Change by Design: Engineering Transformation with Chad Jackson

Chad Jackson
  • 0.0 (0)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

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. MAR 31

    If You’re Adding Constraints, You’re Building It Wrong: Software Competency, Silos, and Change That Sticks | Marilyn Arceo

    What does it look like to build a software engineering function from scratch inside an aerospace and defense organization that has never had one? Marilyn Arceo has done it—more than once, across industries—and her answer might surprise you: the hardest part isn't the technology. It's the translation. In this episode of Change by Design, Marilyn, an enterprise architect in aerospace and defense, talks about what it takes to stand up software engineering competencies in complex, regulated industries where those capabilities don't exist yet. She draws on a career that spans consumer packaged goods, fashion, healthcare, commercial real estate, e-commerce, and logistics to explain why the most valuable skill a change agent can develop isn't technical at all—it's the ability to sit between the deeply technical and the deeply human sides of an organization and make each one intelligible to the other. The conversation covers the practical mechanics of building teams: when to hire fresh graduates versus experienced engineers, how to convert mechanical and electrical engineers who already have software foundations, and why a hybrid agile-waterfall approach works better than imposing any single methodology on a team that's never used one. But the real value is in the strategic thinking underneath those decisions—how to evaluate whether an initiative is worth pursuing, when to push for innovation versus when to accept that the math doesn't work, and why iterative rollouts beat wholesale transformation every time. Marilyn also takes a grounded, cautious stance on AI-assisted development. She's seen the productivity gains, but she's equally clear about the risks: hallucinations, security exposure, and the "garbage in, garbage out" problem that surfaces when organizations skip the discipline of code review and governance. Her position is that AI should free engineers to focus on architecture and design, not replace the judgment that keeps systems safe. For engineering executives building new capabilities and change agents navigating cross-functional integration in regulated environments, this conversation delivers field-tested guidance without the hype. Topics covered: Standing up software engineering functions where none existed before The "business translator" gap: why organizations cluster at technical and people extremes Staffing strategies that blend fresh talent with experienced engineers and cross-trained domain experts Hybrid agile-waterfall adoption: making structural processes feel less overwhelming Risk vs. value: how to evaluate whether an initiative is worth pursuing before committing AI code assistance done right: governance, code review, and data security Breaking silos in hardware-software integration through cross-functional working sessions Cybersecurity as a collaborative partner, not a gate Green flags and red flags for change agents evaluating organizational readiness A mentor-forward philosophy: leaving every team and every engineer better than you found them

    43 min

  2. MAR 31

    Driving Change from the Ground Up: Simulation, AI, and the Future of Automotive Engineering

    What does it take to transform the way a major automaker designs and validates its products — and who really drives that change? In this episode, Chad Jackson sits down with Vijay Sanikal, a seasoned automotive engineer and proud self-described change agent who has worked across OEMs including GM and Stellantis, tier one and two suppliers, and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software providers. Vijay brings a rare 360-degree view of the product development ecosystem, and he doesn't hold back on what it actually takes to move organizations forward. Vijay and Chad dig into the evolution of simulation-driven design — from the days when CAE was treated as offshore "extra work," to today's world where AI-assisted tools can optimize a design in real time without a human ever pushing a button. Vijay explains how the value proposition for simulation has fundamentally shifted, and why today's engineering leaders are far more prepared to invest in digital twin technologies than they were even a decade ago. But this episode is just as much about people as it is about technology. Vijay shares his framework for what makes a change agent effective — from winning stakeholders without authority, to building cross-functional innovation forums, to knowing when to call an initiative a silo and when to reframe it as a stepping stone. In this episode, you'll hear: Why innovation needs to come from the ground up — and how leaders can create the conditions for it How the roles of designer, simulation engineer, and requirements team must work in concert for change to stick The two ways AI is currently being integrated into CAE workflows — and what's coming next Why compute cost is an underappreciated risk in the shift to simulation-heavy development What green flags (and red flags) tell a change agent whether an initiative is worth championing Vijay's career advice for the next generation of engineers in a world where specialization is everything Whether you're leading a digital transformation initiative or trying to build a case for simulation investment, this conversation offers hard-won perspective from someone who has lived it across multiple organizations and continents.

