Our Philosophy

A Philosophy of Innovation

Q&A with George Shenoda, RadiSys CTO and VP of Engineering

The key to success in the electronics industry is innovation: finding ways to get to market quicker, perform better, include more features that are more intelligently designed. The key to innovation, according to Shenoda, is to create a controlled environment in which innovation can flourish.

Q: Define innovation.

A: Innovation comes from not being satisfied with the status quo. All technological progress comes because someone thinks differently. At RadiSys, innovation is finding how to make what we make in more effective ways. We have to create products with higher performance, lower cost, smaller size - better looking even. I believe even the look of the product makes a difference in how the customer perceive it.

Q: What is RadiSys' philosophy of innovation?

A: Thinking ahead is key to encouraging, supporting and embracing innovation. If you start thinking now of something you need three years from now, and start implementing it a year from now, you will get it in time.

Q: How do you anticipate what technologies will be needed?

A: We take it from the top down and from the bottom up. From the top down, we converse with our customers constantly. We put ourselves in our customers' place. We literally think as if we'll be building what our customers will build. We go even to our customers' customers' domain to understand how they'll use the products our customers will build. That puts us in a position to be aware - to actually know - what a carrier will want. We take that knowledge and use it to determine what are the best architectures that will satisfy most of the requirements of our customers and "live" for a number of years, that is architectures that stand the test of time and remain viable and flexile for at least five to ten years (depending on the product) from the time the development is completed.

From the bottom up, we communicate with the technology community. We continually look at the latest technology, the most advanced protocols. What are the best silicon devices available? Many of our products in development today are using parts that are not on the market yet, that is why we are among the first to use those components as they come off the production line. That's from a hardware point of view. From a software point of view we try to use common modules, common building blocks and common practice to ensure performance, consistency and ease of use of our products. Top-down and bottom-up meet in the middle producing the most effective and innovative products, that is where RadiSys is.

Q: How does RadiSys encourage innovation with its engineering staff?

A: It's as simple as putting hard-to-satisfy requirements in front of our engineers. If you create requirements beyond the ordinary or what's on the market or better than the competition, that's what pushes them to think creatively.

You also have to give engineers sufficient time. One thing that can easily stifle creativity is unreasonable pressure with schedules, demands on their time, shortage of manpower - that's the No. 1 enemy of creativity, and unfortunately it's prevalent in this industry. That is why it is so important to try to think well in advance. I have my team always thinking ahead and creating ahead.

Q: What's the inspiration for innovation?

A: Innovation doesn't happen in one place; it happens across the industry. A good idea generates another good idea. If you're constantly aware and looking around and seeing what good ideas are there, they invariably trigger other good ideas. It's a regenerative process. We foster that awareness and exchange of ideas in RadiSys

There is continuous innovation by our suppliers, by our partners, and by us. We are almost bound by the components available to us - silicon especially but software too. Engineering is based on science and mathematics and physics, but there is a lot of art in the know-how of putting components together to create better products, better functionality, better performance, even better looking. That is what we emphasize at RadiSys, the art of the know how. As you know, the best products are described as "State-of-the-Art" Products.