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I too was/am an R&D engineer, and am very aware about "analysis paralysis". I was involved in a lot of Finite Element Analysis for some pretty complicated electronics designs and technologies in the medical, GPS and automotive fields. My experience showed FEA designs often failed due to the lack of either realistic variables, or worse yet, lack of inclusion of key variables. To get around that, our design groups always built spreadsheets and constructed empirical test-beds to simulate/validate the findings for/from FEA reports. Variances were noted, updated, and tested. These were always tuned until all the outcomes matched within reasonable mfg tolerances. Since I had to sit on FMEA boards in medicine and automotive, the spreadsheet became a core tool as pre-design/post-design analysis.
This spreadsheet is actually not as complicated as it looks, and there are no assumptions in it except the master global variables designated as "what ifs". These are mostly dialed down to zero when current status-quo continues on with current rates of interest and inflation. That way, if there are no big changes in the near future, the spreadsheet just cruises. However...I didn't have a 'Pandemic Button'!! Damn!!! Haha, in these, there is always some uncertainty (Heisenberg, anyone?), and I do understand that this fact must be taken into consideration before counting on any of the outcomes.
Good stuff. I bet as we open more on what we do we will find more people have in common as we do!
I use spreadsheet for system design of launch vehicles in aerospace. It starts with how much payload to orbit and size the system requirements for the subsystems/ components. I also use the same spreadsheet to "check & match" mature vehicles performance and evaluate propose concepts to see where the "pucker factors" lies. As the design flows down to lower levels, many engineers use spreadsheet to first size their components, do the design, then followed up with higher fidelity tools such as Finite Element Analysis to identify local stresses to determine margin of safety.
So I understand there are many assumptions go into a system level analysis. All these assumptions will need to be verified and validated. For example, the vehicle acceleration & vibration loads and how it propagate to a component location where someone like you who's designing this component and use this input as the "boundary conditions" to design & analyze your system, such as what is the vibration level on an electronic box and how does this vibration affect a specific circuit board inside the box. After review of design when satisfied all analysis/ design are done correctly, a prototype is built and it goes through shock & vibration testing to make sure it withstands the expected environment that it will operate under. Eventually, a "qualification unit" is built to subject testing at an even higher level to make sure there's margin for operation. At every level, engineers continue to check their analyses to anchor with test data and update their assumptions accordingly.
Going back to building a spreadsheet for financial planning. As you said there's not a "Pandemic Button", there's no way to predict how a market crash like March'20 affect your investment returns. Likewise, there's no prediction on macroeconomic level such as how inflation will erode your purchasing power. Better yet, how does the fact that Moderna's COVID drug was proven effective and how high its stock price will go up One can update these variables after the fact to see how it impacts you, but not before.
So my delay-to-70 Social Security income will be a bit north of $50k in 2022 dollars. Combine that with my wife’s Social Security income collecting somewhat earlier and we’re around $90k and it’s COLA-protected. With no payroll taxes, no state income taxes, preferential Federal tax treatment, and not having to save for retirement, it spends like $150k in W2 money. Our retirement portfolio could be $0 and we would be comfortable in a paid-for house. Social Security income easily covers our cash flow requirements. All the tax deferred stuff and other assets are mad money.
I thought this is just my DW but then I saw on TikTok making fun of the wives going around all day asking "where's my phone? can you call my phone?"
Well, technically it is not me, it's my husband. I put stuff away where it goes. But I might with 7500 sq ft of house. Heck, half the time I would decide I don't need it if it meant a trip to the other side of the house.
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Well, technically it is not me, it's my husband. I put stuff away where it goes. But I might with 7500 sq ft of house. Heck, half the time I would decide I don't need it if it meant a trip to the other side of the house.
That's why, in general, we are perfectly fine with our 1400 sq ft house. We do have an oversize detached garage to store all of the seasonal stuff my wife likes.
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As the design flows down to lower levels, many engineers use spreadsheet to first size their components, do the design, then followed up with higher fidelity tools such as Finite Element Analysis to identify local stresses to determine margin of safety. 
One can update these variables after the fact to see how it impacts you, but not before.
