Engineering isn’t a science; it’s the art of applying science. As a result, we have many opportunities to make choices. Sometimes, such as in electing leaders, we have little scientific basis and like regular humans we occasionally make poor decisions. Sometimes the trade-offs are clear. Sometimes we have constraints on our decision making, which can mean that even more creativity is required. Other times it’s the initial decision of what project to undertake that dooms us. Happy Reading.
Why Organisations Pick the Wrong Leaders
Have you ever had a bad boss? Ever wonder how someone picked him or her to actually be the boss? “Managers have been found to confuse confidence with competence.“ “Traits such as narcissism can increase the likelihood of someone becoming a leader.”
The Conversation, April 2026
Engineers Face Difficult Decisions as AI’s Energy Appetite Outpaces Battery Improvements
Range anxiety in EVs is an example of the collapse of the "illusion of infinite power". Would you give up long trips if it meant your car could drive you locally by itself? At what point do you want to hold that tradeoff yourself, rather than let a computer decide?
IMechE News, March 2026
Compliance Drives Safer, Smarter Vehicle Design
Modern codes or specifications can be built around functional requirements rather than a prescribed solution. “Regulatory compliance can be viewed as a constraint, but it’s really a catalyst for more thoughtful design.” You just need to have the right creative guide driving your compliance efforts.
Design News, May 2026
Plain Water Not Enough? Echo Flask’s Electrolyser Ups the Hydrogen in Hydration
This bottle has an accelerometer that allows it to act like your mother and tell you to drink more water. It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth too. This is the water bottle for which the world has been crying out! What was wrong with just two parts H for every O?
IMechE News, February 2026