Peer Check

Long before the pandemic caused a rise in remote work, Dr. Wanita Dixon was researching ways for virtual engineering teams to work together more effectively. As the CEO and Founder of Technical Creative Consulting LLC, Wanita helps companies foster innovation through visual art teambuilding. And after 20+ years of progressive experience at industry heavyweights like Carrier, Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, and Lockheed Martin — it's safe to say she knows a thing or two about effective engineering leadership. On this episode of Peer Check, Wanita joins host Adam Keating to talk about leading globally-dispersed teams and how to get maximal contributions from everyone you manage. Listen as Wanita and Adam chat about: The LOVE framework for leading virtual teams effectively Managing globally-dispersed engineering teams Why emotional intelligence is an indispensable component of leadership How to democratize product innovation and make sure everyone is heard    More information about Wanita and today's topics: LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanitadixon/ Peer Check homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check

Look, we know it's hard to drive real change within a large enterprise. Bigger companies are notorious for moving slower when making decisions, adjusting processes, adopting new technology, and so on. There are plenty of reasons for this, and some of them are very good reasons. But as we saw when the Covid pandemic first hit: it doesn't always have to be that way. As a member of the Danfoss Power Solutions leadership team, Domenico Traverso heads up the Incubation division that launched in 2021. Devoted solely to fostering innovation in the industry, the Incubation division is comprised of seven business units — each with its own entrepreneurial leader. On this episode of Peer Check, Domenico joins host Adam Keating to share what he's learned. Listen as Domenico and Adam chat about: What intrapreneurship means Harnessing entrepreneurial spirit in product development How leaders can drive change within large engineering enterprises Why challenging status quo is an essential component of innovation     More information about Domenico and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/domenicotraverso/ Danfoss Power Solutions' Incubation Division: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCqndPaq5Xc Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check

PLM software first emerged in the late 80s/early 90s. Since then, PLM has established itself as a foundational tool for engineering companies. But now, the next digital wave in engineering has arrived. Cloud collaboration tools are becoming the norm across every industry, and mechanical teams are finally starting to catch up to the cloud revolution. Oleg Shilovitsky, CEO and Co-founder of OpenBOM, has written more than 4000 blog posts about PLM and related topics. In this episode, Oleg and Adam dive into the current state of PLM and how companies can develop a tech strategy that looks at PLM and cloud tech holistically. Listen to their conversation to hear: How the discussion around PLM has changed over time Why there's no such thing as “the best PLM” The obstacles that prevent large companies from making better, faster decisions about technology Why user adoption needs to be central to your tech decisions and strategy  More information about Oleg and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olegshilovitsky/ Company Website: https://www.openbom.com/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check  To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

Every great feat of engineering comes down to one thing: the team that made it happen. And whether you're building everyday products that become part of people's lives, or designing cutting-edge innovations that might end up on the moon — your success is determined by the way your engineering team works together, communicates, and gets things done. So what exactly do today's high-performing engineering teams have in common? Based on 100s of conversations with ambitious teams along with our own research, we've identified the trends that set top teams apart. In this episode of Peer Check, CoLab's CEO Adam Keating delivers a keynote address to share the highlights. Listen as Adam breaks down insights on: Why more F500 annual reports than ever mention faster time-to-market How top engineering teams are commercializing new technologies faster than the competition Practical examples of digital transformation sourced from over 100 manufacturing companies 3 engineering processes you need to rethink for effectiveness instead of efficiency The real opportunity for cloud technology in mechanical design  More information about Adam and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammichaelkeating/ Company Website: www.colabsoftware.com Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check  To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

As hardware capabilities have evolved over the last 50 years, many industries have successfully integrated new technologies and adapted to changing customer expectations. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the case in design manufacturing.From passing around PowerPoint slides to a lack of mobile device support, the design manufacturing industry needs to embrace technology that allows for more efficient, impactful, and cost-effective collaboration. Because as time goes on, innovation will continue to leave the industry further behind. István Csanády is one person leading the way for companies to start adopting new technology. István is the Founder & CEO of Shapr3D, a cloud tool that lets users take their CAD on the road by making it possible to design and iterate seamlessly across desktop and mobile devices. Listen in as Adam and István discuss: Specific ways design manufacturing technology needs to be updated How design and manufacturing vendors can differentiate themselves effectively Changing customer expectations around hardware and software capabilities Democratizing access to CAD    More information about István and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/icsanady/ Company Website: https://www.shapr3d.com/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check   To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

