In this paper I've described ideas that came from many of my colleagues. I've tried to reference or cite the originators of ideas where possible. The effort to improve the design program in the AOE Department and through the MAD Center at Virginia Tech has been a group effort. It has involved virtually all the AOE faculty members, and many faculty members from other departments. It has also occurred as a result of support from many NASA Centers, NASA Headquarters, and the National Science Foundation. At Virginia Tech special thanks go to the AOE Faculty, especially Nathan Kirschbaum, the MAD Center Board and the Industrial Advisory Board, the Practice Oriented Master's Degree Working Group, Mike Deisenroth, ISE, for the new Aerospace Manufacturing Course, and Pamela Kurstedt, Assistant Dean, for Professional Success Skills for Teamwork. Outside Virginia Tech, we had the advantage of working with the NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program Mentors, Managers and Faculty, the SUCCEED Coalition MegaProject Faculty in Early Design, and all the other aircraft design teachers that have shared their experiences with me. All of these contributions have been important and need to be acknowledged.