--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem with engineers today is that…" description: "\"“The problem with engineers today is that they don’t think on paper.”\" — Joseph R. Lallo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/joseph-r-lallo-20887_engineering_the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that_2202908.jpg" --- # The problem with engineers today is that they don’t think… ![“The problem with engineers today is that they don’t think on paper.” quote by Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/joseph-r-lallo-20887_engineering_the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that_2202908.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/joseph-r-lallo-20887_engineering_the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that_2202908.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/joseph-r-lallo-20887_engineering_the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that_2202908.jpg) > ““The problem with engineers today is that they don’t think on paper.”” [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Engineers often skip planning and jump straight to building, missing the value of written design. **In simple terms:** Engineers skip planning. Key Takeaway Start with a written plan. Themes engineering planning communication Mood practical analytical Type professional advice When to use this quote - product development - team meetings - project kickoff - software design Key Concepts design thinking process efficiency Questions to Reflect On - Why do you skip planning? - What benefits could a sketch bring? A Different Perspective Writing takes time and may feel restrictive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Engineers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineers/) ## Related quotes > [“That’s the problem with engineers: when they can’t get something working, they always blame the previous group of engineers, and you never know which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kroese/that-s-the-problem-with-engineers-when-they-can-t-get-something/) [Robert Kroese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kroese/) > [“Computer engineers of today are likely to find that if they have a two-week holiday they may miss a crucial new development in computing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-essinger/computer-engineers-of-today-are-likely-to-find-that-if-they-have-a/) [James Essinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-essinger/) > [“A Solution Waiting for a Problem Engineers tend to develop tools for the pleasure of developing tools, not to induce nature to yield its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/a-solution-waiting-for-a-problem-engineers-tend-to-develop-tools-for/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [People are forced to become doctors or engineers today. It makes no sense to force children to study something they are not interested in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranitha-subhash/people-are-forced-to-become-doctors-or-engineers-today-it-makes-no/) [Pranitha Subhash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranitha-subhash/) > [I've just finished my book, I wrote it on penguins. Come to think of it, paper would have been better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-jones/i-ve-just-finished-my-book-i-wrote-it-on-penguins-come-to-think-of-it/) [Milton Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-jones/) > [“They were suddenly saying to people with nothing but paper representations of wealth, “Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you think paper was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-suddenly-saying-to-people-with-nothing-but-paper/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [It's always good to see what people think, but you can't go off paper. You got to work hard to get what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markelle-fultz/it-s-always-good-to-see-what-people-think-but-you-can-t-go-off-paper/) [Markelle Fultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markelle-fultz/) > [“Whenever you think seriously to achieve something, just take one advise : Think on Paper”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-arora/whenever-you-think-seriously-to-achieve-something-just-take-one/) [Manoj Arora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-arora/) > [Don't think and then write it down. Think on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kemelman/don-t-think-and-then-write-it-down-think-on-paper/) [Harry Kemelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-kemelman/) > [“Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you think paper was so valuable?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/wake-up-you-idiots-whatever-made-you-think-paper-was-so-valuable/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Of course, I have given my engineers some headaches over the years, but they go with me. I have always wanted my buildings to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-niemeyer/of-course-i-have-given-my-engineers-some-headaches-over-the-years-but/) [Oscar Niemeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-niemeyer/) > [It is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/it-is-a-great-profession-there-is-the-fascination-of-watching-a/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [ \[An engineer's\] invention causes things to come into existence from ideas, makes world conform to thought; whereas science, by deriving ideas from observation, makes… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-mitcham/an-engineer-s-invention-causes-things-to-come-into-existence-from/) Carl Mitcham > [“neighborhood was filled with engineers from Hewlett-Packard, then as now one of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/neighborhood-was-filled-with-engineers-from-hewlett-packard-then-as/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Design is all about relationships. Unfortunately, many designers don’t fully appreciate this. Some of the best design work I’ve ever done was drinking coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burka/design-is-all-about-relationships-unfortunately-many-designers-don-t/) Daniel Burka ## More by Joseph R. Lallo > [“Few better ways exist to ensure problems will arise in a given task than by making plans for afterward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/few-better-ways-exist-to-ensure-problems-will-arise-in-a-given-task/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“The value of the sword did not concern her--at least, not at this moment. Regardless of the price it might fetch in the future,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/the-value-of-the-sword-did-not-concern-her-at-least-not-at-this/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“that the young dragon beside her had hatched”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/that-the-young-dragon-beside-her-had-hatched/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“blood from the gash had seeped through her shirt and the blanket, pooling on the floor. Looking at it intensified the dizziness that