mmm, i’d disagree. I think at it’s core the process/thinking of engineering and design is (should be) similar. Both are about problem solving, defining constraints, and working around them to optimize a solution.
The standard design process is all about this. 1. brief, 2. concept design (exploration) 3. preliminary design (fine tuning) 4. final design (finished solution)…
HOW designers vs. engineers get to a solution given constraints i think may be different. one (design) is more abstract, the other (engineering), is more literal/linear.
If as a designer, you are not working to constraints i think there’s a problem.
But I hear a lot of, “don’t always just assume you ought to solve the problem the client gives you because it isn’t always the correct problem”.
This goes with the sales guys trying to get you to just add features, they believe that these features would “save the day” but you have to make the decision as to whether or not it would actually be a good idea. I feel like an engineer would spend more time trying to slide the feature into the product without having to try to buy all new tooling for the casing. sort of why every phone has a camera, or mp3 player.
Also Thank you for mentioning this in your presentation IP
“I am well educated with a Degree from a very good University.”
I see a lot of positions for “designers” with an Associates, and many of the engineers I know are surprised to find out, and then to be reminded that I have a Bachelors degree from an accredited university
i dont think you are giving engineers enough credit.
questioning the problem is something both good designers and good engineers should do.
i’ve seen just as many designers going blindly into a problem without thinking as engineers. if anything, i’d say designers are somewhat more prone to the problem and often find a solution without a problem, feeling the need to make a “thing”!
I can see that as well, and you’re right, I may be letting a personal bias cloud my vision of engineers. Or I may be working directly with a handful of not bad engineers, but ones that have other influences not allowing them to question the constraints enough.
IP,
I liked the presentation, after reading it I found it a good intro to the field to people from other backgrounds. I’m sure I’ll be quoting you in future discussions of, “what is it you are doing again?”
One comment involves your mention of sustainability, that may reflect our current views. It almost seemed tacked onto the end, like an afterthought. Maybe in future lectures, try to incorporate it more through the discussion, like you do in your work, rather than at the end. Reasonable?
RK…you’re tapping into the essence of my presentation. The separation of one discipline from the other tends to fuel the problem of myopic focus. As you said, Engineering is no more prone to it than ID, or Marketing…or…
You have to check the egos at the door. You have to work together and you need to have someone that maintains the focus.
Carton…thanks for the feedback. I agree with you on the feeling of it being tacked on at the end of the presentation online. I need to work on that. In person, there was a beautiful segway that was provided through the discussion. It is very tough to translate the full presentation in the manner because of my lecture style. It is very free flowing. It is interactive and feeds off that interaction.