Shipulski On Design

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When you want to figure out what’s next, show customers what’s possible.  This is much different than asking them what they want.  So, don’t do that.  Instead, show them a physical prototype or a one-page sales tool that explains the value they would realize. When they see what’s possible, the world changes for them.  They […]

There is a dearth of engineering leadership capability, and it negatively impacts the company’s bottom line every day.  And it’s prevalent in all levels of the engineering organization. Entry-level engineers feel the lack of engineering leadership capability as soon as they arrive.  They want to know how to get things done, how to address a […]

To help your team members communicate more effectively, teach them to put their argument on one page.  Teach them what to leave off the page and explain why those things should be omitted. Teach them what’s at the top of the page and explain why.  Help them identify the central element and show them how […]

There is no such thing as losing time.  Time doesn’t reverse itself, at least outside the theoretical physics textbooks. We can spend time on things that will never go anywhere, but that’s wasted time, not lost time. The trick with this type of project is to learn that there’s a fundamental constraint BEFORE running the […]

Take a position.  People will have to reconcile their thinking with yours and, together, the crew will deepen the collective understanding. Take an opposite position.  Announce you are running a thought experiment and take a position that is opposite of the prevailing theory.  Make it good.  Make it deep.  Do it for real.  The prevailing […]

What is this all about? What is the reason you do what you do? What’s your WHY behind the WHAT? When you don’t do what you said you’d do, what’s the reason? And what does that say about you? If the reason is right, I think it can be okay NOT to do something you […]

What’s the rule?  Are you sure? Where did the rule come from?  And how do you know? When the rule was created, was there also a rule that it could not be changed? Show me the rule book! Is the rule always applicable, even after hours? If the rule is limited to a certain location, […]

Good teachers change your life.  They know what you know and bring you along at a pace that’s right for you, not too slowly that you’re bored and not too quickly that your head spins. And everything they do is about you and your learning.  Good teachers prioritize your learning above all else. Chris Brown […]

When you want someone to understand your new idea, draw a picture for yourself. Set the constraint that you cannot use words on the page.  Shapes, arrows, cartoons – yes.  Words – no.  Once you’re convinced your one-pager captures your idea, set another constraint.  When you show your picture to someone, you cannot speak.  Your […]

For the past two decades, I’ve actively developed engineering leaders.  A good friend asked me how I do it, so I took some time to write it down.  Here is the curriculum in the form of How Tos: How to build trust.  This is the first thing.  Always.  Done right, the trust-based informal networks are […]

Supply chains have taken it on the chin, first from COVID-19 and now from tariffs (or the threat of them).  For the second time in several years, we have objective evidence there is more to a supply chain than implementing the lowest-cost way to meet predictable demand. Tariffs have highlighted the cost of an inflexible […]