# James Rogers | R&D Engineering Series – Interview 1 of 6

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2023-06-09
- Length: 41m
- Episode: 22
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/james-rogers-rd-engineering-series/

## Summary

James Rogers, an R&D engineer with a master’s in additive manufacturing, discusses the unique mindset required for research and development, emphasizing the need to embrace ambiguity and failure as learning opportunities. He contrasts R&D work with sustaining engineering, highlighting challenges like analysis paralysis, the planning fallacy, and the difficulty of navigating office politics. Rogers also shares insights on his career, including his work on Disney Imagineering projects and the importance of tolerance stack-up analysis and rapid prototyping in mechanical design.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=0) Introduction and Core Values
- [3:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=202) The R&D Mindset and Ambiguity
- [6:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=413) Common R&D Challenges and Politics
- [12:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=742) Tools and Tolerance Analysis
- [19:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=1146) Proudest Accomplishment: Disney Imagineering
- [21:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=1276) Nonlinear Nature of Blue Sky R&D
- [23:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=1406) Frustrations and Satisfaction in R&D
- [25:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=1501) Teaching R&D and Key Attributes
- [35:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6#t=2114) Career Reflections and Advice

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- SolidWorks (tool)
- Disney Imagineers (company)
- Honda R&D (company)
- Tokyo Disneyland (other)
- ProtoDevAndFab (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [IDology #7 - Tips on outsourcing R&D and product design work](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2023-01-31-idology-7-tips-on-outsourcing-r-d-and-product-design-work) (IDology)
- [Episode 074: They’re not gonna take away your birthday](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-06-10-episode-074-theyre-not-gonna-take-away-your-birthday) (Making It)
- [Episode 135: Get Jimmy a 78 ft 2×4](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2017-09-15-episode-135-get-jimmy-a-78-ft-2-4) (Making It)
- [113: I Wasn’t Expecting Therapy Today](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2024-06-27-113-i-wasnt-expecting-therapy-today) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [305: Humans Have a Terrible Spec Sheet (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-04-28-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet-repeat) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-09-james-rogers-r-d-engineering-series-interview-1-of-6. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Being an Engineer.