I had hot dogs for lunch today, which I heated up on the stove and consumed on some toasted hot dog buns with ketchup. As I was reheating my meaty treat, I realized something: you can cook a hot dog in just about every way you can imagine, and it will still taste just fine. In fact, more often than not, they wind up tasting delicious. Just off the top of my head, you can: microwave, boil, steam, broil, bake, stir-fry, grill, and roast them. Beyond the method of cooking, hot dogs also have an extraordinary tolerance for how much they are actually cooked. As long as the middle is warm, and the outside isn’t on fire, your hot dog will turn out just fine. How many other foods can claim such versatility? Not many, I assure you.

So when designing a piece of software, robot, building, or anything else that demands reliability, remember: be as the hot dog. Be versatile. Be durable. Be strong. Most of all, be delicious.