# S2E01 How to Determine if an Idea is Worth Pursuing – Mechanical Engineering Professor at MIT | Alexander Slocum

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2021-01-08
- Length: 1h 12m
- Episode: 1
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/determine-an-idea-worth-pursuing/

## Summary

Alexander Slocum, a Mechanical Engineering Professor at MIT, discusses how to determine if an idea is worth pursuing, emphasizing the importance of philosophy in design, managing ego, and validating market demand before production. He shares personal strategies for work-life balance, such as tinkering with children and using exercise to maintain productivity, and advises engineers to invest in their companies or pursue residual income through real estate or stock options. Slocum warns against the pitfalls of relying solely on patents, citing his own 'Massages Soap' failure, and recommends using provisional patents and handmade prototypes to validate demand before committing to expensive tooling. He also outlines a peer-review process for design teams and stresses the importance of protecting equity and seeking legal counsel for partnerships.

## Chapters

- [0:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=45) Introduction: Alexander Slocum and MIT
- [3:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=183) Managing Ego and Work-Life Balance
- [10:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=633) Peer Review and Design Team Management
- [22:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=1328) Monetizing Ideas and Residual Income
- [29:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=1789) The Massages Soap Failure and Patent Strategy
- [37:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=2264) Productivity, ADHD, and Task Switching
- [40:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=2448) Fitness, Triathlons, and Injury Prevention
- [49:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=2984) Tinkering and Generating Income from Designs
- [56:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=3363) Prototyping, Provisional Patents, and Other Mill
- [1:03:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe#t=3829) Learning Physics and Legal Partnerships

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- MIT (company)
- Precision Machine Design (other)
- FUNdaMENTALs of Design (other)
- R&D 100 (other)
- ASME (company)
- Massages Soap (product)
- Pringles (product)
- Other Mill (company)
- Other Lab (company)
- Saul Griffith (other)
- Peter Mughalstones (other)
- Thompson Industries (company)
- Greg Lyons (other)
- Iron Man (other)
- Kiawah Island (other)
- USPTO (company)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- Test Fixture Design (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [010: I have an idea, now what? Developing, testing & prototyping physical products.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-14-010-i-have-an-idea-now-what-developing-testing-prototyping-physical-products) (Product Startup)
- [How to Know If Your New Product Idea is a Good One to Pursue](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-06-28-how-to-know-if-your-new-product-idea-is-a-good-one-to-pursue) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [116: How to Turn an Invention into a Product Business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-02-116-how-to-turn-an-invention-into-a-product-business) (Product Startup)
- [#044 - When not to start a startup - how to license your idea (Part 1), with Stephen Key of inventRight, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-12-20-044-when-not-to-start-a-startup-how-to-license-your-idea-part-1-with-stephen-key) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Why Patents Are a Death Trap for Entrepreneurs!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-07-12-why-patents-are-a-death-trap-for-entrepreneurs) (Predictable Designs Podcast)

## Citing this page

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