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sanj

I don't agree, but there is a level of interpretation at play in here:

elegant: builds a system in a way that is technically satisfying

efficient: builds a system in a way that uses the least resources

effective: builds a system in way that best solves the problem

I've built a lot of elegant systems that didn't solve the right problem but sure looked good.

I've also build systems out of leftover servers and laptops that were super inexpensive.

But I've learnt that there are times where spending money is the best way to build the system that the customer actually wants (and will pay for).

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> "elegant: builds a system in a way that is technically satisfying efficient: builds a system in a way that uses the least resources effective: builds a system in way that solves the problem"

No, 'Effective' solves the problem, but not necessarily in the "best" way possible. In my opinion, the quote as stated is just wrong. Effective means "gets it done", but doesn't convey that it was done optimally.

It makes much more sense to me to say...

"Any run-of-the-mill engineer can design something which is effective. A good engineer designs systems to be efficient. A great engineer designs them to be elegant."

The way I read it, that's exactly the point.

It makes much more sense to you (and me) that way but the point is our common sense about what makes an engineer great is wrong.

How about "Any run-of-the-mill engineer can design something which is either elegant, efficient or effective, a good engineer designs systems to be two out of the three, a great engineer designs them to be all 3."

I think for elegant solutions you often have to define the problem right. From my experience often the problem is not really that clearly defined so it's hard to build an elegant solution.

I'm pretty sure effective just means "solves the problem".

Efficiency is one of the basic tenets of Engineering. Almost every problem can be reduced to "How can this system be made more efficient?"

In real world systems you often have competing constraints. In construction if someone asked you to make a beam section more efficient you'd need to consider weight, cost, weld-ability, yield strength etc. All competing against each other.

An effective engineer is someone who can see the whole picture of the system and where his design fits into it. Being able to make the most appropriate efficiency gains in areas where you get the greatest benefit.

I've always considered a technically elegant solution to be something more novel - an approach that had never been considered before or consider and dismissed as unworkable in the past.

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