So You Want To Be An Engineer. Ray Floyd
Functional Tests
Classical Tests
Software Tests
Systems Tests
Field Testing
Usability Testing
Quality Assurance
Some Myths Concerning Quality
Quality Inspection
Vendor Inspection
Human Factors
Time-in-Motion Studies
Physical Considerations
Usability
Manufacturing
Summary
Chapter 5 – Military Engineering
Corps of Engineers
Seebees
Combat Engineers
Military Engineers Today
Chapter 6 – Women In Engineering
Chapter 7 – Professional Engineer
Chapter 8 – Career Path Choices
Accept No Limits
Technical Ladder
Management Ladder
Dual Ladder Opportunities
Chapter 9 – Soft Skill Needs - Communications 101
Reports
Procedures
Documents
Presentations
Conference/Journal Reports
Collaboration
Teams
Outside the Box
Chapter 10 – Intellectual Property
Patents
Trademarks
Copyrights
Trade Secrets
Other Protections
Chapter 11 – Engineering Tools
Computer-Aided Design
Two-Dimensional Drawings
Three-Dimensional Drawing
Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
Work Breakdown Structure
Automation Tools
Presentations
Project Control
Spreadsheets
Word Processing
Flowcharts and Diagrams
Chapter 12 – Subjects of Interest
Tests
Interviews
Career Counselor Interview
New Job Interview
Performance Interview
Intra-Company Transfer Interview
Inter-Company Interviews
Ethics
Mentors
Appendix A – Sample Report Format
Appendix B – Sample Presentation
Appendix C – Sample Test Plan
Appendix D – Sample Test Script
Appendix E – Sample Market Requirements Document
Appendix F – Sample Engineering Specification
Appendix G – Standards Organizations
Appendix H – Sample Resume
Appendix I – ABET Programs
Index
In this book you will find few equations, algorithms, data tables, or graphs of the type that are typically found in most engineering theory textbooks. Rather, you will find aspects of engineering that are not taught as a part of theory courses or elsewhere in the engineering course curriculum. We write from our personal experience as engineers in laboratory, field, and manufacturing environments, progressing through an extended sequence of positions, i.e., lab engineers, and then first-, second-, and third-level managers. This book draws on those personal qualifications and not on any references to other work, although we include some suggested readings that expand on a particular topic. The information presented herein was learned during our 100 years of combined experience — things we learned, practiced as engineers, and applied as managers of engineers, programmers, and technicians.
The idea for this book grew out of a number of conference papers, industrial publication articles, and several articles published or under review by the IEEE in their Potentials magazine. The positive feedback we received to our self-published edition led us to undertake a more comprehensive book with Industrial Press, to which we have added many new topics besides expanding the prior discussions on careers, career paths, and the types of activities prospective engineers may become involved with. We have also included work problems that will allow you to pursue your own line of inquiry on a particular topic.
Raymond Floyd
Richard Spencer
January 2015
Over our long careers, we have been asked many times by students, employees, and peers at management meetings, what approaches to our work as engineers or as managers served us best. The answer was almost always the same, whether one follows a technical career, a career in management, or a mix of both: keep things simple (more about that later).
• Be considerate of others’ feelings and abilities.
• Be consistent when dealing with people, not favoring one over another.
• Maintain sensitivity to others; there may be pressures they are under that you are not aware of.
• Do the very best job you can, regardless of the assigment.
The impact of each part of this answer is important to understand because it can affectnot only your career, but the career of others.
In moving from course work into the world of industry, many adaptations have to be made. In school failing a test can be a transient action, perhaps lowering a grade point average, possibly requiring a course to be repeated, or simply an action lost in the semester’s average and of little consequence. In industry, failing a test can mean