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24 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2026 AI has now designed a complex PCB. So, person- ally, how does that make you feel as a PCB designer? 'I Just Earned My PCB Designer Certification. Am I Already Obsolete?' Engineering communication has long been grounded in logic. Propositional logic—true or false, yes or no—remains the foundation for prob- lem-solving, decision-making, and knowledge rep- resentation. Much of today's AI still operates within this framework. Yet even as AI advances beyond propositional reasoning, there are forms of intelligence it cannot replicate. This is where human value, specifically the training, experience, and judgment of a PCB designer, remains. Meaningful outputs from AI still require knowledgeable practitioners to guide the process, validate results, and translate designs into products that can reliably scale to production. Procedural Intelligence Comes First This is the ability to know how to begin. A PCB layout does not start with routing, but rather with gathering, reconciling, and prioritizing information from many stakeholders. Requirements are incom- plete, constraints conflict, and decisions must be made before the first trace is placed. Design- ers synthesize this information dynamically, often under pressure. That judgment remains human. Perspective Intelligence Follows Experienced designers can see multiple paths for- ward. They understand nuance and context. They weigh electrical performance against manufactur- ability, testability, cost, schedule, and risk. They make tradeoffs informed not only by rules, but by experience. Participatory Intelligence Completes the Picture Designers answer the phone. They respond in real time. They explain, adjust, negotiate, and recali- brate as projects evolve. This intelligence exists in relationships, not databases. These capabilities are not easily automated. Communication Is the Key to Adaptation One of the things I enjoy most about joining a new company is meeting new people. Those first few days of learning who does what, how they commu- nicate, and what they care about are invaluable to me. I enjoy discovering shared connections, mutual interests, and the written and unwritten rules of how work actually gets done when there is trans- parency and open communication. Some of us have also experienced the opposite: workplaces or workflows where communication is strained or ineffective. Challenging engineering and manufacturing ecosystems span cultures, disci- plines, and motivations. Even small communication misalignments can lead to lost time, wasted money, or worse. Adaptation begins with communication. Over time, I've come to believe that effective PCB design collaboration requires recognizing four core personality types, both in ourselves and in others: • Social personalities build relationships and open doors. They create momentum, but progress stalls if the conversation never turns into action. • Analytical personalities bring rigor and depth, yet projects can suffer when commu- nication becomes siloed or overly reserved. • Structural personalities are methodical and detail-oriented. They thrive on predictabil- ity and execute well when communication is clear and orderly. • Conceptual personalities are goal-driven risk-takers who inspire commitment. Along- side them are the cheerleaders who support, encourage, and ensure follow-through. TA RG E T C O N D IT I O N