As software companies seem to build, iterate, and ship faster each year, hardware companies face increasing pressure to do the same. But designing and manufacturing hardware comes with a host of challenges that software teams don't have to deal with. So how can hardware companies keep up? What methods can help them scale their operations, build trusted partnerships with suppliers and distributors, and continue to develop amazing products? Our very own Mark Morreale, Engineer-in-Residence at CoLab Software, has dedicated his life to building hardware and building it better. Mark joins the show to share his perspective on how hardware companies can prepare for the future by adopting new methods, building better partnerships, and embracing change. Join us as we discuss: Challenges and considerations when developing and shipping hardware Adapting existing processes versus starting from scratch Why hardware companies are facing increasing expectations around production speed and profit margin The transition from planning and design to manufacturing Whatsupply chain challenges really mean for hardware companies How to build a trusted partner network by focusing on value-add rather than cost  More information about Mark and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmorreale/ Company Website: https://www.colabsoftware.com/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check  To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

**Special Episode**MJ Peters joins The Manufacturing Executive two years after her first appearance on their show to talk about the evolution of workforce collaboration among engineers in manufacturing. Currently the VP of Marketing at CoLab Software, MJ brings a mix of industrial and SaaS experience to her role. Before CoLab, MJ worked with 50+ venture-backed b2b software companies on their demand generation strategies at Refine Labs. And prior to that, she spent six years working at FTSE 100 Halma PLC, a group of mid-sized manufacturing businesses focused on medical, environmental and safety technology. Join us as we discuss: How the way teams communicate and collaborate (especially engineers) has started to change How digital transformations are impacting modern manufacturing and engineering Steps that MJ has taken to uniquely position CoLab in its market

Adopting new technology comes with major concerns around data security, financial risk, business value, longevity, and more. Yet these concerns are causing many engineering leaders to overspend on outdated technology instead of reaping the rewards of the cloud. In this episode, Robert Percy, VP Security & IT at CoLab Software, joins Adam to discuss how engineering leaders can think differently about cloud technology, build strong partnerships with IT leaders, and create effective adoption strategies for new tech. Listen to Adam and Robert discuss: How to evaluate new cloud tools for security and reliability  Why emails are unsecured communications  How engineering leaders can build a partnership with IT leaders Risk vs. reward for cloud technology vs. on-prem infrastructure    More information about Robert and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-p-a2a61628/  Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check   To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

The future of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is not in single sources of data, but in open and interconnected datasets that are optimized for access and accountability, rather than control. At least, that's what the “Virtual Dutchman,” Jos Voskuil believes. Jos Voskuil is a PLM expert and the founder of VirtualDutchman.com, an online blog that helps PLM implementers and customers in their stepped approach towards PLM. Jos joins Adam to talk about the future of connected PLM and the part that systems of engagement will play in shaping it. Listen to Adam and Jos discuss: The benefits of a connected federated data environment The myth of single sources of data How a connected PLM positively can lead to better systems of engagement How organizations can start shifting to a federated model Multidisciplinary vs. single disciplinary collaboration in engagement systems More information about Jos and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tacit/ Jos' PLM blog: https://virtualdutchman.com/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

Today's engineering teams are facing skyrocketing expectations. The products they're designing are more complex than ever, there's constant pressure to raise quality while lowering cost, and it seems like every company is trying to drastically slash time to market so they can get products launched faster. Yet many of today's market leaders are still designing products the same way they did 20 years ago—and it's holding them back. That's why Adam Keating and Jeremy Andrews founded CoLab Software. On this episode of Peer Check, Adam and Jeremy share CoLab's origin story and talk about how teams are using CoLab to get results. Join us as we discuss: How Adam and Jeremy went from developing one of the world's first Hyperloop vehicles to working in Silicon Valley—then deciding to shift gears Why the status quo for engineering collaboration doesn't cut it The evolution of CoLab from early concept to today What engineering leaders are saying about trends in the market More information about Adam, Jeremy, and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile (Adam): https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammichaelkeating/ LinkedIn Profile (Jeremy): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyandrewsmun/ Company Website: www.colabsoftware.com Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

There's a lot of talk about Model-Based Definition (MBD), which means there's also a lot of different opinions out there. It's one thing to paint a picture of some future vision for a Model-Based Enterprise—but how can you start taking steps today to make MBD practical for your team? That's exactly what the Action Engineering team does. Jennifer Herron, Founder and CEO, and Rhiannon Gallagher, Chief Business Psychologist, join Adam Keating to talk all about MBD and what they've seen working with organizations to achieve MBD and MBE goals. In this episode, we discuss: Why bother with MBD at all The challenges of shifting toward MBD How psychological safety impacts manufacturing organizations MBD and supply chain relationships More information about Jennifer Herron and Rhiannon Gallagher and today's topics: Jennifer Herron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-herron-cad/ Rhiannon Gallagher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhiannongallagher/ Action Engineering: https://www.action-engineering.com/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