    46 min

  3. MAR 24

    It Takes a Village: People-First Principles Behind Engineering Transformation | Tracy Rupp

    Engineering transformation programs fail all the time—and Tracy Rupp has a clear diagnosis: we keep treating them as technology problems when they're really people problems. In this episode, Chad Jackson sits down with Tracy Rupp, Program Chief Engineer and Systems Engineer at L3Harris Technologies, to talk about what it actually means to be a change agent in a complex engineering enterprise. Tracy brings a rare combination of technical depth and leadership instinct, and she's unambiguous about where most initiatives go wrong: the moment a team loses sight of the people they're asking to change. Tracy offers a distinction that every engineering leader should hear—the difference between problem-solving and change agency. Solving a problem gets you to the finish line once. Change agency gets everyone else there too, and makes the path easier for everyone who comes after. She illustrates the difference with a story from early in her career and traces how that mindset shaped everything she's done since. The conversation covers MBSE with unusual clarity and practicality. Tracy advocates for it—but not as a mandate. Her argument is that systems engineers have an obligation to translate, not dictate: converting model insights into language that mechanical engineers, quality engineers, and program managers can actually act on. It's a refreshing take in a field that often treats tool adoption as the goal rather than the means. You'll also hear her perspective on building change coalitions—what she calls the "village" of visionaries, builders, and early adopters that every transformation needs—and her unconventional approach to design reviews that closes 80% of action items before anyone leaves the room. For engineering executives navigating digital transformation and the change agents fighting for it from inside their organizations, this episode is dense with hard-won, practical wisdom. Topics covered: What separates a change agent from a good problem-solver Why people resistance—not technology—is the defining challenge of engineering transformation MBSE done right: when to use it, when not to, and how to translate it across disciplines "Zero-day action items": how to close 80% of review actions during the meeting itself Building a talent development program from the ground up during COVID-19 AI as a domain translator between engineering disciplines How to push back on leadership when an initiative is set up to fail The "village" model for change coalitions and why no single change agent can carry a transformation alone

    52 min

  4. MAR 19

    The Human Problem Engineers Don’t Train For: Driving Change at Boeing | Dr. Ryder Dale Walton

    What does a youth minister turned Boeing AI engineer have to teach engineering executives and change agents? As it turns out, quite a lot. Dr. Ryder Dale Walton has spent the last decade driving two of the most consequential transformations in aerospace engineering: the shift from waterfall to Agile, and the integration of AI and large language models into engineering workflows. In this conversation with Chad Jackson, he offers a perspective on change leadership that you won't hear from most technical practitioners — one that's as grounded in human psychology as it is in engineering discipline. Ryder makes a case that the soft skills change agents most need are the ones they're least likely to have been trained on. When subject matter experts resist change, data and dashboards won't move them. What moves them is understanding what they stand to gain — and being patient enough to show them. His background in ministry and the arts, he argues, gave him the "ambidextrous brain" that makes the difference between a change initiative that gets funded and one that actually gets adopted. The conversation also gets into the real-world mechanics of change execution — why deploying fast beats deploying perfectly, how Agile adoption actually works through mentoring rather than training, and how to navigate the hardware-software integration challenge as product complexity explodes across aerospace, automotive, and defense. And on the topic of AI, Ryder offers a quietly unsettling observation: when machines automate the creative work, they may be taking away the very activities that help us recharge as human beings. Perhaps most relevant to change leaders: Ryder sounds a clear warning about burnout. When people are already stretched thin, the emotional bandwidth required to genuinely engage with and bring people along through change simply isn't there — and that's when initiatives quietly die.

    1h 1m

  5. MAR 17

    You Can’t Metric Your Way to Buy-In: The Human Side of MBD, MBSE, and AI Adoption

    When engineering transformation initiatives stall, it's rarely the technology that's to blame. In this week's roundup, Chad and Josh dig into why people resistance, not process gaps or technology issues, consistently ranks as the top challenge in MBD and MBSE initiatives, and why that resistance runs deeper than most change leaders expect. We're talking about identity, competency, and the very real fear of being left behind. Chad shares takeaways from a live roundtable with three MBSE practitioners who landed on a surprising point of agreement: MBSE isn't always the right answer, and knowing when to reach for it — versus document-based systems engineering — requires a level of organizational judgment most companies haven't developed yet. Add AI to that mix, and both approaches start to look very different. Speaking of AI, new research from Lifecycle Insights reveals that 76% of engineers at hard goods manufacturers are using AI for software development daily, and 52% say half the code they generate comes from AI tools. But here's the number that should give every engineering executive pause: 42% are not thoroughly reviewing that AI-generated code before committing it. Chad and Josh unpack what's actually driving that behavior — and it's not laziness. The episode closes with a preview of an upcoming Lifecycle Insights publication on the political realities of MBD and MBE initiatives — specifically, what happens when engineering wants the model-based enterprise but procurement, manufacturing, and other functional departments don't report to you. If you're leading or supporting an engineering transformation, this one is required listening.

    52 min

  6. MAR 12

    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

  7. 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

  8. 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
See All (24)

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. 

Information