The 2020 pandemic provided a rare opportunity to step back from the daily routine and examine the broader systems that shape our work. During that time, I began exploring complex systems theory and the research coming out of the Santa Fe Institute. A frequent recommendation in those circles was Dynamic Systems for Everyone by Asish Ghosh. While the book primarily focuses on machines and public infrastructure, I quickly saw how those principles apply to human performance. Athletes function under the same laws of adaptation, entropy, self-organization, and emergence.
In the text, Ghosh introduces systems thinking through common examples like public transportation, predator-prey relationships, and home heating systems. The example of the thermostat resonated with me most. It is a simple feedback loop where a device monitors a specific variable (e.g. temperature) and adjusts it based on predefined conditions to maintain a stable environment.
"While most people can recognize when a thermostat is failing, it takes an engineer to fix it. This is because the engineer understands the internal and external elements of the system, the specific variables in question, and the constraints at play."
These systems are nonlinear and dynamic. They are greater than the sum of their parts.
This problem-solving approach is the core of engineering. Traditionally, the field is defined as the application of scientific principles to design and build systems, machines, or structures. Regardless of the specific branch—mechanical, electrical, or software—the objective remains the optimization of function and the enhancement of performance. Engineers manage equilibrium and design feedback loops. The primary difference between a mechanical engineer and a performance professional is simply the medium. One might design the internal workings of a thermostat to regulate temperature; the other focuses on enhancing the sport-specific action capabilities of an elite athlete.
In the current professional landscape, our roles are becoming increasingly integrated. The sport scientist is no longer the only person using a force plate. Strength coaches are not the sole practitioner implementing dynamic efforts, and blood flow restriction training is no longer limited to the training room. Domain expertise is still essential, but implementation has become a shared, interdisciplinary responsibility. We need to begin viewing ourselves through this engineering lens to manage these complex human systems effectively.
The engineering mindset is exactly what modern performance and sport science demand.
The Engineer’s Lens is a place to explore these ideas with contributions from others. It is a home for unconstrained thinking at the intersection of sport, science, and systems.