its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/blood-from-the-gash-had-seeped-through-her-shirt-and-the-blanket/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“capture and return of the swordbearer is the responsibility of the Alliance Army. Regardless of what orders you may have received, your interference is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/capture-and-return-of-the-swordbearer-is-the-responsibility-of-the/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“It was one lesson that she could not bring herself to learn. If someone was going to tell a lie, they would tell it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/it-was-one-lesson-that-she-could-not-bring-herself-to-learn-if/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“Deckhand’s just a fancy word for a person who does everything.” “Where I work, they call people like that a free-wrench. That was my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/deckhand-s-just-a-fancy-word-for-a-person-who-does-everything-where-i/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“without raising his face guard, he looked to the kidnapper. "It seems to be the piece we require. We shall take the girl and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/without-raising-his-face-guard-he-looked-to-the-kidnapper-it-seems-to/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“Honestly, people always talk about ‘normal’ as though it is something to aspire to, but that’s a load of crap. Normal isn’t an achievement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/honestly-people-always-talk-about-normal-as-though-it-is-something-to/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“To say I was jealous would be to suggest that you did not deserve all that you have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/to-say-i-was-jealous-would-be-to-suggest-that-you-did-not-deserve-all/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“Far below, the purple mist parted and an ornate tram rose out of the fug. It was a work of art, as exquisite as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/far-below-the-purple-mist-parted-and-an-ornate-tram-rose-out-of-the/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“What are they? Pirates?” Nita cried. “No, raiders,” Lil said, drawing her revolver. “What’s the difference?” “Pirates rob you and kill you, raiders kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/what-are-they-pirates-nita-cried-no-raiders-lil-said-drawing-her/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“The following task would have been a lot easier if she had three hands, not to mention if she were on solid ground and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/the-following-task-would-have-been-a-lot-easier-if-she-had-three/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“Right on cue, the ground came whipping up beneath them. No longer simply held aloft by anti-gravity units, the vehicle’s futuristic replacements for wheels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/right-on-cue-the-ground-came-whipping-up-beneath-them-no-longer/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) > [“Victory!? There is no victory in war! War takes everything and gives nothing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/victory-there-is-no-victory-in-war-war-takes-everything-and-gives/) [Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) [Explore all 30 Joseph R. Lallo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/) ## More Engineering quotes > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [“Nothing is easier than yesterday's solutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-sperry/nothing-is-easier-than-yesterday-s-solutions/) Roger Sperry > [Design is not making beauty, beauty emerges from selection, affinities, integration, love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kahn/design-is-not-making-beauty-beauty-emerges-from-selection-affinities/) [Louis Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kahn/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [I design some of my own clothes now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiernan-shipka/i-design-some-of-my-own-clothes-now/) [Kiernan Shipka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiernan-shipka/) > [Design is a very personal thing. It's like art. Your personal choice plays a big role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gauri-khan/design-is-a-very-personal-thing-it-s-like-art-your-personal-choice/) [Gauri Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gauri-khan/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gropius/our-guiding-principle-was-that-design-is-neither-an-intellectual-nor/) [Walter Gropius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gropius/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [My objective is to design a space that nobody else can come up with while using the material that anyone can use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/my-objective-is-to-design-a-space-that-nobody-else-can-come-up-with/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [Man's endeavour to cross even the most difficult terrain with railway lines has produced some of the most stunning marvels of engineering of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prashant-bhushan/man-s-endeavour-to-cross-even-the-most-difficult-terrain-with-railway/) [Prashant Bhushan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prashant-bhushan/) > [Of course design is about problem solving, but I cannot resist adding something personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-crouwel/of-course-design-is-about-problem-solving-but-i-cannot-resist-adding/) [Wim Crouwel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-crouwel/) [Browse all 3,003 Engineering quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The problem with engineers today is that they don’t think on paper.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph R. Lallo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that-they-don-t-think-on-paper/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Engineering" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that-they-don-t-think-on-paper/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/joseph-r-lallo-20887_engineering_the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that_2202908.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/joseph-r-lallo-20887_engineering_the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that_2202908.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/joseph-r-lallo-20887_engineering_the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that_2202908.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The problem with engineers today is that they don’t think on paper.” — Joseph R. Lallo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joseph R. Lallo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The problem with engineers today is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that-they-don-t-think-on-paper/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/the-problem-with-engineers-today-is-that-they-don-t-think-on-paper/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```