Observed practices of design engineers

Area of Science:

• Engineering Education
• Cognitive Science
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Limited research exists on the specific practices of design engineers, a specialized group of creative problem-solvers.
• Existing studies often focus on general engineer or designer skills, not the unique behaviors of those adept at complex design challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document and analyze the observed practices and behaviors of expert design engineers.
• To identify specific attributes that distinguish highly effective design engineers.
• To provide insights for engineering educators on preparing students for industry.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving twelve experienced engineers describing expert design engineers.
• Inductive thematic analysis of 186 data points to identify observed practices and subtopics.
• Exploration of both positive and potentially negative observed behaviors.

Main Results:

• Nine observed practices were identified: collaborative, confident, creative, independent, intuitive, inquisitive, motivated, systematic, and versatile.
• Thirty subtopics were associated with these practices.
• Eight additional data points noted varying interest in mentoring or management roles.
• Some observed practices, like being egotistical or not good at public speaking, were also noted.

Conclusions:

• Expert design engineers exhibit a distinct set of practices crucial for complex problem-solving.
• Understanding both admirable and potentially negative practices offers valuable insights for engineering curricula development.
• The identified practices can be mapped to graduate attributes for accrediting Canadian engineering programs.