# S5E40 Tony Dietz | How to Accelerate the Speed of Engineering, Episode 4

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2024-10-04
- Length: 52m
- Episode: 40
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4

## Summary

Tony Dietz, President of Paxauris, discusses strategies to accelerate engineering speed, emphasizing clear communication of objectives, deadlines, and effort levels to avoid bottlenecks. He shares examples of low-cost prototyping, such as using a $7 heating pad for earplug testing and Lego robots for remote firing mechanisms, while warning against rushing critical tasks without analysis, citing a failed superconducting cable test. Dietz also highlights the importance of field interaction with customers and creating psychologically safe environments for team communication.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4#t=0) Introduction: Tony Dietz and Paxauris
- [1:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4#t=116) Communication Bottlenecks and Level of Effort
- [5:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4#t=336) Failing Fast: The $7 Heating Pad and Lego Tools
- [13:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4#t=814) Psychological Safety and Daily Stand-ups
- [18:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4#t=1098) Documentation Challenges in Startups
- [24:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4#t=1446) Tools for Speed: Silicone Printing and Biofidelic Head Models
- [37:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4#t=2243) Lessons from a Failed Superconducting Cable Test
- [45:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-10-04-s5e40-tony-dietz-how-to-accelerate-the-speed-of-engineering-episode-4#t=2710) Paxauris Inflatable Earplugs and Product Details

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Paxauris (company)
- NASA Ames (company)
- Creare (company)
- Lego (tool)
- Arduino (tool)
- Apple AirPods Pro (product)

## 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)
- [Interview with Eric Ries - Transorted Testing Tachydidaxy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-21-interview-with-eric-ries-transorted-testing-tachydidaxy) (The Amp Hour)
- [452: I Wish I’d Thought of That](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-08-23-452-i-wish-id-thought-of-that) (Making It)
- [S2 E5: Rapid Prototyping Deep Dive with Greg Paulsen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2024-01-23-s2-e5-rapid-prototyping-deep-dive-with-greg-paulsen) (The Builder Circle)
- [Episode 203: So and So Johnson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2019-02-22-episode-203-so-and-so-johnson) (Making It)

## Citing this page

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