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The academic-reactor designer is a dilettante. He has not had to assume any real responsibility in connection with his projects. He is free to luxuriate in elegant ideas, the practical shortcomings of which can be relegated to the category of 'mere technical details.' The practical-reactor designer must live with these same technical details. Although recalcitrant and awkward, they must be solved and cannot be put off until tomorrow. Their solution requires manpower, time and money.

Hyman G. Rickover#6

EngineeringRealityDesign

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About this quote

What does it mean?
Designers without practical experience often overlook critical implementation details.
In plain terms
Theory ignores the messy reality of building things.
What can you take from it?
Experience matters more than abstract elegance.

Where it applies

  • product design
  • technical review

Putting it to work

  • involve engineers early
  • stress test concepts

Questions to consider

  • Do I know how this gets built?
  • Who is accountable for the details?

Another view

Theoretical work is still necessary for innovation.

More from Hyman G. Rickover

  1. The tools of the academic designer are a piece of paper and a pencil with an eraser. If a mistake is made, it can always be erased and changed. If the practica…

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  2. Unfortunately for those who must make far-reaching decision without the benefit of an intimate knowledge of reactor technology, and unfortunately for the inter…

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  3. An academic reactor or reactor plant almost always has the following basic characteristics: (1) It is simple. (2) It is small. (3) It is cheap. (4) It is light…

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