Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design

[Cirocco]

As stated before, these laws can be applied a just about any project management, not just in the space industry. I'm not an aeonautical/space engineer, but I do work in a sector where quality is of the utmost, sometimes even vital importance.

personal favorite is number 6. (Mar's Law) Everything is linear if plotted log-log with a fat magic marker.

I have one side note with number 13 "Design is based on requirements. There's no justification for designing something one bit "better" than the requirements dictate."

While you definitely should design something according to the customers wishes and not in any other way, when it comes to safety margins I find that the following law applies: always take at least 50% more margin (100 to 200% preferred) than should be required, but don't actually tell the customer this. Customers will push equipment to its qualification limits, make sure you are absolutely certain the equipment can handle it. This mostly because of the fact that there will always be unforeseen problems/quality issues/weaknesses in your equipment (another law!) and because of law 33: if you screw it up, people die.

[Wanderfound]

They're funny, sure, but most of that is just damned good advice. Not just for spacecraft engineering.

[Grover]

You forgot the most kerbal law of all (besides moar boosters):

Sod's law - If it can go wrong, it will go wrong.

[Linear]

You forgot the most kerbal law of all (besides moar boosters):

Sod's law - If it can go wrong, it will go wrong.

Akin to Murphys Law?

[Dirty Bob]

14. (Edison's Law) "Better" is the enemy of "good".

Is it sad that I immediately thought of management at every job I've ever had?