Pierce the Design Fog: Countdown to Launch + Why Design Still Struggles with Engineering
Your Quality during Design Digest
Welcome to the latest edition of the Quality during Design Digest!
September was a big month with conference insights, book updates, and new ways for us to connect. In this digest, you’ll find highlights from recent podcast episodes, news on Pierce the Design Fog (launching October 15th!), my takeaways from the IDSA conference, and a first look at our new subscription tiers. Whether you’re looking for practical templates, a fresh perspective on design, or just want to stay in the loop, there’s something here for you.
Dianna
Quality during Design has been brought to you since 2021 from Deeney Enterprises and Dianna Deeney. This is the monthly digest sent on the first Friday of the month: gain insights, podcast highlights, and resources for engineering design professionals.
Pierce the Design Fog
NEW BOOK Pierce the Design Fog: Develop High-Quality Products Faster through Team Innovation
I wrote Pierce the Design Fog to be a useful, non-boring book. Visit its website to learn more about it. Preorders are available now from your favorite book seller. Launches October 15th! PierceTheDesignFog.com.
Since May, I’ve been creating podcast episodes that introduce the concepts in this book. If any of them resonated with you, then this playbook may just be what you need to help you execute. I also include stories that are NOT in the book! In the podcast, we covered:
The Hidden Costs of Poor Concept Development in Product Design
Why Your Cross-Functional Team Isn’t Communicating Effectively (And How to Fix It)
Uncovering Customer Desires: Understanding Benefits in Concept Development
Beyond Requirements: How Quality Methods Provide Actionable Design Inputs
Visit any of the links to access the podcast and blog post.
Preorder Giveaway
Preorder by October 14th and enter to win the companion card deck: Concept Quest: Design Discovery. Enter at PierceTheDesignFog.com/Giveaway.
Why Design Still Struggles to Meet Engineering (and What AI Won’t Fix Yet)
I attended the IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America) conference in Detroit in September. I share some of my key takeaways.
Coming up
Later in October, I’ll share what it took for me to journey from engineer to author: the hardest part and my biggest surprise.
Introducing: Quality during Design Subscriptions on Substack
Join a growing community of engineers and engineering leaders who are elevating product quality through smarter design decisions. Whether you’re just starting out or leading complex initiatives, there’s a tier tailored to your journey.
Why Subscribe? Because design decisions shape everything. With each tier, you gain access to curated insights, practical tools, and strategic mentorship that help you lead with confidence and clarity.
Scout: Stay informed with monthly digests and free resources.
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Strategist: Shape the conversation, join live sessions, and access exclusive strategic archives.
Every tier is designed to meet you where you are and help you grow. Learn more about subscriptions and choose what’s right for you.
Did you see it, yet?
We are still excited about the website. Check it out at DeeneyEnterprises.com and bookmark it to revisit it frequently.
This month’s highlights at a glance:
Pierce the Design Fog launches October 15th, Preorder now and enter the giveaway for the Concept Quest card deck.
Conference reflections: Design still struggles to meet engineering, and AI isn’t ready to bridge the gap.
New subscription tiers are live. Choose the level that best supports your growth in smarter product development.
How to engage with me
This is just the beginning of a deeper conversation about smarter product development. Ready to translate these mindset shifts into real improvements? Here’s how we can connect:
JOIN ME ON SUBSTACK Subscribe today. Beyond this monthly digest, you’ll get themed Q&As, live chats, in-depth analysis, comprehensive guides, and access to my Strategy Vaults. Founding Member spots are open now.
PICK MY BRAIN Got a particular problem you’d like clarity on? Schedule a 60-minute virtual call with me - we’ll work through it together.
ENROLL IN MY COURSE FMEA in Practice: from Plan to Risk-Based Decision Making is enrolling now. Lifetime access, practical tools, and over 300 students already learning.
GET THE BOOK Pierce the Design Fog is your playbook for concept development to engineering design inputs.
VIEW MY OTHER SERVICES Visit my website to learn more.
MEET ME IN PERSON I’ll be at:
IEEE Energy Conversion Congress & Expo | Oct 21st | Philadelphia, PA
Design 2 Part Show | Nov. 19th | Oaks, PA