Awkward Engineer - Blog

The AwkEng and the Three Forms of Heat Transfer

Hi all! Today's post is about cooking gadgets, high school physics, and working through a long bout of analysis paralysis, (which will hopefully pa...

Third Eye Blindness and the AwkEng's Internal Monologue

Hi all, Today's post is about aphantasia and anauralia, or a lack of the ability to form imagery in your "minds eye" and the lack of an inner monol...

No Meeting Day is a Lie - Change the AwkEng's Mind

Hi all, Much like the salad crisper drawer in your refrigerator, "no meeting day" is also a lie. People book over it, every time. Things get busy, ...

Meditations on Balloons from the Awkeng

Hi all, I never knew how much I liked babies until I had one of my own. Aside from the snuggles and their adorable squish, I think one of the thing...

The AwkEng Avoids Integration Risk by Integrating

The AwkEng Avoids Integration Risk by Integrating

Hi all, Today's post shares some of my mental models for systems development. These models apply to software; they're harder to apply to hardware, ...

Deep Thought and Extreme Value Creation

Hi all, Since the start of COVID, I've tried to make a habit of going for a daily walk. I've experimented with it in all sorts of ways, i.e. taking...

The Moment the AwkEng Became a Program Manager

Hi all, Today's post is about the exact moment in time when I transitioned from mechanical engineering to a role as a technical program manager. I ...

The AwkEng Reads Books So You Don't Have To

Hi all! Following up on themes of internet addiction and distraction, I read several books in the personal productivity space. Nir Eyal's Indistrac...

The Awkward Engineer Evades the Spousal Veto

Today's post is about ideas that went to review with my executive advisory committee, passed, and came to fruition. I've written twice in the past about how the committee often fails to see the brilliance of my project proposals, but the committee wields the power of the "spousal veto" judiciously, so it only seems fair to talk about what has been approved.

The AwkEng Doesn't Believe in Requirements Docs

Hi all, Here's a contrarian opinion, but when practicing product development, I don't think you should be using requirements documents at all. This...

The Awkward Engineer and The Grounding Procedure

Hi all! Today's post is a bit on the nerdy side, but with the dry winter air in New England, I'm reminded of some old on-the-job training I receive...

Buyer's Delight

Hi all, Short post today. I want to introduce a term I call "buyer's delight". Buyer's delight is simply the opposite of buyer's remorse. I ...