good questions

Good Questions to Ask When Designing Something

Good questions to ask while on ROV and other rules of thumb to keep in mind.

• What do I connect to?
• What else must be considered?
• How can I future proof/maintain backward compatibility?
• What sucked about this previously that I can improve?
• (Not a question but) Read the catalog or datasheet several themes and be thorough. That way you a- Pick the best choice, b- know potential issues if something goes wrong, c- make sure a successful design isn't a fluke.
• Performance in anything is a positive feedback loop. The better you do, the more responsibilities you can be allowed to take up. The worse you do, the less you'll be permitted to do and the more you'll be sidestepped.
• If you want to do something “cooler” or more challenging, you need to have the performance before to show you are capable. If you only ever deliver a meh or slow job, you won't get to do something more challenging.
• Your task may get shifted up and down in priorities (and very quickly too). It may not get used. It also may need to be rehauled partway through because of a MATE rule, an architecture change, to accommodate another design, or because of an oversight.
• Usable work output = Raw work output * correctness * visibility - negativity. Try to do a lot, do it correctly, and let people know, all without breaking things. If you're still learning and make a lot of mistakes, keep working at it and trying. If you're busy and can't put much time in, at least do things right.
• Be transparent and honest about your limitations. If you don't have time for something, being upfront about it is by far and away more preferable than speaking up about it after two weeks of nothing.