# S5E35 TJ Strang | How to Accelerate the Speed of Engineering, Episode 1

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2024-08-30
- Length: 47m
- Episode: 35
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/tj-strang-accelerate-engineering/

## Summary

TJ Strang, VP of Engineering at Atraverse Medical and former leader at Abbott, St. Jude Medical, and Acutus Medical, discusses strategies to accelerate engineering speed in medical device development. He identifies common bottlenecks like poor planning and inappropriate team sizes, advocating for small, empowered teams of four to six people. Strang emphasizes the importance of psychological safety, radical transparency, and using tools like 3D printing and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to fail fast and validate designs early. He also highlights the value of co-location and cross-functional integration to streamline communication and decision-making.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=3) Introduction: Sponsor Read and Guest Bio
- [3:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=205) Common Bottlenecks: Team Size and Planning
- [6:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=366) Balancing Help-Seeking and Independent Learning
- [12:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=772) Tools for Failing Fast: 3D Printing and The Lean Startup
- [16:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=1018) Psychological Safety and Leadership Vulnerability
- [24:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=1496) Leadership Impact: Empowerment vs. Micromanagement
- [29:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=1789) Cross-Functional Collaboration and DFM
- [31:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=1915) Accelerating with FEA and Digital Twins
- [36:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=2203) Unconventional Transparency and Communication
- [44:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-08-30-s5e35-tj-strang-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-1#t=2678) Key to Speed: Small, Empowered Teams

## Topics

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

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Atraverse Medical (company)
- Abbott (company)
- St. Jude Medical (company)
- Acutus Medical (company)
- The Lean Startup (other)
- FEA (tool)
- Dassault Systèmes (company)
- FDA (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [126 - Combination Products Collaboration, Turnover on MedTech/Pharma Project Teams, and Lessons from working with Intel's CEO with Mat Stratton, Founder of Coalition Ltd](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2024-03-06-126-combination-products-collaboration-turnover-on-medtech-pharma-project-teams) (Let's Combinate)
- [Project Management for Product Development of Medical Devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2021-10-27-project-management-for-product-development-of-medical-devices) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#393: Engineering MedTech Success: Simplifying Prototypes, Pivoting Strategy, and Creating Complex Designs with Justin Bushko](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2024-11-29-393-engineering-medtech-success-simplifying-prototypes-pivoting-strategy-and-cre) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [176 - The Fastest Way to Ruin Drug/Device Development (And How to Avoid It!) with Eric Sugalski](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2025-02-19-176-the-fastest-way-to-ruin-drug-device-development-and-how-to-avoid-it-with-eri) (Let's Combinate)

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