Start with first principles. Build things that work.
A comprehensive guide to systems engineering discipline—from requirements to delivery. Learn the thinking, processes, and fundamentals that separate great engineers from mediocre ones.
Most engineering failures don't come from lack of technical skill. They come from skipping fundamentals, accepting unexamined assumptions, and confusing activity with progress.
Simple changes require months. Meetings about meetings. No one can give straight answers about timelines.
No one defines what success looks like. Teams argue endlessly because goals aren't clear. Testing becomes guesswork.
Constant firefighting. No space for first-principles analysis. Jump to solutions before understanding problems.
"Let's make it generic!" before solving the first use case. Complexity for flexibility nobody needs.
A systematic approach to engineering that works. From concept to delivery. Principles that don't change when technology does.
Power, mass, link, timing budgets. If you can't quantify these, you don't have a design.
Read more →Writing testable requirements. Decomposition. Traceability from concept to verification.
Read more →Defensible decisions through systematic analysis. COTS vs custom. Innovation strategies.
Read more →Building without hardware. Test strategies. Designing for testability from day one.
Read more →Testing approaches. MTBF analysis. Reliability engineering. Proving it actually works.
Read more →Deliverables. Code freezes. Hotfixes. Anticipating customer needs. ROI thinking.
Read more →Quick lookups. Red flags. Decision frameworks. Templates. Checklists for when you need answers fast.
Read more →New to the guide? Begin with first-principles thinking and the engineering mindset.
Start reading →Learn the fundamentals they don't teach in school. Understand why experienced engineers do what they do. Skip years of trial and error.
Fed up with dysfunction? This is the systematic approach you wish your team would use. Reference material for doing it right.
Set the standard for your team. Teach first-principles thinking. Build a culture that values rigor over activity.
Start with first principles. Skip the guesswork. Learn the fundamentals that don't change when technology does.
Free resource. No signup required. Just engineering discipline.