Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1494346
10 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2023 Tamara Jovanovic is a design engineer with Happiest Baby, a manufacturer of smart baby beds that alert parents if the infant needs atten- tion and soothes the baby back to sleep. She also recently completed her master's degree in electrical engineering by studying around her work schedule. Since Tamara has been absorbing new infor- mation from the halls of academia and her workplace, we asked for her thoughts on dif- ferentiating between tribal knowledge and documented fact. Is tribal knowledge a friend, foe, or a little of both? Andy Shaughnessy: Tamara, being a recent grad school student and working in the industry as a designer, you probably have some thoughts on tribal knowledge. As a person who started really young, in the beginning all you seek is help and validation that you're doing a good job or confirmation that you're not making mistakes. In those first few years, tribal knowledge is welcome. As a young person, you're fresh and eager to learn. You're trying to understand the ins and outs of your job and the industry. With time, you gain some experience, and you realize that suddenly, you have this knowledge that is your own. You slowly start to see certain things that may be outdated or that there are better ways to do things. However, I don't think tribal knowledge is a "fail," or necessarily bad. It's a great starting point, but the tech industry pro- gresses so fast and there are new technologies and improvements coming out all the time. I need to do my own research. Barry Matties: Coming into the industry as a young person, and coworkers were sharing their knowledge, did you question it, or did you just accept it? Feature Interview by the I-Connect007 Editorial Team