# 53: Being a Grownup Engineer

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2014-05-28
- Length: 1h 03m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/embedded-53mp3

## Summary

Jack Ganssle, author of 'The Art of Designing Embedded Systems' and long-time embedded industry expert, argues that firmware engineers must adopt disciplined engineering practices rather than relying on 'heroic' hacking. He discusses the necessity of requirements gathering, design reviews, code inspections, and rigorous testing to ensure safety and reliability, citing the Toyota unintended acceleration case as a failure of process. Ganssle advocates for measuring metrics like bug rates and lines of code to benchmark performance, and critiques the misuse of Linux in deeply embedded systems and the confusion between the maker movement and professional engineering.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=7) Introduction and the Need for Discipline
- [2:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=170) Engineering vs. Heroics and the Toyota Case
- [7:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=448) Process, Culture, and Regulatory Compliance
- [14:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=895) Requirements, Design, and Testing Strategies
- [20:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=1204) Metrics, Benchmarking, and Cost of Quality
- [24:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=1491) Tools: Spark, Ada, and LDRA
- [30:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=1853) Persuading Management and Ethical Engineering
- [42:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=2543) Identity: Programmer vs. Engineer and Hacker
- [48:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=2882) Linux in Embedded Systems and Battery Research
- [58:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer#t=3504) Advice for Young Engineers and Conclusion

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Jack Ganssle (other)
- Michael Barr (other)
- Toyota (company)
- FDA (other)
- FAA (other)
- James Grenning (other)
- Spark (other)
- Ada (other)
- LDRA (tool)
- Arduino (product)
- Linux (other)
- ARM Cortex-M (chip)
- Circuit Cellar (other)
- Embedded Systems Dictionary (other)
- The Art of Designing Embedded Systems (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Christmas Special](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-12-22-christmas-special) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [An Interview with Jack Ganssle (2nd)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-04-20-an-interview-with-jack-ganssle-2nd) (The Amp Hour)
- [Firmware for Hardware Engineers with Phillip Johnston](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-07-firmware-for-hardware-engineers-with-phillip-johnston) (The Amp Hour)
- [The Matthew Test with Matthew Eshleman - Part 1](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2022-07-27-the-matthew-test-with-matthew-eshleman-part-1) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [Does DevOps Make Sense for Embedded Systems?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-01-06-does-devops-make-sense-for-embedded-systems) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-28-53-being-a-grownup-engineer. 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 Embedded.fm.