What can sports teach us about making better decisions? On this episode of Problem Solved, University of Arizona professor and author Ricardo Valerdi joins IISE's Keith Albertson to explore how lessons from the playing field translate to business, engineering and everyday life. Drawing from his new book, The Five-Tool Team, Valerdi discusses why good decisions may not always lead to winning outcomes, but how individuals, teams, and organizations can make smarter choices they feel confident in and why human judgment and sound systems still matters in the age of AI. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Get The Five Tool Team wherever books are sold.
Learn more about Science of Sport.

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
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Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

Can artificial intelligence make workplaces safer? And what happens when the technology gets it wrong?

In recognition of National Ergonomics Month, Problem Solved welcomes Kristianne Egbert, a certified professional ergonomist with 25 years of experience helping organizations design safer, more effective workplaces.

From motion capture and computer vision to AI-powered risk assessments, technology is transforming how ergonomists identify workplace hazards. Kristianne explains how tools that once required painstaking manual measurements can now analyze movements in seconds and why human expertise remains essential.

In this episode:

• How motion capture and AI are changing ergonomic risk assessments
• Why even sophisticated AI tools can make costly mistakes
• The importance of human judgment and professional expertise
• Designing equipment and workstations with ergonomics in mind
• Why involving employees leads to better workplace solutions
• Career pathways and professional development in ergonomics

Whether you're an industrial engineer, safety professional, ergonomist, or simply curious about the future of work, this episode offers a look at the intersection of technology, engineering, and human-centered design.

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
Problem Solved on LinkedIn
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Problem Solved on TikTok

Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org

What does it take to turn an engineering mindset into an entrepreneurial advantage?

In this episode of Problem Solved, guest host Cassandra Sotos, CEO of AmpRx, sits down with Domonique Townsend, CEO and Managing Partner of We Optimize Work, and Brock Anderson, founder of Ergo-ology, to explore the intersection of industrial engineering and entrepreneurship.

From taking calculated risks to balancing big-picture vision with day-to-day operations, the panel shares how their engineering backgrounds have shaped their approaches to building businesses. They discuss the challenges of making decisions with incomplete information, identifying the right problems to solve and learning when persistence pays off—and when it doesn't.

Whether you're considering starting your own business or looking to develop your leadership skills, this conversation offers practical insights into applying an industrial engineering mindset beyond traditional engineering roles.

AmpRX
We Optimize Work
Ergo-ology

Learn more about The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)
Problem Solved on LinkedIn
Problem Solved on YouTube
Problem Solved on Instagram
Problem Solved on TikTok

Problem Solved Executive Producer: Elizabeth Grimes
Interested in contributing to the podcast or sponsoring an episode? Email egrimes@iise.org