The Things We Make Summary

How can you build something extraordinary using limited knowledge and resources? Bill Hammack's The Things We Make reveals the practical and creative engineering mindset that shaped the world around us.

1. Turning Constraints into Creativity

Constraints often drive creative problem-solving. Medieval builders faced the challenge of constructing vast cathedrals with limited tools and knowledge. By using simple ropes to calculate proportions and wall thickness, they ensured structural stability. This solution, though rudimentary, was based on observation, experimentation, and resourcefulness.

Engineers often work with limited data and imperfect information. By constantly testing, adapting, and learning from failures, medieval builders pioneered construction techniques still admired today. These solutions were not just practical but elegant, showcasing how thoughtful application of basic rules can yield astonishing results.

Similarly, today's engineers, like those working on soda cans, must find a balance between functionality, efficiency, and cost. The cylindrical can, for instance, may not optimize space like a cuboid one, but its rigid shape and material efficiency create a stronger, durable product. The use of creativity and practicality in solving problems is timeless.

Examples

• Ropes to calculate cathedral wall thickness during medieval times
• Soda can shape balancing material efficiency and structural durability
• Chess strategy where small calculated moves improve the odds of success

2. Engineering for the Average Person

Engineers often design products with the "average person" in mind, adapting designs to meet common needs. In the 1930s, industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss relied on Army data to create ergonomic appliances, like telephones and thermostats, serving the general public effectively.

However, these averages come with trade-offs. Aiming to help most people, engineers may inadvertently exclude others with unique needs. For example, crash test dummies based only on male physiologies ignore women and children. Such oversights highlight how "average" solutions may not always represent an ideal for everyone.

Adjusting for diversity, people like Georgena Terry designed bicycles more suited to women’s proportions, proving targeted solutions can create more inclusive outcomes. By recognizing limitations in standard approaches, engineers can better serve broader populations without diluting functionality.

Examples

• Henry Dreyfuss designing the Honeywell thermostat for the average American
• Crash test dummies designed for male physiology but failing women and children
• Georgena Terry's women's bicycles tailored to different body structures

3. Adapting Solutions to Their Environment

Good engineering adapts to the available environment and resources. For instance, ancient merchants moved wine using a kelek raft, made from tree trunks and goat skins—a material-efficient choice that doubled as transportation and trade goods.

This ingenuity underscores how materials define solutions. Whether it's wood, steel, or modern alloys, engineers consider what they have at hand and adapt designs accordingly. Cars, for instance, shift in form as their fuel sources evolve, whether it's gasoline, electric, or hydrogen.

Engineers also make trade-offs to maximize potential in resource-limited scenarios. The soda can’s shape, designed to stack like a box while retaining strength, exemplifies how simple changes solve complex demands.

Examples

• Kelek raft design for wine transportation and wood trading in ancient Mesopotamia
• Adapting car design based on fuel sources
• Soda can shape optimized for stacking and material strength

4. Science as a Guide, Not Just a Tool

Science enhances engineering by clarifying possibilities and setting boundaries. Charles Parsons, while inventing the steam turbine, leaned heavily on thermodynamics to optimize energy extraction from steam.

Scientists before him cataloged the properties of steam, giving Parsons mathematical structure to experiment with speed and efficiency. His genius lay in creatively applying these known principles, proving science is foundational but not a replacement for imaginative problem-solving.

Importantly, scientific principles are tools, not guaranteed solutions. Engineering isn't just applied science; it blends creativity, exploration, and strategic decision-making to achieve practical goals. Even with complete datasets, it takes an inventive mind to see new possibilities.

Examples

• Charles Parsons relying on thermodynamics to refine his steam turbine
• Properties of steam documented by earlier scientists guiding engineering exploration
• The adoption of Parsons’s turbine for electricity generation worldwide

5. Solving Problems Collectively

No invention emerges in isolation. The infamous rivalry between Thomas Edison and Hiram Maxim over electric light bulbs shows how innovation depends on communal effort as much as individual brilliance.

