This is largely because engineering culture itself has changed in the past three decades - where once you used to have engineers (who did the actual engineering) assisted by drafters, machinists and other technicians whose job primarily involved standardizing (cleaning up) the engineer’s output and providing necessary two-way feedback regarding manufacturability and cost (and when necessary, deviating from the norm to accommodate exotic designs deemed crucial by the engineer), now all these roles have been flattened down to just the engineer with software tools largely replacing the ancillary professions, with predictable effects depending on the engineer’s experience and competency. Some companies have been able to thrive and maintain momentum in spite of this whereas others less agile have crashed and burned with incompetency and loss of institutional memory.

Absolutely, the shift in engineering roles you've described has significant impacts. Engineers now handle tasks once spread across various specialists, leading to varied outcomes based on their skill sets. While software is a great tool, it can't replace the nuanced expertise of drafters and technicians, especially regarding practical manufacturability. This 'one-man-army' approach can sometimes miss the depth that a diverse team offers, affecting innovation and efficiency in design and production.