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Blast from the Past

5/4/2022

I got a blast from the past cleaning up at the office. "The only LabVIEW subscription with VI software included".

The disks are still attached, but I can't find the opening for them on my laptop.

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It Takes Two Weeks to do Anything

12/21/2021

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Estimating is hard. So hard that many engineers don't really try; everything they estimate will take two weeks. Change a button from red to blue: two weeks. Write a specification for a new software feature: two weeks. Build a rocket for human flight: okay, most engineers are smart enough to estimate at least 3 weeks, but you get the point.

Of course, “two weeks” usually isn’t really an estimate at all. So, what do we mean when we say something will take two weeks?

“I am a good engineer. I can envision a solution, so I can probably implement it pretty quickly.” But seeing a path is not the same thing as walking that path, yet we fall for this trap easily.

“It takes what it takes. Don’t try to pin me down.”
“My job is engineering. Let the project manager estimate things.”
“I have no idea how long it will take, but it won’t be done tomorrow, so go away.”

We’ve probably seen all of these excuses used. We’ve probably used some or all of these excuses.
Estimating is hard, but it is a skill that is very important to your success, your company’s success, and your customer’s success.

What techniques do you use to estimate more accurately?

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Simplify

11/9/2021

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I love it when I’m working on a project and pieces fall into place that make it simpler. It is almost always a surprise. I am struggling through a problem, adding layer upon layer of complexity to try to handle issues, as engineers love to do. Then all of a sudden, something dials in. Sometimes it almost seems like the problem solved itself -- maybe it did, but my engineering ego still wants the credit. :) Let’s call it a team effort.

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Focus on the Problem at Hand

10/21/2021

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We inherited a project from a client that was frustrated with the previous engineer not delivering. They had been working on the device for too long, spending a lot of time trying to implement host-mode Bluetooth for audio streaming. Not only was the Bluetooth not working, but it still didn’t do the most important functions. The Bluetooth was a distraction.

We asked the customer if we could hold off on Bluetooth for version 1 and they agreed. The S5 engineers had the important core functionality working in under two days. There was more engineering to be done, but the necessary functionality was working quickly after a long and unnecessary wait. Focusing on the right problem made all the difference.

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Measure a Million Times, Cut Once

10/20/2021

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Measure twice, cut once. Better yet, you’ve got a computer… measure a million times, do statistical analysis of all those measurements to make a solid choice based on data.

...Then put that data into a cloud database, provide access through a web interface, share it with your team, track the quality of your product, use SPC to improve it...

Need help with any of that? Give us a call.

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Clear your Mind

10/20/2021

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I posted a few days ago about “Constructive Distraction”. Stepping away from a problem can give your mind a rest, so you can come back with a renewed perspective.

My favorite creative distraction is flying a paramotor. It is an activity that is relaxing and yet requires focus and commitment. There is always more to learn and room build skills. At the same time, it is the best way I have found to leave all the cares of the world behind, and return to the ground ready for what comes next.

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Constructive Distraction

10/4/2021

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Have you ever been at the point where you get on a track that you are determined is the right path, but the harder you push to force it to work, it just won’t work?

It is easy for our minds to fixate on a problem.

Our minds have incredible abilities to solve puzzles in the unconscious if we give them a chance. I have found that clearing my mind from actively working on the problem can often let my unconscious mind come to the rescue.

This is not an excuse to take too many coffee breaks or spend all your time at the water cooler chatting about last night's game (although some of that might work!). It is more than that. It is about getting in a state of Constructive Distraction that lets your whole brain be involved in solving problems. A good distraction can put some distance between your conscious mind and the problem, allowing your unconscious mind to engage.

Sometimes taking time away from a problem can be the most productive way of solving it.

Do you do this? What works for you to provide Constructive Distraction?

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Blue Origin First Flight

9/23/2021

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We received a very nice thank you note today from Blue Origin for our involvement with the New Shepard program that made it's first human flight in July.

Congratulations to Blue Origin, and thanks to the S5 Solutions team and all their effort, especially Tony Kuiper, the project lead on the S5 side.

We are proud to have been part of such an historic event.

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The Freedom of Constraints

9/23/2021

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Boundaries can be freedom, not always a limitation. If you understand all the confines of a system, you can then move freely about the entire system, finding ways to maximize it.

In chess, an amateur and master play on the same board by the same rules, but what they do can be dramatically different.

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Break Boundaries

9/23/2021

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It is easy to live within the boundaries we have been told exist. But are they real? Push on them to see if they are fixed or if you just believed they were. Hold loosely what you think you know for certain. Try things. Fail. Try other things.

“When you have exhausted all possibilities remember this: you haven’t.”
- Thomas Edison

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