Re: Smart Pill for Boosting Electronics Design Performance

D from BC wrote:
There is no smart pill...if so ...
I'll pop one to figure out if I should take more. :)

In my humble opinion here are some good substitutes for a smart pill:

Do a lot of research first. It might take you weeks or months,
depending on the size of the project. Check the local library or
pertinent technical literature, find out what's available off the
shelf, call a lot of vendors. Ask yourself if the device is really
necessary in the first place or if there are better ways of
accomplishing the same thing. Compare costs and define the
specifications very carefully before you start. Don't add any extra or
superfluous features. Double check everything before you start and then
double check everything again. Learn to tell the difference between
what you actually know and what you think you know. Don't assume
anything.

There's one good way to tell if you are doing a good job with an
electronic design project: If you're having fun, you're not doing it
right.

.....
There's some very intelligent people on here and I wonder if it's
partly due to lifestyle...

Are electronic designers getting exercise and eating "mentally"
healthy foods to stay mentally sharp?

Also....
I did some reading long ago on attention span... IIRC it matches the
duration of TV shows..about 45 minutes.
I sometimes hack on the same circuit for hours.. But I have to wonder
about my mental performance during those hours...
Maybe it was best during the first 45minutes?

How do you stay sharp?

Unfortunately, the best way to stay sharp is to get your ass chewed a
few times by the boss for doing something stupid or be the only
engineer on a project who is behind schedule.

D from BC

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