Change by Design: Engineering Transformation with Chad Jackson

Chad Jackson
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Welcome to Change by Design, the podcast where we shine a spotlight on engineering transformation. Each week, Lifecycle Insights CEO and Chief Analyst Chad Jackson dives deep with leaders driving real change in the world of engineering.  From breaking down barriers and challenging the status quo to fostering cultures of innovation and resilience, our guests share their journeys, lessons learned, and actionable insights to help you become a catalyst for positive change in your own organization.  Whether you’re an engineer, an executive, or simply passionate about making a difference, you’re in the right place. Get ready to be inspired, empowered, and equipped to engineer a better future—one change at a time. 

  1. 1D AGO

    Ditching the Drawing: One Change Agent’s Playbook for Model-Based Transformation | Marshall Hulbert

    Marshall Hulbert has done what most engineers only talk about — he's actually replaced the drawing. A veteran change agent now leading Model-Based Definition (MBD) and Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) adoption at Oshkosh Defense, Marshall joins host Chad Jackson to share what it really takes to drive a transformation that reaches far beyond the engineering department. The first half of the conversation covers the change agent role itself: the skills that matter, how to read organizational signals that predict success or failure, and the soft-skills battles you'll fight with departments that aren't yours to manage. The second half goes deep on MBD and MBE — what engineering, manufacturing, quality, and procurement actually gain when the drawing disappears, why supplier adoption is the hardest bridge to cross, and a forward-looking idea Marshall raises that's rarely discussed: feeding manufacturing programs, inspection results, and downstream data back into the model so it becomes a living, circular source of truth rather than just an output. Key Takeaways: Two types of change agents: those who assess and push a new initiative up the chain, and those who deploy it once the decision is made — Marshall prefers the first. Broad cross-functional knowledge is essential: before you can sell the change, you have to understand what every department actually does with a drawing today. Upper management buy-in is the make-or-break factor: wavering at the top creates stalls at every level below. MBD is unique because it removes the drawing entirely — unlike every prior shift in engineering (hand drafting to CAD to 3D), downstream departments can no longer rely on a familiar deliverable. The circular model: manufacturing programs, feed speeds, and inspection data can eventually feed back into the MBD, making it a living source of truth — not just an output. Supplier adoption is the hardest bridge to cross: quoting departments lack the software and training to interpret a model file, and until they can, the full value of MBD stays locked up. ROI doesn't always get calculated — in the defense sector especially, companies are adopting MBD because the government is heading there, not because someone ran the numbers. Start small and start now: run R&D or non-time-sensitive parts through the system first and get people used to it before production orders are on the line.

    36 min

  2. MAR 5

    The MBSE Outcomes Gap: A Live Roundtable Discussion

    Research says engineering leaders expect a lot from Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) — improved reliability, better traceability, fewer integration failures. So why are those benefits so hard to actually realize? In a recent Lifecycle Insights study, fewer than 30% of teams reported achieving the outcomes they set out to get from MBSE. That's the gap this episode confronts head-on. Host Chad Jackson brings together three veteran systems engineers for a live roundtable that goes beyond theory: Anand Rangaramu, Guy Zur, and Branden Ramsey. Together, they tackle the hard questions practitioners rarely say out loud in conference presentations. In this episode: Why building a business case for MBSE is harder than it looks — and the organizational dynamics that make or break adoption How to scope your modeling effort without turning it into a bureaucratic burden The "all or nothing" trap that kills MBSE initiatives before they deliver value Why culture — especially psychological safety and tolerance for failure — may matter more than tooling What AI actually changes (and doesn't) for MBSE: from auto-populating requirements to "vibe coding" system models The one thing each panelist wishes engineering leaders truly understood about MBSE Whether you're trying to justify your first MBSE initiative or troubleshoot a stalled one, this conversation delivers the honest, experience-driven perspective you need to hear.

