optimize complex engineering processes, this humble recognition of learning from our predecessors remains startlingly relevant.

Consider the Vasa, a Swedish warship that sank barely a mile into its maiden voyage in 1628. This engineering disaster wasn't just a product of its time - it tells a story of how competing demands, unclear requirements, and pressure to innovate can lead to catastrophic failures. The ship's designers, eager to push boundaries while managing multiple constraints, created what they thought would be the most powerful warship of its era. Instead, they crafted a cautionary tale that engineers still study today.

As I work with modern engineering teams, I'm struck by how often we encounter echoes of the Vasa's story. Whether we're fine-tuning AI models or optimizing manufacturing processes, we grapple with similar fundamental challenges: balancing innovation with stability, managing competing constraints, and deciding when to push boundaries versus when to rely on proven solutions.

By studying these historical lessons - by truly standing on the shoulders of giants - we can better navigate the complexities of modern engineering. The patterns of success and failure don't change as much as our tools do.

The integration of AI into engineering isn't just changing how we work—it's transforming how we think. In a revealing conversation with AI innovation specialist Kevin Surace (Inc. Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year 2009), we explore how artificial intelligence is becoming an essential partner in engineering productivity.

"Think of it this way," Kevin explains, "We solved math decades ago with calculators and Excel. Now we're solving creative problem-solving with AI." But this solution isn't about replacement—it's about amplification. AI is emerging as a cognitive partner that enhances engineering judgment while freeing up mental space for innovation.

Key insights from our discussion:

Read the full article or listen to the podcast interview to discover practical strategies for integrating AI into your engineering workflow, avoiding common pitfalls, and preparing for the future of human-AI collaboration in engineering.

In 1628, the most ambitious engineering project in Swedish history sank less than a mile into its maiden voyage. The Vasa, a massive warship designed to showcase Swedish naval power, now serves as a stark reminder of how project management failures can doom even the most impressive technical achievements.

This story of scope creep, ignored warnings, and rushed deadlines feels surprisingly modern. A king's ever-changing requirements, engineers afraid to speak up, and pressure to deliver created a perfect storm that sent the pride of the Swedish navy to the harbor bottom – along with valuable lessons for today's engineers.

In our full article, discover:

Don't let your project become the next Vasa. Read the full story to learn how to recognize and address these timeless project management challenges before they sink your success.

When a manufacturing team invested millions in automated guided vehicles to speed up production, they were puzzled to find virtually no improvement in overall output. The culprit? They had optimized the wrong part of the system. This common scenario illustrates why every engineer needs to understand the Theory of Constraints (TOC).

Originally developed for manufacturing, TOC has evolved into a powerful framework for system optimization across all engineering disciplines. At its core is a simple yet profound insight: any system's performance is limited by a small number of constraints. The key to improvement isn't making everything faster—it's identifying and managing these constraints effectively.

Think of it like a highway system. Adding lanes to a freeway (local optimization) won't improve travel time if there's a bottleneck at the exit ramp (the constraint). Modern engineers are applying this principle to everything from software development pipelines to product design processes, achieving remarkable improvements in system performance.

In our full article, we dive deep into:

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.

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“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