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One of my favorite pastimes is following the development of game strategies. Especially in the realm of video games, slight tweaks or counterplay to the gameplay results in new discoveries without changing the underlying game. In other words, a finalized version of a release may evolve over time as the same physical product.

Classifications can get messy. When taking my CID course, I was overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge to keep track of in the industry and related disciplines. Most of it was beyond retention for all but the most seasoned veterans. Individual rules or mandates can be difficult to recall. Still, best practices provide an excellent foundation for the motivation behind some tasks, whether reliability, performance, or other essential characteristics.

Technical terminology is a necessary part of any industry. As a topic’s specificity increases, so do the need to quickly and accurately convey information without room for ambiguity. Conversations lacking in this specificity can result in misinterpretations during design and manufacturing, sometimes severe enough to warrant rework or scrapping.

Making a sandwich is a simple enough construction — assemble your bread, meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments in such a way that has both structural integrity and flavor. What varies in designing this famously simple meal is not only what you put in, but where, and how much. It’s a common misconception that different areas of the tongue correspond to different flavor sensations.

Packing a cooler is a time-honored tradition for beach trips, camping, and cookouts. I remember the first time I was on cooler duty. Typical of my thought process, I put a bed of ice in the cooler and placed all perishables on top. As you might have guessed, my family was not impressed with my record-breaking cooler pack.

“Measure twice, cut once” is the guiding mantra to prevent irreversible mistakes during any manufacturing process. However, no matter how many eyes check a document or process, some defect or error eventually sneaks through. Luckily, not all errors are equally disruptive, and focused efforts on the primary modes of failure or performance issues can prevent complete malfunction. Establishing and communicating clear design intent also helps prevent ambiguity from sneaking into production, reducing the possibility of issues arising.