Adam Sadowsky built the massive Rube Goldberg machine for OK Go's This Too Shall Pass video. He explains his methods and lessons learned in this video.
The machine has eighty nine distinct interactions, the filming took eighty five takes and only three takes completed the full machine. Bowling balls, umbrellas and a Le Mans racer all factor into the massive machine setup.
http://teamaltman.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/OKGo-Paintsplatter.jpg
The project started with a list of constraints - here called the Ten Commandments of Design. The most rigid requirement was the video being completely filmed in one take.
There are several lessons learned from the video that are relevant to every engineering project:
Small stuff stinks, but it's essential.
Planning is incredibly important, so is flexibility.
Put reliable stuff last.
Life is messy, but this too shall pass.
http://www.ted.com/talks/adam_sadowsky_engineers_a_viral_music_video.html
Engineers start with a list of requirements, find a design that meets the requirements, execute the design, and decide how improvements can be made for the next iteration.
There's inspiration in seeing these same rules and methodology applied to a fun imaginative undertaking.
http://syynlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/feature-81-synn-3.jpg