The last blog posting cautioned against over reliance on reference books for design guidance. A perfectly logical follow-up to that caution is “Whe...

A consultant’s code is similar to a medical doctor’s; e.g. — Rule #1 is to “do no harm.” Sometimes I feel like a real buzz kill while explaining to...

Long time readers of this blog know that my “gear career” has included plenty of non-gear-related assignments. Of course, if you are a deeply entre...

The last post suggested constructing a fighting robot machine as a team building exercise. As a sole proprietor for the last eleven years, I am a b...

We watch lots of reality shows on cable television. Home remodeling shows, veterinary medicine shows, game warden shows, and car rebuilding shows a...

An Internet meme that is making the rounds concerns a college pottery class. On the first day of the semester, the instructor divides the group int...

I missed an important point in a product specification this week. Fortunately, my client caught it and I was able to submit another design in time ...

An old business associate called the other day with a training request. To the best of my knowledge, he’s among the last “manufacturer’s representa...

A consultant gets used to receiving emergency calls. Typically they are requests for help in getting a wayward project back on track or to fill in ...

This belt buckle found its way to me recently when my daughter’s in-laws moved into a new house in the Chicago suburbs. The couple emigrated from P...