The guide.
The seven chapters of Engineering North Star, in the order a project unfolds. Read in any order — each chapter stands alone.
Start Here
The shape of the problem and the philosophy behind the rest. First-principles thinking, the engineering mindset, and how to use this guide.
01Fundamentals
Power, mass, link, timing budgets — the four non-negotiables that decide whether a system is physically possible.
02Requirements & traceability
Requirements as contracts. Writing them so they’re testable. Tracing them so they survive the lifecycle.
03Design & trade studies
Defensible engineering decisions. COTS versus custom. Innovation under constraints.
04Integration & testing
Designing for testability from day one. Locking interfaces. Building incrementally.
05Verification & validation
Proving requirements are met with evidence. Testing strategies, traceability matrices, reliability engineering.
06Project lifecycle
Concept to retirement. Phase deliverables, code freezes, hotfix discipline, anticipating customer needs.
07Tools and diagrams
Context diagrams, the C4 model, flowcharts, UML, and the discipline of choosing the right altitude for each.
RefQuick reference
Red flags, decision frameworks, troubleshooting checklists, formulas, acronyms.
Other pages.
Site administrivia, plus links back to Wavelet Solutions.
Home
The landing page, with the introduction to the guide and the chapter index.
Pay it forward
Four no-cost ways to give back if this guide has helped you. Spoiler: none of them involve money.
Wavelet Solutions
The consulting practice that publishes this guide. Engineering services, mostly in critical infrastructure and embedded systems.