# S5E21 Chris Julian | Failing Fast, Learning By Doing, & Curiosity

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2024-05-24
- Length: 1h 00m
- Episode: 21
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/chris-julian-failing-fast/

## Summary

Chris Julian, a mechanical design engineer with 35 years of experience in medical devices and a founding engineer at Intuitive Surgical, discusses his unconventional career path and engineering philosophy. He explains how he entered the field without a formal degree by working as a technician at startups like VentureTex and Ridge Medical, learning through hands-on prototyping and 'failing fast.' Julian emphasizes the importance of decoupling multidisciplinary systems to isolate variables, managing design-for-manufacturing (DFM) constraints early to avoid costly errors, and mentoring junior engineers to accelerate team velocity.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=0) Introduction: Chris Julian and his career in medical devices
- [1:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=111) Chris Julian's non-traditional path into engineering without a degree
- [10:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=613) Multidisciplinary engineering and the resurgence of mechanical design in robotics
- [20:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=1207) Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and the cost of ignoring production constraints
- [26:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=1583) Failing fast, decoupling systems, and iterative prototyping
- [36:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=2184) Balancing engineering passion with business viability and regulatory requirements
- [46:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=2816) Cost reduction strategies and understanding materials and processes
- [51:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=3105) Chris Julian's personal project: building an Ultima Sports kit car
- [55:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-05-24-s5e21-chris-julian-failing-fast-learning-by-doing-curiosity#t=3331) Accelerating engineering speed through mentoring and team enablement

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Intuitive Surgical (company)
- Ridge Medical (company)
- VentureTex (company)
- Da Vinci surgical robot (product)
- Ultima Sports (company)
- Ultimate GTR (product)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [053 - "Duct Tape and Bubble Gum" with Chris Tsai](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-10-05-053-duct-tape-and-bubble-gum-with-chris-tsai) (Let's Combinate)
- [203: Design for Manufacturing for a New Invention Product](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-11-24-203-design-for-manufacturing-for-a-new-invention-product) (Product Startup)
- [An Interview With Dave Young](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-07-01-an-interview-with-dave-young) (The Amp Hour)
- [Meet a Guru: Laura Court](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2021-05-19-meet-a-guru-laura-court) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [305: Humans Have a Terrible Spec Sheet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-10-03-305-humans-have-a-terrible-spec-sheet) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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