Engineer Your Freedom newsletter
Monthly notes for engineering principals: throughput, hiring and AI.
Concrete basin walls going up, Milner, Colorado
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16 items
Why Project Handoffs Fail (And the Fix That Takes 10 Minutes) | MES
Most project handoffs move folders but leave context behind. Here's the one document every approved project should generate before your PM opens anything else.
The Rejection That Costs You Three Weeks Is Almost Never an Engineering Mistake
A missing sheet or wrong permit citation can cost three weeks. How MES split set completeness checks from design judgment, and where the tool's limits are.
192 Hours Worked. $50,000 Short on Billing. The Problem Was Not Effort
A team leader worked 192 hours and still missed billing by $50K. The fix was not more effort but a pacing scoreboard that shows the real number on day 12.
Your Most Expensive Engineer Spends the First Hour of Every Review on Work That Doesn’t Need a License
60 of 80 minutes of a typical report review is checking, not judgment. How MES moved it off the PE's desk with 20 AI skills built from 993 real reports.
Your AI Already Knows More About Your Business Than You Think It Should
Every client detail typed into a public AI tool leaves your walls. What we found auditing our own AI stack, and two problems most firms haven't started on.
You Don’t Stop the Work to Fix the Work. You Just Write It Down.
74 tickets in, here's what our internal ticket data actually shows about building a firm while running one, and why writing down friction beats absorbing it silently.
The Hidden Cost of Heroic Engineering
Your best engineers fixing everything is not productivity; it is your firm's most expensive habit. The real cost of heroic engineering and how to redirect.
Your AI Writes Beautifully. Your Reports Still Bounce Twice Before They Go Out.
AI has an instructions problem, not a writing problem. A living skill file library that records how your firm writes keeps that knowledge in the firm.
You added the engineers. The throughput did not follow. Here is what we found in the calendar.
A senior PE spent 85% of his day reactive. With no new hires or tools, restructuring his calendar doubled his throughput in two weeks. Here is how.
You need more engineers and you need AI
AI proposal automation answers your capacity crisis and your AI mandate at once, cutting senior engineer time from 24 hours to 4 per proposal.
Is 40% Water Loss Draining Your 100 Years Old Pipes
140-year-old pipes. 40% water loss. $2 million down the drain. See how smart Colorado cities are turning infrastructure crisis into financial wins.
Are Frozen Mainlines Hurting Your Operation?
As temperatures drop, frozen mainlines and water main breaks become major threats to utilities.
What Colorado Wastewater Providers Need to Know
Discover key insights for Colorado wastewater providers, including regulations, funding options, and innovative treatment solutions to improve system efficiency.
Issues with Your Lagoon Systems? Here’s What You Need to Know
Explore essential tips and solutions for managing common issues in your lagoon systems for improved water quality and efficiency.
Upcoming Projects? Learn How to Maximize SRF Funding in 2025
We explore funding sources like the State Revolving Fund (SRF), which offers critical financial assistance for water, wastewater, and stormwater projects.
Are You Tracking Water Losses Accurately?
Oover 70% know they have water losses but aren’t tracking them effectively. This oversight isn't just about wasted water—it's costing you significantly.
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