Traditionally, engineers are trained to deliver products, projects or services to fit some specified requirement. They work to a required performance and quality, within a given time and budget.
But the creative and analytical skills of engineers are frequently used only to develop or make practical the decisions of others.The importance of engaging engineers in the early decisionmaking processes of a project is frequently not appreciated, and major decisions are left in the hands of the non-engineering professions - the politicians, lawyers, accountants or arketing experts. This is despite the fact that these decisions may require not only understanding the engineering possibilities, but also knowledge and experience of potential environmental and social consequences.Engineering decisions have an enormous impact upon the quality of life in the global community - for example, the social and economic effects of building dams in developing countries or new airports on the outskirts of cities.
It is essential, therefore, that engineers play a full and significant role in ordering the affairs of society, not merely as technicians carrying ut the instructions of others. It is a major objective of The Royal Academy of Engineering to help engineers become more aware of the contribution that their abilities can make to primary decisionmaking activities, affecting the very nature of the tasks to be achieved. Role of design Clearly, at the core of decision-making in any technical project is the design strategy. It is the essential creative process of engineering - different from science - which calls for imagination, application of technical expertise and experience, and skilful use of materials.
Paradoxically, however, because engineers re so good at delivering the given requirements of the project, they are often not involved in the design element of the process, which is seen as part of the development of decisions made by others.This means that engineers are not participating in primary decision-making as usefully as they could. It is important that practising engineers and engineering students understand the synergy between engineering design and high-level decision-making. Here, it is helpful to formulate some principles - general stages in the design process, used by all experienced designers, but not always consciously articulated. Students should be hown how to tackle design projects systematically, integrating detailed technical competencies as required by these fundamental principles.
