Change by Design

Engineering Culture, Failure, and the “Right Side of the V” with Guy Zur

In this episode, Chad sits down with Guy Zur, Director of Test Systems and Automation at CARIAD (Volkswagen Group). A self-proclaimed “change agent” born with a soldering iron in his hand, Guy shares his fascinating journey from designing thermal imaging for defense to developing AR glasses for pilots and now revolutionizing automotive testing.
 
We dive deep into the philosophy of the “Change Agent”—why leadership requires proactively steering organizations through resistance—and explore the critical role of the “Right Side of the V” in systems engineering. Guy opens up about the valuable lessons learned from startup failure, why he champions transparency in engineering culture, and his “Design to Test” approach that ensures quality from day one.
 
Whether you are an engineer, a leader, or interested in the complex systems behind autonomous vehicles and aviation, this conversation offers actionable insights on building resilient teams and robust products.
 
Key Topics Discussed
Defining the Change Agent: What it takes to be a revolutionary leader in engineering organizations.
The Origin Story: Guy’s path from FPGA design in Israel to aviation and autonomous vehicles in North America.
Embracing Failure: Why hiding mistakes kills innovation and how transparency builds safer, smarter teams.
Systems Engineering Strategy: A look at Document-Based approaches vs. Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE).
Design to Test: How defining test procedures before development begins saves time and money.
The V-Model: Mastering the integration and verification phases (the “Right Side of the V”).
Guest Bio
 
Guy Zur is the Director of Test Systems and Automation at CARIAD US. With a diverse background spanning the defense, aviation, and automotive industries, Guy specializes in hardware-software integration and testing for complex systems. He has previously held roles at Elbit Systems, Honeywell, and Motional, working on cutting-edge technologies like commercial aviation AR glasses and autonomous vehicle systems.

Weekly Roundup: AI Gaps, Change Agent Research, and New Community Programs

Is the “Digital Thread” a utopian dream or a practical reality? In this week’s episode of Change by Design, Josh Corman and Chad Jackson explore the tension between the technology that can capture everything and the engineering reality where critical context often lives in spreadsheets and hallway conversations.
 
We discuss why “hiding” work-in-process data might be efficient for humans but disastrous for future AI agents. If an AI stakeholder can only see the final decision and not the messy options you rejected, can it ever truly learn?
Plus, big news for the Lifecycle Insights community: We are launching two major initiatives to let you drive our future research.
 
Key Topics Discussed:
The Digital Thread Reality Check: Why capturing 100% of engineering data often creates more bureaucracy than value.
New Research Findings: What we've learned about change agents and their additional IT and design/development responsibilities.
AI’s Blind Spot: How undocumented decision-making processes create a massive gap in training data for autonomous AI agents.
Community Announcements: Details on the new Founders Program (early platform access) and Advisory Councils (strategic quarterly input).
Learn more about the InsightEX Founders Program and Advisory Councils.

Soft Skills Are the Hard Part: Teaching EQ to Engineers

Why do 42% of organizational change initiatives face extreme resistance? Often, it’s not the technology—it’s the human element.
 
In this episode, Chad Jackson sits down with Nikki Maginn, an engineer-turned-educator who teaches emotional intelligence (EQ) to technical professionals. Nikki shares her personal journey from receiving 199 job rejections after the Fukushima nuclear disaster to managing $25 million in projects by age 23—and how those experiences revealed that “soft skills” are actually the hardest part of engineering.
 
We explore why EQ is a force multiplier for career growth (adding ~$30k to earning potential), how to use the RULER method to regulate emotions in high-stress environments, and why resistance to change should be treated as valuable feedback rather than a barrier.
 
Key Topics:
The “Translator” Role: How EQ helps engineers bridge the gap between technical doers and business executives.
Resistance is Feedback: Why change agents should stop taking pushback personally and start using it to improve the process.
Generational Shifts: How Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping engineering culture by demanding purpose, mental health awareness, and the “why” behind the work.
Practical Tools: Implementing the RULER framework (Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, Regulate) in technical teams.
Guest:
Nikki Maginn is an emotional intelligence educator and consultant empowering the next generation of engineers. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
 
About the Show:
Change by Design shines a light on engineering transformation, helping organizations navigate complexity and maximize value in their digital journeys.

