design
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🔁 The innovation loop
Previously, we discussed that two things need to go right: architecture, and the learning loop. The learning loop is how innovation happens. Recently, I was reminded of a quote by a mechanical engineer who is regarded by some as the most br…
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🏷️ IDs are not about details
With part numbers, serial numbers, and similar identifiers, the natural tendency is to over-specify. Why not encode the color, size, shape, and material in the part number? Why not encode the manufacturing date, the version, and the phase o…
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✨ Impressive is not always effective
When AI generates something, the result is often “impressive.” We might marvel at how quickly lots of code is generated that mostly works. Generated documentation is extremely detailed and well formatted. AI-created diagrams are colorful, u…
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📚 Without docs
Design files (mechanical, electrical, or software) contain the technical details that allow us to manufacture something in the moment, but they often don’t contain the “why”. Why is this mechanical feature present? Why is this circuit nece…