Solving Systems Engineering problems on the Back of a Napkin

Solving Systems Engineering problems on the Back of a Napkin

The other day I was able to go to a lecture by Dan Roam, the author of the wildly popular book, "The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures."  His topic was, "What to do when words don't work" and his seemingly outrageous claim the, "You can solve any problem with pictures."



 

 

Predicting or Creating the Future?

Predicting or Creating the Future?

In the Jan-Feb 2012 issue of THE FUTURIST  is Thomas Frey's "Eight Grand Challenges for Human Advancement." He proposes several very science fictiony things. All the challenges push past beyond our knowledge of physics. That's a good thing because I don't believe we're even close to understanding how the universe works. But what if they did come to pass? They would have some very far reaching consequences. 

Style vs Substance?

Style vs Substance?

Is PowerPoint really EVIL? Edward Tufte thinks so. Is he right? or misinformed? Is there another explanation as to why Systems Engineers turn to PowerPoint to explain the “big picture” of the project or program they are working? Let’s explore this battle of “Style vs. Substance!”

Emergence: The Mystery of Systems Engineering

Emergence: The Mystery of Systems Engineering

Emergence is an immense mystery for the scientist and the systems engineer alike. It is a profound aspect of the creation process when we integrate disparate elements to make something new. Let us explore this phenomenon by looking at some cultural impacts to the concept.

The Dark Side of "Moore's Law"

The Dark Side of "Moore's Law"

Moore's Law.predicts that number of transistors on an integrated circuit will double approximately every two years. The electronics industry has strives to maintain this law. This means as time goes on you can buy more computational power for less money, but what about the computational power you bought last year? One word: obsolesce