The value of tribal knowledge is even more apparent when 'engineers' describes a) traditional engineers (EE, mechE, chemE, civilE, etc), or b) software types wi

The value of tribal knowledge is even more apparent when 'engineers' describes a) traditional engineers (EE, mechE, chemE, civilE, etc), or b) software types with deep specialized skills that grow with domain experience (e.g. image analysis in medical/pharmaceutical, signal processing in audio/radar/telecom, or finite element analysts in weather/mixture modeling). The experience gained with years in roles like these isn't just in the use of computer tools, but in how to approach and solve proprietary domain problems with constraints that often aren't obvious. Knowing the pitfalls or conventions inherent in complex or regulated domains like automobile or pharmaceutical safety takes time to learn, making those with such experience more valuable to retain.