Weekly Roundup: January 13, 2026

In this first episode of the new year, Josh Corman and Chad Jackson kick off 2026 by breaking down the engineering implications of the latest innovations from CES, including advancements in physical AI, autonomous sensors, and next-gen processors.
 
The conversation then shifts to exclusive new research findings on engineering change initiatives. Chad reveals data showing a surprising mix of high success rates and high resistance, explaining why “resistance is a form of feedback” that leaders should welcome rather than fear. Finally, Chad challenges the industry consensus on Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), arguing that its value doesn’t necessarily depend on enterprise-wide adoption, and shares a roadmap for the upcoming InsightEX platform.
 
Key Topics & Takeaways
CES 2026 Recap: Highlights from the show floor, including AI chips from Tesla and Arm, Siemens’ digital twin updates, and the rise of “physical AI” in robotics.
The Competency Gap: How organizations can balance the pressure to develop new skills (AI, cloud, cybersecurity) while still hitting product delivery deadlines.
Research Reveal: New data from late 2025 shows an 82% success rate for initiatives, yet 42% of organizations still encounter high or extreme resistance.
Rethinking Resistance: Why pushback from engineers is often a sign of engagement and how change agents can use it to build better processes.
The PLM Debate: Chad offers a counterpoint to the idea that PLM is low-value unless extended to the enterprise, highlighting gaps in how current tools handle software and cybersecurity.
InsightEX Update: A sneak peek at the launch of the new resource library, community forums, and online assessment tools for engineering leaders.

Engineering Leadership: Culture, Change, and Talent

In this episode of Change by Design, host Chad Jackson interviews Greg Livelli, Senior Vice President of Innovation at Harvey Performance Company. Livelli shares his non-linear career path from business development in Asia to leading global transformation initiatives, offering a unique perspective on how curiosity and a “love for transformation” drive engineering success.
Their conversation centers on the evolving role of engineering leaders—shifting from purely technical managers to the architects, coaches, and translators who must bridge the gap between complex engineering vision and business execution. Livelli details the importance of balancing structured governance with agile experimentation, navigating the generational “brain drain” through reverse mentorship, and redefining engineering metrics to focus on impact and engagement rather than just output .

Deep Dive with Alex Atala

In this episode of Change by Design, host Chad Jackson sits down with Alex Atala (Amazon, formerly of Stryker) to explore the human side of engineering transformation. They discuss why technical expertise alone isn’t enough to drive change and how “soft skills” like transparency, negotiation, and psychology are the true differentiators for success.
 
Alex shares candid insights from his career, breaking down the red flags that signal a doomed initiative and the “green flags” that set teams up for a win.
 
Key Topics:
The Change Agent Toolkit: Why communication and building trust are your most critical assets.
Red Flags vs. Green Flags: How to evaluate leadership competence and project viability before you commit.
Success & Failure Stories: Real-world lessons from a seamless medical device launch and a chaotic product recall.
Navigating Team Dynamics: Overcoming the “square engineer” stereotype to build consensus across diverse groups.

Weekly Roundup - 12/29

Join Lifecycle Insights’ CEO Chad Jackson and Head of Content Josh Corman as they wrap up 2025 with a deep dive into the critical shifts facing engineering leaders. In this episode, the team explores why cybersecurity can no longer be an afterthought and how “Agile for Hardware” is reshaping development cycles through frequent prototyping.
 
They also outline a strategic framework for change agents to assess the business value versus execution risk of new initiatives—helping you decide when to push forward and when to say “no.” Finally, get an exclusive preview of the Q1 2026 research agenda, focusing on Change Agent careers, MBSE, and Model-Based Definition (MBD).
 
Key Topics:
Cybersecurity in Design: Moving from IT firewalls to engineering competency.
Agile for Hardware: The cultural shift toward early, frequent physical prototyping.
Strategy Framework: How to balance initiative value against organizational risk.
2026 Outlook: Upcoming research on MBSE, MBD, and Change Agent success.

The Life of an Engineering Change Agent

Lifecycle Insights CEO and Chief Analyst Chad Jackson talks with change agents Alex Atala and Marshall Hulbert about how they’ve led major engineering transformations—from early CAD adoption to model-based definition—while navigating resistance, politics, and cross-functional complexity. They share the key skills, mindsets, and approaches that make change initiatives succeed—or fail—offering practical guidance for anyone looking to drive real change in engineering organizations.