(The First-Principles of Engineering)
High level view of engineering and how to apply the principles of the field as a non-engineer.
For Engineers (and Now For You): the Questions That Matter in Designing are:
1. How are we designing for humans in mind?
- Our Target Person
- The Problem we are solving
- The Purpose or Value Proposition (for products)
- Critical Features or Constraints
- Product-Market Fit, Marketing, Supply/Demand
- Human psychology
This includes yourself too! Anyone who is human can understand or learn about this.
2. Is the [core] engineering feasible?
- The Physical or Digital Properties and Environmental factors
- The Materials, Manufacturing Methods and Technologies available to create it
- Safety, Reliability, Sustainability
Mechanical (physical), Electrical, Software engineering or whichever are the most basic concepts needed to create the desired product and their key concepts usually need specialized knowledge. Let’s change that.
No matter who we are, we tend to approach solving new problems a certain way. I would argue that anyone can ask the same questions and then work toward finding the answers.
Is it human? and, Is it possible?
I will break this down into these two parts. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that. The first part (is it human in design?) can be answered by talking to people, picturing yourself as the human using it as well as other useful questions/frameworks. Easy.
The hard part is the second question (is it possible in principle?) takes more creativity if you have little or no prior experience in the space of engineering. But it is not impossible. As of 2024, there are so many tools to assist with the engineering part that I would assert that we must emphasize the human aspects of design.
To give you an idea of what I mean, here are some tools that help with the engineering part.
- AI LLM Tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) for creating and coding
- Fiverr.com/UpWork.com for hiring a freelancer to do some engineering tasks
- Reddit and other forums to ask the community for help
- No-code or Low-code tools for creating applications
- Free resources online
- Free courses on almost every subject
- so much more I am forgetting…
I am publishing this post so it’s out there, but it is under construction🚧. I will continue to add content below…
My vision is to create a way for anyone who is willing to follow the basic engineering principles which govern the field, to become empowered to create mechanical-based systems (parts and products that are physical) and digital-based products (software, tools, apps, websites, etc).
It is a worthy task.
1. How are we designing for humans in mind?
- Who is our Target Person
- The Problem we are solving for target person
- What are we offering?
- The Purpose or Value Proposition (for products)
- Critical Features or Constraints
- Product-Market Fit, Marketing, Supply/Demand
- Human psychology of the thing we are offering
- Will people buy it?
- Does [our offering] satisfy their needs in a large enough way?
- What resistances exist for our offering?
This now covers understanding our user, serving them effectively and whether we can sell them what we are offering (if the objective is a sale).
🚧Outline of the book or e-book version I want to write about this topic. Who knows…maybe it will come to life one day haha…🚧
Introduction
- Why Engineering & Design?
- What This Book is About: Accessible, Practical, and Actionable
- Who This Book is For: Makers, Hobbyists, Entrepreneurs, and Everyone Curious About Creating
- How to Use This Book: Jump in, ask questions, and experiment.
Chapter 1: The Questions That Matter
Before you dive into creating, ask these essential questions:
- How are we designing for humans in mind?
- Identifying your target person and their needs
- Understanding the problem you’re solving
- The importance of a value proposition
- Constraints and features to consider
- Understanding psychology and human interaction with products
- Is the engineering feasible?
