Applied Minds : How Engineers Think

Engineering comes in many forms. Dubais Burj Khalifa-the worlds tallest building-looks nothing like Microsofts Office Suite, and digital surround sound doesnt work like a city-wide telecommunication grid. Yet these engineering feats have much in common.

Applied Minds explores the unique visions and mental tools of engineers and reveals the enormous-and often understated-influence they wield in transforming problems into opportunities. Guru Madhavans account pairs the innovators of modern history-Thomas Edison, the Wright brothers, Steve Jobs-with everything from ATMs and the ZIP code system to the disposable diaper. He peeks into the inner workings of complex systems and celebrates the men and women who shape our world. Anecdotal, insightful and ultimately visionary, Applied Minds charts a path to a future where we might apply strategies borrowed from engineering to create useful and inspired solutions to the worlds most pressing challenges.