The Art of Engineering Leadership

This book offers insights into effective leadership in product development, providing strategies for managers to inspire innovation and navigate change in their roles.

In an era marked by networking and the rising significance of platform economies, The Art of Engineering Leadership explores how to create products and services that truly resonate with people. The authors address critical questions regarding effective development methods and organizational structures that can inspire innovation. Leaders and developers will benefit from the holistic approach presented in this book, which highlights the evolving roles of leadership in product and service development. It delves into whether the focus should be on translating novel ideas or unfamiliar technologies into high-quality offerings, or on fostering efficient collaboration within international development alliances.

The insights shared in The Art of Engineering Leadership are grounded in extensive research, having emerged from over 10,000 theoretical and practical workshops conducted with managers at Bosch globally. Central to the discussion is a leadership model that encourages dialogue, merging technical expertise with essential people management skills. The introductory chapter sets the stage by addressing fundamental organizational questions, such as purpose, values, and strategic objectives, before introducing key leadership elements in systems design, including requirements engineering and architecture design.

Subsequent chapters provide practical strategies for converting quality attributes, mitigating risks, fostering a review culture, managing complexity, resolving conflicts, defining roles, and building effective teams. Each chapter is structured to align with the process of developing and implementing strategic goals while remaining self-contained, allowing readers to engage with the material in a flexible manner. Ultimately, this book aims to make the leadership role comprehensible and actionable for developers, equipping managers to navigate change and evolve into new roles in their professional environments.