Why Engineering Must Change

Everything around us evolves. Technology advances at an astonishing pace. Sports become faster and more strategic. Music—well, let's just say it changes. Businesses constantly strive for leaner manufacturing, better ERP systems, more efficient supply chains, and optimized workflows.

But there’s one critical area in industrial automation that often remains untouched—electrical engineering software and processes.

I’ve seen countless companies push forward in multiple aspects of their business to stay competitive. They automate production lines, introduce AI-driven analytics, restructure teams, and invest in new tools.

Yet, when it comes to electrical engineering, the same outdated methods, drafting tools, and manual processes that were used 20–30 years ago are still in place.

Why is Engineering Stuck in the Past?

It’s a strange phenomenon. Companies question everything in pursuit of efficiency and profitability:

? "We need a more agile ERP system." – Done.

? "Let’s implement lean manufacturing." – Done.

? "How can we optimize logistics?" – Done.

? "Time to go paperless." – Done.

? "Should we rethink our electrical design workflow?" – …Silence.

What’s Holding Engineering Back?

If I had to guess, I’d say there are four major reasons why electrical engineering tools remain untouched:

1?? "It works, so why change it?" – Engineers are problem solvers. If something gets the job done, even inefficiently, they don’t see an urgent reason to change it.

2?? Lack of Awareness – Many decision-makers don’t even know how much more efficient their engineering could be. They’re too busy putting out fires elsewhere.

3?? The Comfort Zone Effect – People like sticking to what they know. Learning a new software or process feels like a burden—until they realize how much time they’re wasting with outdated methods.

4?? Underestimating the Business Impact – Electrical engineering is often not seen as a major business driver. This is a huge misconception. Engineering inefficiencies, errors, and outdated tools directly impact:

?? Project lead times

?? Manufacturing costs

?? Downtime due to design errors

?? Rework and warranty costs

?? Customer satisfaction and retention

A single design error in electrical engineering can cost thousands in production delays, rework, and lost revenue. Yet, somehow, it's not given the same weight as optimizing other business areas.

What Needs to Change?

It’s time to start asking better questions in engineering.

?? Why are we still relying on drafting tools from the 90s?

?? How much time are we losing on manual work that could be automated?

?? What would our design process look like if we built it from scratch today?

?? How much is inefficiency in engineering costing us?

Engineering can’t afford to stand still while everything else evolves. If companies want to stay ahead, they need to re-evaluate their electrical design processes just like they do with every other part of their business.

So, I leave you with this question:

?? When was the last time your engineering process truly evolved?

Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

?? P.S.: If you enjoy insights like these, you’ll love my book, The Value Investor’s Almanac. Grab your copy here: [Link].