# Occam's Engineering Razor

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2021-09-27
- Length: 1h 05m
- Episode: 559
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-27-occams-engineering-razor
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/559-occams-engineering-razor/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the pitfalls of over-complicating troubleshooting, illustrated by Dave's solar panel saga where a tiny coax cable shadow caused a 20% power drop. They explore the psychology of engineering resilience, referencing Ben Krasnow's persistence, and debate the efficacy of project management methodologies like Gantt charts versus agile demos in hardware development. The conversation also covers the semiconductor industry, analyzing Intel's foundry ambitions and the challenges of automotive chip sourcing.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-27-occams-engineering-razor#t=0) Introduction: Occam's Engineering Razor
- [1:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-27-occams-engineering-razor#t=113) Dave's Solar Panel Troubleshooting Saga
- [11:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-27-occams-engineering-razor#t=696) Resilience and the Psychology of Troubleshooting
- [21:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-27-occams-engineering-razor#t=1311) Workshop Organization and Lab Tours
- [35:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-27-occams-engineering-razor#t=2131) Semiconductor Manufacturing and Intel's Foundry Strategy
- [49:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-27-occams-engineering-razor#t=2963) Project Management: Gantt Charts vs. Agile Demos

## Topics

- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Ben Krasnow (other)
- Intel (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Apple (company)
- TSMC (company)
- Skywater (company)
- Infineon (company)
- Microchip (company)
- Analog Devices (company)
- GlobalFoundries (company)
- Grant Imahara (other)
- Adam Savage (other)
- Jay Carlson (other)
- ex devs (other)
- Dragonfly MX (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 106: You’ve always got more options…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2017-01-27-episode-106-youve-always-got-more-options) (Making It)
- [422: It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-07-28-422-its-not-a-bug-its-a-feature) (Embedded.fm)
- [100 Episodes! Break Out the Champagne! A Retrospective](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2026-08-24-100-episodes-break-out-the-champagne-a-retrospective) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [170: Electron Gnomes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes) (Embedded.fm)
- [S4E28 Kevin Distelhurst | Semiconductors – What They Are & How They’re Manufactured](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-07-28-s4e28-kevin-distelhurst-semiconductors-what-they-are-how-theyre-manufactured) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-09-27-occams-engineering-razor. 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 The Amp Hour.