The ultimate goal of engineering is products and processes aimed at practical ends in real life. After reading this material, the readers will be able to explain this goal, the nature of engineering, the knowledge and skills required in engineering problem-solving, and the discipline-independent strategies employed to solve a general problem. First, we discuss discipline-independent general thinking strategies and barriers to problem-solving with examples. The strategies discussed include—trial and error, logical reasoning, divide and conquer, representation/modelling, analysis, reduction, reformulation and analogy. The three steps involved in the analysis of any problem are highlighted, namely—separation of the whole into parts, understanding the parts in isolation, and combining the understanding so obtained to understand the whole. Two barriers to problem-solving, namely—mental set and functional fixedness, are discussed. Next, we identify three levels of engineering, namely—software, hardware systems and components, and highlight the interdisciplinary nature of engineering problems by considering two real-life examples. One example is developing a fabrication process for a very high-frequency varactor tuning diode with a high-quality factor. Another example is the development of earthquake-resistant drywalls. We discuss the solutions to these problems, highlighting how general thinking strategies with discipline-specific concepts are employed in the solution. Further, this discussion shows how engineering problem-solving requires identifying variables that can be ignored in a given situation based on hands-on experience and intuition, critical thinking, creative thinking and communication skills.