General > General Technical Chat
A philosophical question - Is lateral thinking a valued trait in engineering?
fourfathom:
About this lateral thinking... It seems to me that we should be talking about specialists and generalists. I'm definitely a generalist, but with some areas of specialization. In my experience it's the generalists that come up with what appear to be the out-of-the-box concepts -- not because of any particular "lateral" thinking, but because they can bring experience from one field and apply in in another. A specialist wouldn't have been exposed to that foreign concept or application, so would never have a chance to consider it.
There are obviously places where you need a specialist, and others where a generalist will have useful strengths. Lateral thinking without adequate knowledge seldom results in anything useful.
tggzzz:
--- Quote from: fourfathom on March 07, 2022, 05:49:33 am ---About this lateral thinking... It seems to me that we should be talking about specialists and generalists. I'm definitely a generalist, but with some areas of specialization. In my experience it's the generalists that come up with what appear to be the out-of-the-box concepts -- not because of any particular "lateral" thinking, but because they can bring experience from one field and apply in in another. A specialist wouldn't have been exposed to that foreign concept or application, so would never have a chance to consider it.
There are obviously places where you need a specialist, and others where a generalist will have useful strengths. Lateral thinking without adequate knowledge seldom results in anything useful.
--- End quote ---
That's a sensible generalisation (i.e. it matches my opinion and background :) )
RJSV:
Yes, you can't just be making up, the proverbial UNICORN with golden poop...
My favorite example, comes out of my own 'shortcomings'; that being a 'POCKET SHOWER'.
It didn't have to be built to recognize the looks, market, and attractive package possible.
Turns out, there IS a similar product, in form of a CAMP SHOWER, that's a solar warmed bag you can hang from a tree branch, out at some backwoods backpacking trek.
The engineering would have been centered on little pumps, and the user buttons and utility screen.
But point is very similar, to what you guys just said; It was easy to propose, and outline, A device that could work, in confines of a train bathroom, for example.
(Just for quick armpit swipes).
The practical outlay of cash required, PROBABLY staggering, for a decent development effort, along with 'start-up hassles...
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