Technical Portrait Gist

Gist from Designer-Innovator

• Use judiciously new materials and new design methods. Practice bold prudence.

Gist from Performance Investigator

• In forensic engineering projects, strive to transcend the perceptions of common sense that may mask reality.

Gist for a method to conduct research

• Choose useful problems from reality
• Define relevant quantities
• Make assumptions to proceed
• Revisit periodically solutions to problems and refine. If prior faulty assumptions are detected, acknowledge the fault explicitly.

• Use language and visuals to capture reality as close as it is possible. Guide not only toward understanding, but away from misunderstandings.

• Let reality show you which topics are worth educating –and even preaching– about. Avoid making up topics, let them grab you.

• Materialize the support for the work that needs to be done. Like our body is supported by our skeleton, our work is supported by people (find them) and organizational infrastructures (build them).