Reframing Success for the Technical Leader

In the world of engineering, success is often measured by the final product—a sleek new technology, a breakthrough device, or a perfectly functioning system. However, for technical leaders, educators, and innovators, this perspective is fundamentally incomplete.

The engineering process itself is the foundation of success, and the product—while important—is merely the icing on the cake. The real question is not what was built, but rather how was it built?

This philosophy aligns with KEEN’s (Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network) approach to developing an entrepreneurial mindset. By emphasizing Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value, engineers move beyond technical execution and into problem-solving that matters.

The Engineering Process: Baking the Right Cake

Consider an elegantly layered cake. Each layer represents a critical aspect of engineering:

1. Curiosity (Exploring & Learning)

   • Great engineering starts with asking the right questions.
   • Why does this problem exist? What alternative solutions can be explored?
   • Engineers who embrace curiosity iterate faster, innovate deeper, and solve more meaningful problems.

2. Connections (Integrating Knowledge & Perspectives)

   • A great engineering process is not isolated. It draws from multiple disciplines, real-world constraints, and teamwork.
   • Successful engineers connect their knowledge to larger systems, just as a solid cake requires balanced ingredients.

3. Creating Value (Solving Problems That Matter)

   • Engineering isn’t just about making something that works—it’s about making something impactful.
   • The best engineers don’t just create for the sake of creation; they build with user needs, sustainability, and long-term impact in mind.

Without these layers, the final product lacks substance. An engineering process that prioritizes only the end result risks being fragile, short-sighted, and inefficient.

Why IEEE Leaders Should Care

Technical leaders in IEEE have seen time and time again that great technology alone is not enough. Consider the history of failed products with exceptional engineering—whether it’s Betamax losing to VHS, the Segway failing to revolutionize transport, or technically advanced startups that collapse due to market misalignment.

The lesson? The best engineering minds in the world can still fail if they neglect the process.

The IEEE community must challenge its own mindset:

• Are we pushing young engineers to focus only on the product, or are we teaching them to master the process?
• Are we developing leaders or just technical executors?

A strong engineering process does more than produce one-off solutions—it cultivates adaptability, lifelong learning, and systems thinking.

The Engineering Product: Just the Icing on the Cake

A well-executed process naturally results in a more refined, reliable, and innovative product. When teams emphasize curiosity, connections, and creating value, the end result isn’t just technically sound—it’s also relevant, scalable, and impactful.

This perspective reshapes how we evaluate capstone projects, industry innovations, and leadership priorities in IEEE. We should be recognizing and rewarding strong engineering processes, not just impressive final deliverables.

Engineering Education and Leadership: A Call to Action

For IEEE leaders, this means:

• Promoting an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering education.
• Reframing evaluation metrics for capstone courses and R&D projects to emphasize problem-solving and adaptability.
• Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure engineering solutions align with real-world constraints and user needs.

The next generation of engineers will not be defined by what they build, but rather by how they approach the unknown, navigate constraints, and create meaningful change.

The icing is nice, but the cake is essential.

Are we as IEEE leaders ready to shift our focus?

Description of Banner Image

Although this AI-assisted image has typos , this image is  visually inspiring and educational banner that metaphorically represents the engineering process as a beautifully layered cake, symbolizing structured innovation and systems thinking.

Key Visual Elements in the Image:

1. The Multi-Layered Cake (Engineering Process & Systems Thinking)

   • The cake serves as a symbol for the foundation of engineering. Each layer represents critical elements such as Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value, aligning with KEEN’s entrepreneurial mindset.
   • The layers are carefully stacked, showing a structured, methodical approach, similar to the systems engineering V-model or the iterative product development cycle.
   • The icing on top represents the final engineering product, reinforcing the idea that a great system is built on a solid process.

2. Diverse Team of Engineers Collaborating

   • Surrounding the cake, a group of diverse engineers is engaged in problem-solving.
   • Some engineers are working with blueprints, circuits, and prototypes, while others are discussing and refining ideas, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration.
   • This reflects systems integration, where different components must work together seamlessly.

3. Background Elements (Innovation & Entrepreneurial Thinking)

   • The background features blueprints, circuit boards, and sustainable technology, representing the fusion of engineering, entrepreneurship, and real-world problem-solving.
   • These elements reinforce the idea that strong engineering processes lead to meaningful, impactful solutions.

4. Inspirational and Forward-Thinking Atmosphere

   • The overall composition is bright, dynamic, and visually engaging, designed to motivate IEEE leaders, technical educators, and engineers.
   • The metaphor of the cake and icing visually communicates the message: engineering success is about the process, not just the product.

Overall Message of the Image

The image can serve as a powerful metaphor for the engineering process and systems thinking, illustrating that:

• A well-structured process leads to great engineering outcomes.
• Curiosity, interdisciplinary connections, and value creation are essential layers in any successful engineering system.
• The product (icing) is only as good as the process (cake) that supports it.