❖ Engineers have the unique role of solving social problems

through the use of machines, devices, systems, materials and

processes.

❖ Engineering has an inherent impact on society that

differentiates it from science.

❖ The University of Texas at Austin states that engineering

naturally consists in solving the real-world problems of
society, as opposed to science, which is led by curiosity.

❖ Thus, the engineer serves an important social role.

❖ There are many different and diverse specializations of
engineering, but they all create solutions for different areas of
human life.

❖ Engineers are one of the significant roles to develop a city, a

state and even a country.

❖ Engineers also play a fundamental role in facilitating the

functioning of modern society.

❖ Engineers play vital role in the construction of modern

societies.
The role of engineering has suffered many changes over the last
few decades, although its concept which is based on trial and
error has remained an essential element of the scientific-
technological method; where social, environmental and human
factors define the most suitable solution to manage a particular
issue. Thus, engineer’s role is continuing reshaped according to
the new challenges and necessities implicated by specialized
disciplines on particular areas of technology.
Unlike the 20th century where the engineering era seemed to
have unlimited natural sources, todays’ century is facing serious
problems that are putting enormous pressure on the
environment. Therefore, todays’ engineers besides the basic
technical and scientific knowledge of the engineering discipline,
they also have to contribute and promote sustainable
development that meets todays’ necessities without affecting
adversely the capability of upcoming generations to meet up
their own necessitates. This new role of engineering, demands
new practices based on social-environmental factors rather than
just business goals.
The history shows numerous examples in which engineers’
performance has widely influenced among communities. Quality
of life, economic wealth and good infrastructure for instance, are
one of the most relevant and common indicators of their weight
on society. It is estimated that by 2025, the world’s population
will have increased from 1.5 billion to 6.6 billion approximately
and the percentage of migration to urban areas will rise from 40
per cent to 60 per cent. This information shows that urbanization
rates will boost dramatically. Subsequently engineers have the
responsibility to make effective and sustainable solutions as an
integrated approach without generating negative impacts.
❖ In general terms, engineering’s ethics is directly related with
engineering responsibilities regulated by standards codes
which act according to several situations.

❖ The objective of the ethical factor in engineering is drawing

solutions with reflection of particular situations fixed into
prior principles.
At the time of making decisions, engineers should take into
account the following points

❖ Sustainable development

❖ Protection of the public-environment

❖ Faithful agent of stakeholders – related with objectivity,

competence-knowledge, fairness and justice, integrity in
the workplace

❖ Professional accountability- leadership

❖ As in developed nations, engineers must work within the
social, economic and environmental context in order to
guarantee real sustainable development for the whole world.

❖ Social responsibilities such as water supply, sanitation, food,

energy and environmental protection are the same in
developing countries.

❖ The difference resides on the socio-economic factors which

are directly influenced by people’s behaviour, governments
positions and development priorities.
 Group Work
Soft Skill
Project
Management
Cultural
Consideration
System
Thinking &
Engineering Decision
Methods Making
The engineering method is a systematic approach used to
support an engineer or project team in reaching the desired
solution to a problem, which has been specified by customers,
sponsors, or stakeholders who perceive value in resolving the
problem.
• Idea • Concept

Planning Design

Development Launch
❖ The idea phase usually begins with a problem.

❖ The problem statement is typically only vaguely defined and

requires research into its viability and its feasibility.

❖ Viability suggests that there is significant value (or demand

in the case of product development) in pursing the solution.

❖ Feasibility serves as a check on whether the idea can be

realized.

❖ Feasibility may be high, medium, or low

❖ High feasibility means that people, technology, and time
resources are readily available or known

❖ Medium is that resources may not be available directly, but

can be found

❖ Low means the resources may be rare or do not exist.

❖ The most critical part of the idea phase is to define the

problem, validate its value, and identify the customer who
desires its solution.
❖ The concept phase is about generating numerous models
(mathematical, physical, simulation, simple drawings or
sketches), all of which should convey that the solution
meets the customer’s expectations or requirements.

❖ The numerous concepts are generated using brainstorming

techniques, which are review sessions in which elements of
one concept are recombined with elements from other in an
effort to find a single concept that fits best.

❖ Typical design judgment and compromise are required to

merge concepts. The concept phase ends with a selection of
a single concept.
❖ The planning phase is about defining the implementation
plan:

❖ Identifying the people, tasks, task durations, task

dependencies, task interconnections, and budget required
to get the project done.

❖ Many tools are used to convey this information to team

members and other stakeholders including Gantt and Pert
charts, resource loading spreadsheets, sketches, drawings,
proof-of-concept models to validate that the project can be
successfully completed.
One critical tool of the planning phase is the system
engineering diagram. This diagram shows the solution as an
interconnection of smaller and less complicated sub-systems. A
system engineering diagram establishes all the inputs and
outputs for each module, as well as the way in which the
module transforms the inputs into outputs.
❖ The design phase is where “the rubber meets the road.”
Details are specified; specifications are established.

❖ Some call this phase “design planning” and the development

phase “detailed design.”

❖ But no matter what it is called, the purpose of this phase is to

translate the customer requirements and systems engineering
model into engineering specifications that an engineer
(designer) can work with to design and build a working
prototype.

❖ Specifications are detailed using a number with associated

units, e.g., 4 volts, or 3.82 inches, or 58 Hz, or a completion
time of 22 days.
❖ The purpose of development is to generate the engineering
documentation: schematics, drawings, source code, and
other design information into a working prototype that
demonstrates the solution to the problem.

❖ The solution may be a tangible working prototype or an

intangible working simulation.

❖ Of course, nothing works the first time, so this part of the

process tends to be more iterative than the other phases.
Specifically, it consists of the iterative cycle: design, test,
debug, and redesign.

If the project had earlier delays or is not on the planned

schedule for other reasons, then this time may be the most
frantic since the customer deadline may be closely looming.
❖ While testing and debug are often consider a separate
phase, most times they occur side-by-side with
development as a design morphs from a concept to an
artifact.

❖ The latter is recommended, reserving time at the end of

development for a final test to confirm the desired result
meets customer expectation and designer’s intent.

❖ Testing is the verification and validation phase where the

concept meets both the anticipated design specifications
and the customer’s requirements of the solution. Testing is
achieved through experiments
❖ The purpose of an experiment is to determine whether test
results agree or conflict with the a priori stated behavior.

❖ A sufficient numbers of successful testing verifications and

validations are necessary to generate acceptable results and
to reduce any risk that the desired behavior is present and
functions as expected.

❖ If the test observations and results do not agree, then a

debug process is necessary to identify the root causes and
begin corrective action to resolve the discrepancies.
Launch includes the release of the engineering design and
documentation package to manufacturing facilities for
production. At this point, all qualification testing is complete,
and the working prototype has demonstrated functionality.
❖ Generate Idea

❖ Test the idea for viability and feasibility

❖ From idea formulate concepts

❖ Select a single concept

❖ Draw implementation plan: Task and Resources

❖ Draw system engineering diagram

❖ Make detail design

❖ Develop engineering documentation

❖ Design Test Debug and Redesign

❖ Release of the engineering design and documentation package