Keeping track of progress and KPIs feels like a never-ending challenge in any industry. But for engineering and manufacturing businesses, it gets even more difficult. When unexpected delays and obstacles can pop up at any moment, how can leaders set the right goals to guide their team to success? Niru Somayajula, CEO of Sensor Technology, joins Adam Keating to dive into her approach to setting KPIs within an engineering company, how to be an effective leader, and what it takes to foster growth. Join us as Niru and Adam talk about: How a technical background impacts growth and success as a business leader How financial transparency improves a team's understanding of KPIs and company goals Setting company goals using revenue targets and budget constraints How Sensor Technology balances OKRs with individual KPIs Lead and lag indicators in an engineering context More information about Niru and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niru-somayajula-96650119/ Company Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sensortechnologyltd/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

The idea of the “solo innovator” working alone on an invention is pretty familiar to most of us. But when it comes to complex mechanical design, engineering is inherently collaborative work. Great breakthroughs don't come from individuals; they come from teams. Dr. Alison Olechowski, Assistant Professor at University of Toronto, joins host Adam Keating to share perspectives gained from leading multiple studies on the impact of collaborative practices in engineering. Listen to the full episode as Alison and Adam discuss: The results of successful collaboration The benefits of designing collaboratively The need for stakeholder input in co-design How to create opportunities for co-design The future of design engineering  More information about Alison and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonolechowski Ready Lab (University of Toronto): https://readylab.mie.utoronto.ca/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check  To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

From legacy infrastructure to prohibitive costs, innovating within the manufacturing world comes with many obstacles. On today's episode, we discuss what it takes to shake things up, introduce new methods, and decide which digital transformation trends are worth paying attention to (and which aren't). In this conversation with Robin Dechant, Co-founder of Aveo, you'll hear: Aveo's origin story The most exciting digital transformation trends in manufacturing The biggest obstacles holding innovation back How disruption happens in manufacturing More information about Robin Dechant and today's topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robindechant/ Company Website: https://aveo.one/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

Implementing change in an industry as complex as shipbuilding is extraordinarily difficult to accomplish. But sometimes change is necessary to keep up with technological innovations. The best way to get through it? With an open, collaborative mindset. In this conversation with Chad Mercer, Director of Delivery at Genoa Design International , you'll hear: How industries are adapting to the demand for better, greener, and more efficient technology The driving factors for industry-wide changes How the Genoa Academy helps people transition from other engineering and manufacturing roles into shipbuilding How collaboration helps companies thrive during the digital transformation process   More information about Chad Mercer and today' s topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-mercer-82341b6/ Company Website: https://genoadesign.com/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check   To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

All great engineering managers have one thing in common: they know how to build strong relationships. Those relationships become the key to unlocking career progression, building trust, and earning the authority to implement new methods. Hear our conversation with Leila Kheradpir, Program Manager at StarFish Medical, as she chats with host Adam Keating about: How building strong relationships is vital to succeeding as a leader The differences between a technical manager and a people manager Why true leaders need to be big-picture thinkers   Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

The engineering world may have been slower than other industries to embrace cloud-based tools, but that gap is narrowing. More and more engineering teams are seeing the value of cloud-native solutions that integrate well with other tools. In this episode, we speak with David Heiny, CEO at SimScale, about recent trends in engineering software, the future of simulation tools, and the challenges of making change within engineering organizations. Join us as we discuss: Strategies to successfully bring cloud tools into your organization The future role of simulation across the product lifecycle The tricky balance of conserving value vs. driving innovation

Today's workers want modern tech. The 21st century is well underway, and workplaces need to keep up if they want to attract (and retain) top talent. In this episode, we speak with Ivan Filipic, Director of Operations and Engineering Centre at Schneider Electric Field Service, about creating a culture of improvement in large engineering companies. After 24 years in the industry, he knows how to get things done. Join us as we discuss: Successfully implementing change in the engineering space Adopting digital tools and embracing the 21st century The challenge of proving ROI and getting buy-in

How do great engineers become great leaders? It takes more than a title change—it takes a mindset change. In this episode, we speak with Gregory Smyth, former Group Manager at Tesla turned Career Pivot Coach at Career Pivot Accelerator, about best practices for managing both your team and your supply chain. Join us as we discuss: Leading an engineering team effectively Managing your supplier relationships Making strategic supply chain decisions       Check out the book Greg mentioned: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Engineering is changing. The same way that CAD and PLM transformed the industry during the 20th century, today's tech and software are opening up new ways for teams to work together. And the engineering leaders who fully embrace this change are the ones pulling ahead of the competition. In this introductory episode we speak with Adam Keating, Co-Founder & CEO at CoLab, about what we can expect from the podcast as a whole and actionable steps for the audience to take right now. Join us as we discuss: - Biggest challenges the industry is facing today - Who the podcast is for & what they can expect - How people in the industry can start taking action You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Peer Check on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Peer Check in your favorite podcast player.