Book : Applied Minds How Engineers Think - Guruprasad...

-Titulo Original : Applied Minds How Engineers Think

-Fabricante :

W. W. Norton & Company

-Descripcion Original:

**Winner of IEEE-USA Award for Distinguished Literary Contributions Furthering Public Understanding and the Advancement of the Engineering Profession.** A journey inside the minds that build our world. Dubais Burj Khalifa the worlds tallest building looks nothing like Microsofts Office Suite, and digital surround sound doesnt work like a citywide telecommunication grid. Yet these engineering feats have much in common. Applied Minds explores the unique visions and mental tools of engineers to reveal the enormous and often understated influence they wield in transforming problems into opportunities. The resulting account pairs the innovators of modern history Thomas Edison, the Wright brothers, Steve Jobs with everything from ATMs and the ZIP code system to the disposable diaper. An engineer himself, Guru Madhavan introduces a flexible intellectual tool kit called modular systems thinking as he explains the disciplines penchant for seeing structure where there is none. The creations that result from this process express the engineers answers to the fundamental questions of design: usefulness, functionality, reliability, and user friendliness. Through narratives and case studies spanning the brilliant history of engineering, Madhavan shows how the concepts of prototyping, efficiency, reliability, standards, optimization, and feedback are put to use in fields as diverse as transportation, retail, health care, and entertainment. Equal parts personal, practical, and profound, Applied Minds charts a path to a future where we apply strategies borrowed from engineering to create useful and inspired solutions to our most pressing challenges. Review **Winner of the IEEE-USA Award for Distinguished Literary Contributions Furthering Public Understanding and the Advancement of the Engineering Profession.** Anyone trying to interest Americas young people in technical careers should read Applied Minds.... Writing with a liveliness that reflects the energized, creative, problem-solving people he talks about, Madhavan, a biomedical engineer, presents a completely engaging survey of what engineers do and why you wish you could do it, too.- Nancy Szokan, Washington PostAn accessible and very human story of innovators.- Gemma Tarlach, DiscoverEngaging...[and] insightful.- Sybil Derrible, ScienceThe heroes of Guru Madhavans compact book about the logical habits of engineers are not the usual suspects of the iPhone era. With barely a mention of Wozniak or Jobs, the author takes us back to an earlier time so that we can witness the solving of problems that have long since gone away.- Jon Gertner, Wall Street JournalA real pleasure to read, and lots to learn.- Tim Harford, The Financial Timess Undercover Economist and presenter of BBC Radio 4s More or LessThis thoroughly engaging book demonstrates that engineering thinking is truly multidisciplinary, multinational, and multicultural. Through its diverse cast of engineers and wide-ranging examples of their achievements, Applied Minds leaves little doubt that our world is a better place because of the engineers who inhabit it.- Henry Petroski, author of To Engineer Is Human and The Essential EngineerAn unabashed celebration of engineers and their plug and play thinking tool kit.... Applied Minds is worth sharing with young engineering students.- Robin Tatu, Prism Magazine, American Society of Engineering EducationIn this smart, insightful, and fascinating book, Madhavan shows how engineers turn problems into opportunities. The engineering mind-set is something we should all study and embrace. It applies to every aspect of life.- Walter Isaacson, author of The Innovators and Steve Jobs The engineering mindset is a transformational mindset. In deftly revealing some of its organizing principles, this book reminds us that behind todays global challenges are solutions and opportunities waiting to be realized.-KLAUS SC