Featured Guest Blogger: Robert Mote
Let’s connect on LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/robertmote
If you are like me, an engineer with some years’ experience working in a drawing office, then you know the value of what you do is often tied in the calculations. Many of us say how we specialize in certain types of designs but can you show it? How do you prove it?
Calculations are the cornerstone of your credentials as an engineer. From the very first time, I walked into a drawing office to start my career as a graduate Structural engineer, I realized I knew nothing about calculations, my mind was a blank. I knew only what I had submitted in my tutorials at university. I knew nothing about the considerations and preparation I should undertake in my professional role. I had my eighth edition Steel Designer’s Manual (1978) as my preferred model. I was put straight to work checking calculations in the QA department for seismic designs; calculations that streamed in from over forty engineers. Remember, this was in the days before desktop computers. I saw a variety of styles of the pen-and-paper tradition. My first two years in QA checking was an interesting experience that I can appreciate now. As much as there are differences in people’s character, so is there in their calculations.
I felt I was often chasing their personalities and the simple questions became confrontational at times. We had the lazy, the scruffy, the clean, the detailer, the late ones, the incomplete ones, the defensive, the nonchalant and the brilliant. Clearly, there was no one rule to follow. I was drawn to one particular engineer’s work for his excellence, his brevity and ability to educate me in what he was doing, on paper. I asked him to teach me how I should prepare calculations in such a fashion. He gave me analytical tasks to do and I learned how to use design tables, apply Hardy Cross method, sub-frame analysis and wall-plate bracket designs and the idea was to learn how to present it, to his satisfaction. What he taught me are still the same principles I follow today when I prepare calculations. As my confidence grew I thought everybody would be striving for the same goals too.
More than twenty five years on, the situation has not improved. My concern is what will we expect in another 25 years’ time? What do engineers believe about calculations, their roles and responsibilities to the future?
Engineers do not even talk about calculations. In over 25 years experience working across the globe, from UK to S. Korea and USA to Middle East, it is an embarrassment of silence. It is a taboo subject, likely political, personal and highly selective. It is something that divides the generations rather than unites. Calculations are intimate to the way we work, the way we think and the way we present ourselves to our peers. How do we pass the baton to the newer generation? What can we do to inspire a future generation to a profession in engineering?
When I broach the subject of calculations, I am not talking about the analysis, the theory or the structural analysis packages, I am referring to the work practice in the preparation of it. The introduction of desktop computers has transformed the power to analyze complex and simple problems to an extraordinary degree but unfortunately we have not agreed to a methodology that evolves from the pen-and-paper traditions acceptably. So while designers and managers have accelerated their productivity with the power of computers, the engineers have been blinded by the opportunity to over-analyze and under-deliver the calculations. Engineers are becoming analysts rather than potential leaders of projects.
Consider the following scenario:
A typical calculation designs the concrete and steel components of a modularized piperack design. It is a ring binder of filed results, say 400 pages enclosed. These endless streams of pages are printed from a variety of applications used in the analysis. The engineer has worked, in isolation, for a period of three months and has finally gotten around to preparing his work for checking although pages are not signed or initialed. The narrative is missing, and 75% is focused on the inputs. The checker performs a 10% check, so as to meet the deadline that gets missed.
Is there anything wrong with that picture? The initial good intentions of completing calculations on time are gone. What was the value of the calculation to the team?
I recently asked a group of engineers a series of simple questions and the results was astonishing. It seems 80% of engineers who spend 80% of their time doing calculations, say they hate it! Can you imagine when I told them I loved it? I told them that in the above example of the modularized piperack design, this could be completed in two weeks and 40 pages, into a single document in MS Word. How or why would anyone want to do that?
A calculation completed in two weeks and 40 pages, into a single document in MS Word? Just reading that last sentence will throw up many defenses. It is not intended as a criticism, it is an opportunity to share knowledge and find a common path missing in our current work practices.
Many will argue they do not intend, or feel compelled, to change their methods. Change is not required for the individual, it is required for the future of the engineering profession and our obligation to future generations. Change is hard but often easier than you think too. We exist in comfort zones and experience little challenges to an evolved defaulting method of working. Change does not require all of us all to change but that only enough of us do evolve then the rest will follow.
We are a highly mobile workforce, getting moved from project to project with difference faces, different expectations and different team cultures. Engineers should have a portfolio of design examples for presentation to the new team, new clients, or a prospective employer.
Over the next few months, I will show you the simple building blocks to building concise calculations by collaboration, commonsense and consensus. What you learn about calculations will take you beyond into spreadsheet designs, macros and database developments. Then you will be on your way to becoming an engineering leader.
