I was recently chatting with my esteemed colleague (and brother) Joey about the immutable concepts of engineering, and indeed reason itself. Engineering is really just reason put to work to solve problems, but it’s stunning how often basic reasoning principles are flagrantly disregarded in engineering. I see this almost daily in my work as an IT consultant.

I humbly submit for your consideration The Engineer’s Axioms, a haphazard collection of definite statements to which all good engineering ideas ought to ascribe. (List highly subject to change!)

1. Garbage in, garbage out.
2. If it’s broken, it won’t work well.
3. Something can work and yet still be broken.
4. It doesn’t work until it’s tested.
5. A bad foundation can’t be fixed by a great roof.
6. Everything is costing someone something.
7. Security is relative.
8. You only get what you pay for when you know what you’re buying.
9. Security, integrity, convenience: pick two.
10. RTFM, STFW and then TIAS.
11. Knowing what you’re doing and screwing it up are inversely related.
12. Systems only do what they were designed to do.

There’s more! I’ll likely come back and add some. Feel free to add your own in the comments; the best will find their way in this list.