Yikes.
Yup. And if you find a way to get some more system margin, that's an excellent thing to keep in a desk drawer for a rainy day.
Cheers
Phil Hobbs
-- Dr Philip C D Hobbs Principal Consultant ElectroOptical Innovations LLC Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics 160 North State Road #203 Briarcliff Manor NY 10510 hobbs at electrooptical dot net http://electrooptical.net
On Monday, November 17, 2014 11:35:49 AM UTC-8, John Larkin wrote: [about brainstorming]
Anonymous posting, and arrogant dismissal of doofuses (doofi?) provide a workaround for this issue. Pseudonyms and killfiles are problem-solving powerhouses!
I think you re imposing yor own definition, there (e.g., "good engineer"). I've met many folks who were "good at engineering" but really *limited* in their outlooks: "uninspired", etc.
I think a good *solution* requires a more inquisitive, playful approach to the problem. "What if..." Too often, people with too *much* depth in a particular subject rule out possibilities before even *considering* them.
Many years ago, we rented a guy from BBN. Without a doubt, very deep knowledge in the field that we needed. But, severely lacking in imagination! As we were trying to do something "never been done", he was absolutely the wrong person for the job. We ended up having to *drag* him in the different directions that we wanted to explore. It was stressful for him (because he always felt his footing threatened) and terribly inefficient for us. We ended up letting him go and solved the problem on our own. Perhaps not as well as he could *now* (given that our work is now accepted practice and, presumably, he's caught on) but surely "back then".
A "professional thinker" can have a wider experience/education base. Just exposure to different disciplines can greatly increase the range of solutions that you explore. Too many engineers, "programmers", etc. have narrowly defined skillsets, have worked in only a couple of application domains, etc. They just haven't been exposed to different criteria, needs, solutions, etc.
I designed a little hand tool many years ago. I fashioned a prototype, drawings, etc. and brought it to management. When the *actual* tool went into production, my ideas were still there -- but I had been obviously clueless as to what could be done with $100M of machinery at your disposal... "Wow, that's *slick*!" (whereas my prototype looked like something I'd made in my basement -- as I *had*!).
They make a gizmo that uses whiteboard pens (markers) in special holders -- along with a special "eraser" -- that allows a computer to watch what you are drawing. My pens are always dried out (the "special holders" don't have a very effective seal).
But, I've learned that if I hook up the software to one of my projectors and superimpose the image *on* the whiteboard, I get the same result as if there was actually "ink" in the pens (though I can't see what I am writing *while* I am writing it unless I stand off to the side).
Erasing is the most stressful aspect -- hard to erase what you can't see!
[This must be what weathermen have to deal with with green-screen!]P.S. Was it you who was discussing device failures when hot plugging and unplugging wall warts? Some time ago?? (caps?)
Can I play?
-- John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc picosecond timing precision measurement jlarkin att highlandtechnology dott com http://www.highlandtechnology.com
You'd have to become a consultant :-)
It has become easier though because thanks to online conferencing services one does not necessarily have to come together in one location. We do a lot of brainstorming online. That's not so good news for the airlines.
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/
I worked at an outfit that had a large conference room used for company meetings that we would confiscate for making new designs. Instead of drywall, the front was completely covered with beige marker board material. It was great. We could do a whole system design on that wall without having to erase any part of it. We could pace around, lounge on the tables, project things on the wall, throw tape-balls at the trash can. It even made a pretty good place for creating solo since it was an empty room divorced from the normal work environment. It was the best design environment I've experienced. Maybe there could be a better one, but I think it might need virtual reality equipment.
ChesterW
It would have to be something on the screen where others can draw as well. Online conferencing sketch routines aren't designed in a clever way. For example, there is no accelerator function like you have with a mouse. This makes mouse-sketching quite ugly. But the worst is that they don't let you hand the pen to another participant.
I think that must have been someone else. But we just ordered a new dual oven and nowadays they only come with electronic controls. The sales woman already admitted that those can fail during outages. Not looking forward to it.
[...]-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/
I thought that to get work as a consultant, you needed to spend most of your time selling. IOW you become a salesman, not an engineer. Do you find that true?
ChesterW
Maybe a little in the beginning. After you achieved a reputation it's all word of mouth. I don't do any advertising anymore. Even my web site is, ahem, let's say early 1990's style.
You do have to be your own accountant, tax planner, organizer, plumber, IT guy and whatnot. That's something that makes some people totally unsuited for a consulting career.
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/
That is a super arrangement for a team. This is the only downside of consulting, you are on your won most of the time. Can't share frustration, can't share joy.
