Re: New Current Interesting Link: What Makes an Engineer Good?

From: <Christopher>
Date: Wed Sep 29 2004 - 10:54:00 EDT

For my 2¢ worth, the things that make a good engineer good are communication skills and the ability to think critically. