# S5E17.5 PDX: Roger Labrecque

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2024-05-01
- Length: 10m
- Episode: 17
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-01-s5e17-5-pdx-roger-labrecque
- Listen: https://www.thewave.engineer/product-development-expo/pdx2024info/

## Summary

Roger Labrecque, an engineering manager with over 25 years of experience and 20 patents, discusses his upcoming presentation at the PDX (Product Development Expo). He explains that his talk focuses on five key lessons learned, emphasizing that early-career engineers often try to be heroes alone, whereas real success comes from cross-functional collaboration and humility. Labrecque shares a specific example of working with marketing and doctors to iterate on a medical device and test methods, highlighting the importance of Voice of Customer and robust design through teaming.

## Chapters

- [0:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-01-s5e17-5-pdx-roger-labrecque#t=14) Introduction: Roger Labrecque and PDX Overview
- [1:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-01-s5e17-5-pdx-roger-labrecque#t=81) Motivation for Speaking at PDX and Giving Back
- [2:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-01-s5e17-5-pdx-roger-labrecque#t=132) Top 5 Engineering Lessons Learned
- [3:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-01-s5e17-5-pdx-roger-labrecque#t=185) Collaboration Example: Medical Device and Doctors
- [6:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-01-s5e17-5-pdx-roger-labrecque#t=402) Storytelling Strategy for Managerial Impact
- [8:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-01-s5e17-5-pdx-roger-labrecque#t=505) PDX Format vs. Traditional Conferences

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- PDX (other)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- MD&M (other)
- Automate (other)
- Rapid (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [189: The Power of Your Team in Building Hardware Innovations](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-08-18-189-the-power-of-your-team-in-building-hardware-innovations) (Product Startup)
- [333: Project Purgatory](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-06-04-333-project-purgatory) (Embedded.fm)
- [DeepDive: Notable Interview Recaps - NPI TACTICS & TEAMWORK (19m35s)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/npi-sherpa/2026-02-17-deepdive-notable-interview-recaps-npi-tactics-teamwork-19m35s) (NPI Sherpa)
- [S1 E5: The Path of Product Design for Successful Development with William Burke](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2023-05-30-s1-e5-the-path-of-product-design-for-successful-development-with-william-burke) (The Builder Circle)
- [How Soft Skills Drive High-Impact Engineering Teams w/ Aaron Moncur](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-08-26-how-soft-skills-drive-high-impact-engineering-teams-w-aaron-moncur) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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