    50 min

  3. FEB 26

    Hardware is Just Software in Slow Motion: Why Early Prototypes Beat Perfect Plans | Ebele Okochar and Pete Oliver-Krueger

    In this episode, Chad Jackson sits down with Ebele Okochar and Pete Oliver-Krueger, co-founders of Organizational Mindset Mapping (OMM), a coaching and training firm specializing in transformation for manufacturing and hardware companies. Together, they make a compelling case that Agile isn't just for software — and that the biggest breakthroughs in hardware development come from applying its core principles in ways most engineering organizations have never tried. Ebele offers a framing that cuts right to the heart of the skepticism: "Hardware is just software in slow motion." Pete and Ebele walk through IDD — Industrialization Driven Development — a framework they developed with colleague Jim Dato, building on hardware Agile pioneer Joe Justice's work. IDD gives teams a system-level view from deployment all the way back to initial design, helping them identify what to build now, what to defer, and where the critical risks live. The episode's most striking segment covers early prototyping. When OMM pushed a resistant client to build before designs were complete, the team uncovered three major problems within a month — a software-hardware integration failure, a materials issue, and customer feedback that eliminated an entire feature the engineering team had invested significant effort building. All discovered in month two, not month twenty-four. Pete and Ebele also challenge the industry's "digital first" trend, arguing physical and digital prototyping should happen in parallel. They discuss cross-functional teams, backwards process mapping, and how a department full of Agile resisters ultimately came around when they recognized the approach as the collaborative, hands-on work that drew them into engineering originally. Topics covered: IDD and why hardware needs its own Agile framework "Hardware is just software in slow motion" — and what that means in practice What early prototyping revealed that a traditional timeline would have buried for years Physical vs. digital prototyping — why it's not either/or How cross-functional teams cut 3-year timelines to 18 months The V-model vs. continuous verification Why how you introduce change matters more than which change you introduce

    1h 22m

  4. FEB 24

    The Hardware-Software Engineering Gap Nobody’s Closing | Lifecycle Insights

    Chad Jackson digs into the growing gap between hardware and software development in engineering organizations — and why the industry's biggest solution providers may be running out of time to close it. Chad also reflects on his recent conversation with Anand Rangaramu of The Shyft Group, an automotive software supplier applying MBSE to software development rather than hardware. Anand's team works within a unique constraint — they receive the physical chassis from the OEM and own only the software layer — making their systems engineering challenges distinctly different from more hardware-centric guests like Laura Otero Hernandez and Brandon Ramsey. A key takeaway: the team is getting real value from MBSE, but primarily on the software side, which Chad sees as a common pattern of partial vision achievement across the industry. The conversation also digs into what separates successful MBD/MBE programs from stalled ones: executive alignment, the ability to translate practitioner-level impact into business ROI, and the soft skills that change agents need but rarely talk about. Finally, Chad puts out an open call to practitioners and leaders actively running MBD or MBE initiatives — if that's you, they want you on the show. The podcast is growing on both audio and YouTube, and there's a real opportunity to share your experience with a community facing the same challenges. Topics covered: The hardware/software integration gap — and why PLM and ALM solutions still don't truly connect AI as the emerging "middleware" threatening to commoditize legacy engineering platforms Anand Rangaramu's MBSE journey at The Shift Group: software-first systems engineering in automotive Partial vs. full vision achievement in MBSE adoption Change agent soft skills and executive communication Upcoming MBSE and MBD research from Lifecycle Insights How to get involved as a podcast guest

    55 min

  5. FEB 20

    AI Governance in the Real World: Change Leadership Across Defense and Healthcare | Joseph Laurine

    Lifecycle Insights CEO and Chief Analyst Chad Jackson sits down with Joseph Laurine, PhD, AI Governance Lead at a major healthcare organization and former head of AI Governance and Assurance for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Joseph's career spans cryptologic intelligence, applied statistics, data science, and executive coaching — an unconventional path that's made him one of the more distinctive voices on responsible AI adoption. The conversation covers a lot of ground, starting with what it actually means to be a change agent in highly technical environments. Joseph argues that trust and usability are equally critical to adoption — and that framing AI governance as an obstacle rather than an enabler is one of the biggest mistakes organizations make. He also speaks candidly about how he deliberately developed his people skills, including earning an executive coaching certification, to bridge the gap between technical depth and organizational influence. On data, Joseph is direct: "garbage in, garbage out" is a phrase everyone uses but few executives truly understand. He makes the case that data quality is the single most important foundation for effective AI — and that skipping that work in the rush to be first to market is a bet most organizations will regret. He also offers a memorable framework for thinking about where AI models stand today: LLMs are the social butterfly — great at conversation, not your go-to for engineering or biology. Small language models (SLMs) represent the journeyman level the industry is moving toward, and Joseph predicts that shift will be visible within the next 18 months. Topics covered: What it means to be a change agent — and why trust and usability matter as much as technology Developing soft skills as a deeply technical person Why data governance is the true foundation of any AI initiative The limits of LLMs — and why domain-specific SLMs are the next frontier Digital twins as a safer environment for evaluating AI behavior Why being second to market with clean data may beat being first with a shaky foundation AI governance in healthcare vs. the intelligence community The role of IO psychologists and psychometricians in AI development

