Think Like an Engineer Inside the Minds That are Changing Our Lives

Think Like an Engineer : Inside the Minds That are Changing Our Lives
ISBN: 9781780748641
Publication Date: 25 May 2016

'Smart, insightful, and fascinating. Madhavan shows how engineers turn problems into opportunities. The engineering mindset is something we should all study and embrace. It applies to every aspect of life.' Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography

Dubai's Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building - looks nothing like Microsoft's Office Suite, and digital surround sound doesn't work like a citywide telecommunication grid. Yet these engineering feats have much in common: they are the result of a unique thinking process combining abstract and structured thinking, common sense and great imagination. They are born of the engineering mindset.

In this groundbreaking and lively work, Guru Madhavan reveals the extraordinary influence of engineering on society, not just today but throughout history. Drawing on a cast of star engineers like Steve Jobs, the Wright brothers and Thomas Edison, Madhavan explores aspects of this mindset and shows its usefulness to life and business - in areas as varied as traffic congestion to health care to filmmaking.

Full of case studies and practical insights spanning the brilliant history of engineering, Think Like an Engineer is in equal parts personal, practical, and profound. It reveals how key engineering concepts can help you make better decisions and create innovative solutions in a complex world.

About the Author

Guru Madhavan is a biomedical engineer and senior policy adviser. He conducts research at the National Academy of Sciences and has been named a distinguished young scientist by the World Economic Forum. He lives in Washington, DC.