Traits of Electrical Engineering Acumen - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tarun172
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2020, 01:38:16 am
content: Hello Everyone,I have been working as an Electrical Engineer for past decade. As we move in next decade 2021 -2030, I reflect on what I learned and how far off I am from being a good design engineer. I am sure all of us at some point had this talk and/or had the talk on this topic. So I ask people of EEVBlog forums, what is Electrical Engineering acumen? What defines a good engineer from an average engineer? At this point in my life, I have come across plenty of people with non engineering background who are better than degrees ones. So what say everyone? Let me know your thoughts.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2020, 05:48:43 am
content: The degree itself isn't the thing needed. Engineering is a catchall term that can be used for anything from a guy who controls the volume in a recording studio to someone who is widely respected for knowledge and experience.So it depends on what you want. There are opposed pressures. On the one hand, the companies want someone with ideas that are practical and on the other hand they want someone who can work with others as part of a team. It's rare to find both qualities in a single person.A strong foundation in the physical principles is mandatory. A wide knowledge of what has been done is important. The ability to pick out of thin air a bill of materials and a circuit diagram to accomplish an end is not only desirable but also very rare. What's more, it can't be taught.Just ask a jazz musician to teach you to improvise. As Louis Armstrong famously said, if you have to ask, you will never know.

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2020, 05:54:12 pm
content: Well, since you opened that can of worms, I will attempt to opine.Engineers, like everyone that serves, have to to be of service. Service to your customer, service to your discipline, service to your co-workers and so on. Like the old TV series in the U.S. says on its opening "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives" and so are the ways in which we can serve.The first service is to yourself:Be true to your own principles and discipline in such a way that allows you to help others, such as the way the airlines say, when the oxygen masks drop, put yours on first, then help others.The second service is to your fellow workers:If you see a fellow worker who is having trouble getting on track, stop and help in a kind way. Show them the way and then get out of their way.The third service is to your customer:Make sure your customer is getting the best service and product that you can possibly muster. Think of the product not as your own, but view the product the way the customer envisions. Try to see the customer's POV and then think of it as fulfilling a dying wish, with all of the fervor and expertise that you can muster. Again, help your fellow workers see this ideal as well.The fourth service is to upper management:The budget is usually the driving force from management, so try to give 1-3 your best effort to keep the budget and mandate in check. There are times when management needs to bend some as a reality check, since quite often management looses sight of reality. It is your responsibility to oppose management on occasion in order to give them the reality check that they need. Many often think that pleasing management is the prime directive, however, nothing is farther from the truth. Often courage is needed in order to accomplish this feat, as well as support of your peers. Just realize that management is, more often than not, singleminded and one-dimensioned in their pursuit of budget and schedule. Another mistake that young engineers make is that management is the customer. Always keep the real customer in the forefront. Bottom line is that, although budget is incredibly important and should be factored in, it is not the most important factor. Projects should be evaluated by mature management of the project by seasoned leaders that can juggle all of the important factors and end up with a satisfied customer, within budget and on time.I could go on, but the above are only a few guiding principles. You will make many decisions along the way and the best advice I can give is: Abide by your conscience and better judgement or you will have regrets. Use the knowledge that you gather and apply to future decisions/projects. Always bow to your gut feelings and give a nod to your instincts. Do not let external pressures cloud your optimal judgement.That is all...

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2021, 05:58:08 am
content: Quote from: tarun172 on December 31, 2020, 01:38:16 amThat is because some people become engineers for the wrong reasons.... money, culture, pressure from parents, saving face etc. I have met some of these and generally they don't make great engineers. Some are OK though, others hopeless. Some I question how they got their degree. The best engineers are those who have "the knack" - those who from a young age were brought up with "a screwdriver in one hand and a multimeter in the other" (eg: Tandy 150-in-1 electronic kit).One of the smartest engineers in IBM did not have a degree, but he was an Australian who was called on globally to solve complicated mainframe design issues, in places like Poughkeepsie and other R&D labs. I heard from someone who knew him that he had a seriously strong photographic memory. That helps. One guy I knew personally started as a mailboy in Melbourne. He did not have a degree, and was quite brilliant. He got promoted thought the ranks to a Systems Engineer and designed/created program products for IBM, mainly for the mid range systems like the System/36. He went on to run his own IT company in Singapore."One volunteer to worth ten conscripts."

author: Ground_Loop
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2021, 01:59:37 am
content: A truly gifted engineer is not only passionate, talented, and educated, but also a physicist at the core.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2021, 06:14:40 am
content: Quote from: Ground_Loop on January 02, 2021, 01:59:37 amNot necessarily. I would say a truly gifted engineer has control theory at the core as well. Without any understanding or appreciation of control theory, one would be a pretty lousy engineer because they would not create a robust and reliable system. IT managers, embedded programmers, engineers, investors and indeed politicians fail because they do know about or practice control theory.

author: srb1954
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2021, 08:06:35 am
content: A useful attribute for an engineer is laziness.A lazy engineer will not accept the same old traditional ways of performing some function but will often come up with an alternative method that takes less effort or time. This is how a lot of clever engineering solutions come into existence.

author: tarun172
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 01:34:23 pm
content: Love to see @Dave @EEVBlog talk about this!

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 01:10:00 pm
content: Hello all: Since I was a kid in 1950s, I always wanted to be an electronics engineer.After getting BS and MSEE, I worked the past 50 years in analog, audio, power, high voltage, medical and other electronic designs.The essence of fine engineering is practical problem solving in the most efficient and economical way, based on experience, trial and error, calculation or just plain luck.Invention and flashes of inspiration happen on occasion.The great Analog designers and inventors are worth reading ...... Nikola Tesla (NOT THE CAR!) Charles Steinmetz, Thomas Edison.In WWII there were many working on radar, cryptography, radio, etc.In the 1960s..1990, Barrie Gilbert, Jim Williams, Bob Adams, Bob Pease come to mind.The engineering fundamentals in college were just a foundation but 90% is experience and making mistakes.Just the ramblings of an old retired EEJon