    57 min

  6. FEB 17

    Weekly Roundup: AI Companions in Engineering & Navigating MBSE Expectations

    Are AI virtual companions the future of engineering work? Chad Jackson shares his takeaways from 3D Experience World, where Dassault Systèmes unveiled three AI assistants—each with distinct personalities tuned to different work modes. But what happens when exploration, execution, and expertise each demand a different interaction style? The conversation then takes a turn into new research revealing a troubling gap in MBSE initiatives: two-thirds of organizations pursue model-based systems engineering for cross-functional collaboration, yet only 24% report achieving it. Chad and Josh unpack why expectations have shifted—and why delivering on the core promise of coordination remains elusive for most teams. What’s causing the friction? The answers point to challenges that extend beyond MBSE to nearly every engineering transformation initiative. Plus, a preview of an upcoming conversation on merging Agile prototyping with systems engineering, and why putting imperfect work on the conference room table might be the breakthrough struggling teams need.

    43 min

  7. FEB 10

    Sindhu Belki: Bridging Vision and Reality with Systems Engineering

    What does it take to transform aerospace innovation from concept to reality? In this episode, we explore the critical role of systems engineering in modern aerospace through a conversation with Sindhu Belki, a graduate research assistant at Georgia Tech’s renowned Aerospace Systems Design Lab (ASDL).   Systems engineering bridges the gap that often derails complex projects—the disconnect between specialized disciplines working in isolation. As Sindhu explains, without systems thinking, “there’s not a clear path forward” when companies create new products or labs pioneer new technologies.   Key Topics Explored: Why the “forest over trees” perspective matters in aerospace design and manufacturing How condition-based maintenance using structural health monitoring could revolutionize aircraft operations and reduce costly downtime The trade-offs between investing in current versus future technology through real-world disaster relief planning tools Overcoming resistance to systems engineering adoption in established organizations The critical need for multidisciplinary thinking in engineering education and practice Balancing traditional mentorship with openness to unconventional approaches Sindhu shares insights from hands-on projects including sensor optimization for blended wing body aircraft, humanitarian aid logistics tools developed for the Office of Naval Research, and collaborative work with the US Air Mobility Command and industry partners. These case studies reveal how systems engineering creates the foundation for breakthrough innovations while preventing costly conflicts between subsystems and teams.   Whether you’re an engineering leader, project manager, or technical professional navigating organizational change, this conversation offers practical perspectives on implementing systems thinking and fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration in complex environments.   Guest: Sindhu Belki, Graduate Research Assistant, Aerospace Systems Design Lab, Georgia Tech

    1h 5m

  8. FEB 5

    Laura Otero Hernandez: Systems Engineering and Escaping the "Document Trap"

    Can a lack of systems engineering really cost a program $68 million? Absolutely, according to Laura Otero, Director of Digital Engineering at Leidos. In this episode, Chad Jackson and Laura explore the trenches of digital engineering, where culture wars between document-based and model-based are still being fought every day.   Topics covered: The Unpaid Labor of Change: Why change agents are essential but rarely have the official title or time allocated. The Translator Role: How successful leaders bridge the gap between C-suite vision and engineering execution. MBSE ROI: A case study on how live model reviews led to a “zero-action” PDR and saved weeks of back-and-forth. The $68 Million Mistake: What happens when programs skip systems engineering in Phase 1. Over-Modeling Pitfalls: Why you shouldn’t model COTS parts down to the resistor—or try to model two humans talking in a bunker. AI & MBSE: The future of using AI to generate model templates and accelerate development. If you’re navigating the shift from documents to data, this episode offers practical advice on what works, what fails, and how to survive the transition.

    52 min
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About

Welcome to Change by Design, the podcast where we shine a spotlight on engineering transformation. Each week, Lifecycle Insights CEO and Chief Analyst Chad Jackson dives deep with leaders driving real change in the world of engineering.  From breaking down barriers and challenging the status quo to fostering cultures of innovation and resilience, our guests share their journeys, lessons learned, and actionable insights to help you become a catalyst for positive change in your own organization.  Whether you’re an engineer, an executive, or simply passionate about making a difference, you’re in the right place. Get ready to be inspired, empowered, and equipped to engineer a better future—one change at a time. 

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