Edison dedicated himself to perfecting the light bulb but struggled with filament durability. Similarly, Maxim worked with collaborator Lewis Latimer, who significantly advanced filament technology. Their breakthroughs relied on building upon shared knowledge and teamwork.

Inventions emerge when talented people combine efforts, adapt past findings, and explore creative directions. The myth of the lone inventor is frequently romanticized but discounts the broader contributions of collaborators and predecessors.

Examples

• Edison and Latimer’s advances in electric light bulb filament technology
• Collaboration within teams to refine ideas into practical inventions
• Shared knowledge between competing inventors pushing innovation forward

6. Finding Unexpected Uses Through War and Peace

Inventions often evolve into solutions their creators did not foresee. During World War II, the British magnetron was key to radar technology, yet it unintentionally became the foundation for the modern microwave oven.

The microwave emerged not by focused intent but from engineers adapting the magnetron’s heat-emitting properties. This highlights how innovation evolves unpredictably, bringing outcomes tailored to new contexts.

Even after the war when magnetrons were repurposed, there were trade-offs, such as longer cooking times due to cost-effective materials. These compromises made home microwaves attainable, demonstrating how solutions evolve and adapt.

Examples

• Magnetron's wartime use for radar detection converted into microwave ovens
• Soldiers using heat generators for warmth, foreshadowing further innovations
• Adjustable materials shifting microwaves from wartime to home appliances

7. Trade-Offs Are at the Core of Engineering

Engineers continually make trade-offs to create achievable results. A soda can design balances strength with stackability by opting for cylindrical shapes. This approach reflects compromise while ensuring functionality.

Trade-offs extend beyond product design into decision-making, considering costs, time, and safety. Limited resources require weighing priorities and understanding consequences.

While trade-offs may limit ideal possibilities, they often create unexpected benefits. Engineers thrive by creatively navigating these challenges, producing practical solutions.

Examples

• Soda can cylindrical design overcoming material weaknesses
• Naval engineers in WWII balancing resourcefulness and safety under pressure
• Alternate bike adaptations resulting in more diverse consumer appeal

8. Diversity Shapes Better Engineering

Engineers benefit from recognizing and addressing diversity. Cultural, physical, and technological differences shape the parameters of "best" solutions, yielding either inclusion or oversight.

More inclusive design, like accommodating women’s bodies for more ergonomic bicycles, results from engineers acknowledging gaps in conventional "averages." Awareness of varied user experiences leads to breakthroughs others might overlook.

Progress comes not from complacency but actively challenging flawed assumptions. Designing for wider applicability strengthens utility and expands possibilities.

Examples

• Georgena Terry's women's bicycle designs
• Revisiting biases in voice recognition software to accept diverse accents
• Urban redesigns adapting wheelchair ramps for public spaces

9. Engineering for Tomorrow, Not Just Today

Engineers constantly push boundaries while remaining grounded in history. Every invention builds on the past while addressing present constraints, inspiring future progress.

Great engineers don’t stop at a single breakthrough—they revisit failures, refine designs, and seek better outcomes without ignoring previous lessons. This mindset fuels long-term progress by rethinking obsolescence.

Engineering isn’t static—it’s an evolving process requiring creativity, adaptability, and attention to societal needs. By embracing these values, engineers pave the way for groundbreaking contributions.

Examples

• Parsons advancing turbines for long-term electricity generation
• Revisiting vehicle efficiencies based on renewable fuels
• Modern software adapting to underserved demographics

Takeaways

1. Approach challenges with a blend of creativity and practicality; solutions often emerge by adapting existing rules to new situations.
2. Recognize the diversity and inclusivity in engineering, striving to create solutions that work for a broader audience.
3. Embrace failure and use iterative learning to pave the way for more refined and enduring solutions.