The AntiPattern Podcast by Elevating Patterns

In "2025 an AI Odyssey" we're back in AI territory — this time fresh off our AI Research Day, where 16 people from 12 organizations came together to compare notes, ideas, and hard-earned lessons from the industrial frontlines.

Christian and Michael unpack what makes industrial AI different from "AI in general": the stakes are higher, the margins smaller, and "pretty good" isn't good enough when safety, quality, uptime, and compliance are on the line.

We dive into the big topics that shaped the day:

• Why industrial AI is special — and why consumer-style assumptions don't transfer
• Hallucinations in production: how to reduce them, contain them, and design systems that stay trustworthy
• Reasoning quality as a requirement: what "good enough" reasoning looks like for engineering and operations
• Reference architectures: do we need one, what should it include, and where do today's patterns fall short
• The elephant in the room: legacy systems with little to no semantics — and how that blocks real AI value

And finally, we tackle the key question: How can we actually leverage industrial data if it doesn't come with rich meaning?

Our answer: you need a Digital Thread system that introduces semantics, connects context across tools and lifecycle stages, and turns data into something AI can reason over — not just statistically, but engineerably.

If you're building or evaluating AI for industrial use cases — or you're wondering why pilots stall after the demo — this episode is your map for the odyssey ahead.

In this episode Christian and Michael take you along to the Tag des Systems Engineering (TdSE) 2025 in Salzburg — the central Systems Engineering meetup in the German-speaking world, organized by the GfSE (the German INCOSE chapter).

For us, this one was special: our very first conference as Elevating Patterns with our own company booth, and our first time showing up not "as part of someone else," but as a startup ready to contribute to the community.

We share the moments that stuck with us most — from the big themes we heard across sessions to the practical questions people brought to our booth, and the kinds of challenges Systems Engineers are wrestling with right now.

Expect a lively debrief on:

• Our biggest takeaways from the program and community discussions
• What surprised us about being exhibitors for the first time
• The trends we sensed around MBSE, SysML v2, digital thread thinking, and industrial adoption
• New connections, old friends, and why TdSE felt like the right place for Elevating Patterns to plant a flag

If you're curious what the SE community is buzzing about — or you just want a behind-the-scenes look at a startup's first major conference outing — this one's for you. 🎙️✨

In this episode, Michael and Christian pull back the curtain on the hard truths of applying AI in the industrial domain. It's not just about flashy demos — it's about the messy, practical, and often painful hurdles that trip up even the most ambitious initiatives.

We explore five key pain points:

• IP protection — How do you safeguard proprietary algorithms, data and models when they're feeding into shared platforms or cloud services?
• Hallucinations — Why does AI still confidently make stuff up, and what risk does that pose when you're controlling physical assets instead of just chatting?
• Reasoning — how far did we come with AI that is not just memorizing, but actually reasoning?
• Costs — From infrastructure to data preparation to ongoing model governance, the price tag for "just throwing in AI" is far higher than many expect.
• The need for machine-readable data & knowledge graphs — AI only works when your assets, systems and processes speak a common language.

Together, Michael and Christian unpack stories from the field, call out common anti-patterns, and suggest what must go right before the next generation of industrial AI can deliver real value.

Our debut customer event — we called it "EP Family and Friends" — marked a major milestone — and brought us our very first direct feedback from real users of various industries.

In this episode, we unpack what we heard, the patterns emerging from early conversations, and how that input is guiding our product direction. If you're curious about how feedback becomes strategy, this one's for you.

In this episode, Christian shares his impressions from his trip to the Systems Engineering Congress (SEC) and reflects on the latest advancements in MBSE and SysML v2. We explore how the evolution of system modeling is not just about new tools and notations, but about enabling a true democratization of MBSE data. With SysML v2 paving the way for greater interoperability, we look at how system models can finally flow seamlessly into downstream lifecycle processes — from design and simulation all the way to manufacturing and operations.

Beyond the technical shifts, we also touch on the growing community and momentum around MBSE, and what this means for organizations trying to bridge the gap between abstract models and concrete engineering outcomes. The episode offers both insights from the conference and reflections on the future role of system models as a shared language across disciplines.

In this episode of the Anti-Pattern Podcast we zoom in on what makes a perfect fit: who benefits most from our solution, and how you — potential or current customer — can tell if your processes, structure, or projects are ready for what we offer.

Michael and Christian explore how to recognize when a collaboration with Elevating Patterns really shines. They discuss what it means to work almost entirely in a B2B world, why flexibility is key for supporting unique customer needs, and how our solution naturally complements modular product structures.

Whether you're exploring our platform for the first time, evaluating if it's a strong fit, or already striving to refine your engineering or process structure — this episode gives you cues, red flags, and a guide to knowing whether we're in "golden pattern territory" together.

In this milestone episode of the Anti Pattern Podcast, our CEO Michael sits down with CTO Christian to unveil the very first release of Elevating Patterns' Digital Thread Platform. Together, they explore how this new foundation reshapes the way organizations model, connect, and evolve their digital ecosystems.

From no-code domain modeling to a transparent commit history, and from graphical lifecycle maps to the intuitive import mapper, this release is packed with powerful features. We also dive into smart localization with AI-driven translation and the structure browser that lets you navigate complex hierarchies like never before.

Tune in to hear not just what's inside this first release, but also where the journey is headed next. This is the starting point of a platform designed to make the Digital Thread tangible, accessible, and transformative.

In the second installment of our Theory and Practice series, we shift from the comfortable realm of ideas to the unpredictable terrain of reality. Theory gives us frameworks, roadmaps, and a comforting sense of control — but the moment we step into practice, we discover the countless variables no book or blueprint can prepare us for.

Drawing from years of real-world experience, we unpack the challenges and surprises that inevitably arise when putting plans into action. We talk about the universal truth that things take longer than expected — no matter how carefully you schedule. We reflect on how all business is people business, and why human dynamics can be the most powerful driver or the biggest obstacle in any project. And we share war stories on why migration projects are always a pain, no matter the tools, team, or timeline.

Before you can work with us — or for us — you need to know what we're actually talking about. In this first part of our "Theory to Practice" double feature, we focus on the theoretical foundations that underpin our work at Elevating Patterns.

We explore the essential concepts, models, and schools of thought that anyone engaging with our company should at least have heard of. From data modeling and graph theory to model-based systems engineering and industrial processes — we unpack the invisible scaffolding behind our daily language, decisions, and direction. It's not a lecture — it's a conceptual field guide.

If you've ever wondered what kind of thinking our practice is built on, this episode lays the intellectual groundwork. Stay tuned for Part II, where we'll move from the abstract to the tangible and talk about real-world capabilities.

Christian and Michael reflect on their first six and a half months as a startup — challenges, wins, and lessons learned.

In this episode of the Anti-Pattern Podcast, Christian and Michael reflect on the incredible journey of our first six and a half months as a startup. Building something from the ground up is never linear, and we've experienced our fair share of challenges, wins, and lessons along the way. Join us as we share what we've accomplished so far—from forming our founding team and validating our core idea, to launching our first MVP and welcoming our early adopters soon.

Tune in and listen to our journey from mounting desks, winning a first 'customer', deeply hand-coding vs. vibe-coding parts of our platform and many more.