Related posts:
Powerful Purpose Associates is founded on the expertise of Anthony Fasano, P.E., author of the acclaimed engineering career development book "Engineer Your Own Success: 7 Key Elements to Creating an Extraordinary Engineering Career" (Premier Publishing 2011). It is a comprehensive, easy to read book, aimed at helping engineers develop their soft skills and leadership abilities to create extraordinary engineering careers. Order your copy now:
Anthony Fasano, P.E., aka Your Professional Partner, founded Powerful Purpose Associates after he realized that it was the development of his soft skills that helped him to become an associate partner at a reputable engineering firm at the young age of 27. With history as a civil engineer, Anthony is now a nationally recognized executive coach and inspirational speaker, specializing in the areas of engineering career development, as well as leadership. He uses his highly effective coaching and speaking techniques through affordable programs to help engineers develop their soft skills, work through blocks, prioritize effectively, set clear goals and achieve their maximum potential.
I am an entry-level engineer and I must confess that I LOVE calculations and I completely agree with your assessment of the field. I am currently working at a civil engineering firm that specializes in something other than I learned in college. It would have greatly hastened my development if I had been left with example calculations, engineering calculations to work with, etc. I love working with calculations and designing from them by hand. If only more engineers would make an effort to be conscientious with their work and assisting new engineers into the field.
Jason, it is refreshing to hear your enthusiasm for calculations. This will sustain you throughout your career and is a great basis for excellence. That is what the old boys hammered into me and they were right. As you build your experience and library of good calculations getting better, you will become a leader to others who are looking for torchbearers like yourself.
You can download free examples from http;//wwww.motagg.com/resources for more ideas.
Good luck and stay tuned, we are going to explore how people read and whar defaulting habits mean, and how to break them.
I too came out of school just before computers leaped from academia to the office. Lotus123 was our highest level structural software for a while. In my most recent position, I was the QA guy for our department, with many young graduates to mentor and review. Most of our AHJs had requirements for calcuation submittals, and we as a company had a well established design criteria format for input, code requirements, assumptions, etc. After that, the calculation packet could include hundreds of pages of un-trackable output, with no way to connect the results (if you can find them) to the design; to binders with highly organized result-based output with highlighted notes, designer comments, details to clarify models, means to track the results to the next step, details, etc. To enhance the QA process, protect the corporation from potential errors that normally could be caught during the review of a ‘clean’ package, and even enhance the speed with which changes to the calcs can occur when late stage design changes happen, corporations need to have established expectations for those calcuation binders. There will be a lot of freedom and veriety in those packages with young and seasoned engineers alike approaching the design differently; but an established norm for results, presentation, and thoroughness is required.
Wayne,
I totally understand your description, I feel this is lip-service to proper procedures. The folders with printed frontsheets and reams of garbage! I feel ill now!
I will be looking at ways calculations can tackle late changes and why we should do better. The variety is mind-boggling and nobody is looking at it and taking stock of the time wasted, chopped trees and poor communication. Thanks for the comment.
Good article. My only criticism is the use of MS Word for presentation of calculations. It doesn’t seem to make any sense to type calculations into a static document. If you are going to take the time to type out your calculations into a computer-prepared report, use appropriate software such as MathCad which not only provides a very impressive and organized finished product, but actually performs the calculations as well. This adds another level of QA to the design process, and in my experience has identified and prevented many simple mistakes from making it through to the finished reports.
EJG,
you are correct in what you say but it is not what will be happening in Word. The process is to agree and plan the calculation layout, in Word, as a team with QA. Once this is established it is established, it is establiahed for all the team.
The purpose is to avoid typing. I really emphasize this! We will be using Word as a scrapbook/desktop tool. Beyond the agreement with the team, the only ‘writing’ will be the headings and contents list.
I will be discussing this in the next instalment. Thanks for the comment.
I am an engineer in training working with an engineer that normally does not create a preliminary project layout document. The staff struggles to get a full project scope out of him so timelines slip and details get lost. I am developing a word document to help him communicate the project information and outline a course of action for staff. I like your approach using Word to plan calculations. If proficient in Word, one can quickly input fundamental calcs that can guide the process. I do agree with EJG regarding MathCad. Why input a calculation in a computer if it won’t result in a solution? The engineer I work with has never used MathCad and I don’t see him starting any time soon. And as the lead engineer maybe he does not need to. I want my project outline Word document to help the engineer give direction so we can review the scope with Q/A.
SMJ,
you get it! Indeed the Word document, prepared and reviewed by the team, QA and the client is a great map for starting the calculations.
I do go the extra step too which I shall show in the next instalment in February. I use the Word document as a scrapbook to collect everything external. This will result in better planning and a screenshot of the “best of the rest” parts of the design process.
My reluctance to using MathCAD is a long story, for a rainy day but I will demonstrate how it works. The Word document isn’t the calculator, it is the report.
I understand what, how and why you raise the point.
I hope I have your attention for the next posting!
I, too, completely aline with your assessment of the importance of calculation to the engineer. The situation, here in my country, is even worse than you can imagine; labourers taking up engineering projects at the lowest possible cost, coupled with an increasing unemployment rate, most engineers sees such office work as a mere waste of time. I really wish the engineering body could take up the responsibility to sanitize the engineering industry in Nigeria.
That’s too bad uchenna – thanks for sharing, I hope things in your county improve soon!