My favorite work places for difficult self-brainstorming are only reachable via mountain bike. Getting there causes a great deal of sweat but such strenuous exercise also clear the mind. Best of all: Some have no cell coverage. The only other beings I meet out there are foxes, coyotes, deer, birds, horses, alpacas and the occasional hunting dogs on their off-days. Sometimes a rattlesnake but even they haven't bugged me.
The next best alternative is a brewpub, preferably with Belgian-style ales and an outdoor seating area. Like this one:
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/
We sometimes brainstorm at Zeitgeist, on the sticky picnic tables under the scenic freeway ramp. The burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches are excellent lately. They have 44 beers on tap and no rattlesnakes so far.
Half a beer optimizes my design skills. A full beer is best for skiing.
-- John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc picosecond timing precision measurement jlarkin att highlandtechnology dott com http://www.highlandtechnology.com
I've never seen such a species. A close relative might be a management consultant, who religiously agrees with everything offered by the guy who signs his check, and changes literally everything possible for the remaining employees. The theory is that employee complacency is a bad thing, and that they work better when terrorized.
At one time, during my early succession of mistakes, I considered myself somewhat of a troubleshooter. That's a bit different from "professional brainstormer" as the troubleshooter is expected to actually fix things, while the brainstormer merely manufactures great ideas for someone else to struggle with. My mistake was to offer a complete solution including a marketing proposal, preliminary schematics, and packaging sketches. I used white butcher paper and felt markers. The committee liked it so much, that they instantly threw me out of the building, stole all my ideas, but were amazingly generous by offering me the name of their corporate counsel should I decide to sue for violating their part of the NDA (non disclosure agreement). So much for "brainstorming for profit".
I must admit that it does sound like fun. However, I don't see any such work. What I get is "We have a product that's almost done, but nothing works. All the engineers just quit. Little is documented. Nobody is in charge. We were scheduled to ship yesterday. By the way, there's no budget and you're bidding against someone in India". (Coincidentally, I'm at home today, struggling with one such bid).
Actually, I just realized that I sometimes do brainstorming or something similar. When I need to push my idea or agenda, I sometimes find it difficult to convince management. I tend to come on rather strongly, which often produces an equal and opposite reaction. Consulting diplomacy requires that I diplomatically sell the idea to management. I'm impatient and instead prefer to offer them a succession of marginally unworkable, totally radical, and generally useless alternatives, which make my idea look good by comparison. It's much like brainstorming, except that the bad ideas come after the solution instead of before.
Back to bids, estimates, and science fiction. Ummm... when does the fun begin?
-- Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
I do zero selling, except for the occasional informal proposal when the project size justifies it. I do have a few keywords in my sig, but besides having written a book, that's about it.
Cheers
Phil Hobbs
-- Dr Philip C D Hobbs Principal Consultant ElectroOptical Innovations LLC Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics 160 North State Road #203 Briarcliff Manor NY 10510 hobbs at electrooptical dot net http://electrooptical.net
That's an excellent place for brainstorming. Anchor Steam OBA would bring my engineering productivity to 130%.
I upped my mountain bike rides lately in terms of distance. Pushing past
30 miles on tough turf and I found a couple of nice pubs. They only require veering back into civilization with paved roads for a mile or so.-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Our IEEE consultants group had a presentation by a consultant on how to find business. He carefully went through several methods of finding customers explaining how each one was limited. In the end he said he had seldom found work by any method other than direct connections.
-- Rick
I hear you. In my office I put up a 4x8 sheet of shower board as a whiteboard. My only problem is I don't like erasing anything. lol
I don't have a white board at the lake house so I use the several patio doors.
-- Rick
Don't have anyone to bounce ideas off of... except for here.
I once worked with a younger crowd at a startup company. It was pretty good in that regard. Lots of ideas tossed around all the time.
-- Rick
There are some really good "brainstorm fosterers". Usually from the group of motivation seminar hosts. They can get people into the right mood for brainstorming. Kind of like a corporate shrink :-)
I've had people run off with proposals. Often it becomes apparent during the initial meeting. "Why don't we consider doing this in software? Then all those pesky component tolerances go out the window" ... "Shazam! Yeah, why did we never think about that?" ... and then I don't hear much anymore. That's ok, part of life. And they'll usually be back when something really tough hits the fan.
Hint: Let them take the guy. Maybe it works for them. If it doesn't they'll either go belly up or come knocking on your door with downcast faces and a new round of financing.
With me it did when I was 16 or 17. That's the first time I actually designed something from scratch instead of copying an ARRL Handbook design or similar schematics. So far the fun hasn't stopped although by now I could imagine throttling down a bit and mountain bike some more instead.
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Yes, and that's why many of us are here. But mostly to serve and help the next generation. Can't take it to the grave and not worry what happens afterwards.
I am part of a start-up right now. It's fun, even thuogh we must meet online due to thousands of miles distance.
-- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/
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