- Physical properties, materials, and environmental factors
- Safety, reliability, and sustainability
- Basic principles of Mechanical, Electrical, and Software engineering
Chapter 2: The Design Process – From Idea to Prototype
How to take your idea from paper to prototype:
- Ideation & Conceptualization
- Defining the problem
- Sketching and brainstorming ideas
- Evaluating feasibility
- Defining goals and critical features
- Design & Prototyping
- CAD basics and free software for non-engineers (TinkerCAD, Fusion 360)
- Building simple physical prototypes (3D printing, crafting)
- Testing and iterating your designs
- Refining & Finalizing
- Addressing problems from testing
- Selecting materials and production methods
- Bringing the design to life and preparing for production
Chapter 3: Core Engineering Concepts for Non-Engineers
A simple, clear breakdown of the most important engineering concepts:
- Forces and Motion
- Understanding how forces like tension, compression, and shear affect objects
- Applying these concepts to product design
- Materials Selection
- Understanding strength, durability, cost, and weight
- Choosing the right material for your design
- Exploring common materials (plastic, metal, wood, etc.) and their properties
- Energy & Power
- How your design will use or generate energy
- Making energy-efficient designs
- Sustainable energy sources
- The Importance of Safety & Reliability
- Ensuring your design will not fail under normal use
- Key safety principles and testing
- Sustainability
- Designing with the environment in mind
- Choosing materials and processes that minimize environmental impact
Chapter 4: Practical Tools for the Creator
A guide to the tools that can make your designs possible:
- CAD & 3D Design
- Free CAD tools for beginners (TinkerCAD, Fusion 360, SketchUp, FreeCAD)
- Basic 3D modeling skills to visualize your design
- Principles of CAD that are applicable across all programs
- Modeling theory
- Basic Prototyping Tools
- Working with materials (cardboard, wood, plastic, metal)
- Simple fabrication tools (saw, hammer, glue, etc.)
- How to use a 3D printer, if available
- Testing & Evaluation Tools
- How to test your prototype’s performance
- Making adjustments and improvements based on feedback
Chapter 5: Common Design Challenges and How to Solve Them
Every designer runs into challenges. Here’s how to approach them:
- Dealing with Design Failures
- Understanding why your design didn’t work
- How to troubleshoot common issues
- Iterating on Your Design
- When and how to adjust your design
- Balancing functionality with aesthetics
- Handling Material Limitations
- How to work with materials that might not be ideal
- Making the best use of what you have
Chapter 6: The Power of Prototyping and Testing
How to effectively test and iterate your designs:
- The Importance of Prototyping
- Why prototypes are essential in the design process
- Quick and low-cost prototyping techniques
- Evaluating Performance
- How to assess if your prototype meets your goals
- User testing and feedback collection
- Improving the Design
- Making design decisions based on testing
- Refining functionality and user experience
Chapter 7: Real-World Examples of Non-Engineer Success Stories
Inspiration and case studies of people who’ve successfully created something with little to no engineering background:
***THIS COULD BE ANOTHER GUIDE OR RESOURCE HERE**
- Case Study: A hobbyist who built a custom drone
- Case Study: A small business owner who designed a unique product prototype
- Case Study: A DIY enthusiast who repaired a broken appliance using basic engineering concepts
- etc… keep going with other examples
Chapter 8: Next Steps: Bringing Your Ideas to Market
How to take your creation from prototype to reality:
- Product Development Process
- Steps to go from prototype to finished product
- Working with manufacturers
- Testing for scalability and production readiness
- Marketing Your Creation
- How to determine the market demand for your product
- Creating a brand and getting your product into the hands of users
- Maintaining & Improving Your Product
- How to keep your product up-to-date and improve it based on user feedback
Conclusion
- Empowering Non-Engineers to Create
You don’t need an engineering degree to build something practical and impactful. With the principles in this book, anyone can make functional products, solve real-world problems, and bring ideas to life.
Appendices
- Glossary of Key Terms
- Properties, engineering principles
- Resources for Further Learning
- Free tools (CAD software, prototyping kits)
- Online courses and tutorials
- Recommended Reading
- Books and articles for makers, engineers, and designers
About the Author
- A brief bio of my background and why I’m passionate about making engineering accessible for others.
Useful Resources
- TinkerCAD: Easy-to-use 3D design and printing tool.
- Fusion 360: CAD software for students, hobbyists, and makers.
- Coursera: Courses on engineering, product design, and more.
- Arduino: Platform for building electronics-based projects.
- link to my website
- any link I have on my website
Next Steps: Creating Your First Design
- Start small with an idea you’ve always wanted to make.
- Use the tools and principles outlined in the book.
- Build a prototype, test it, iterate, and refine.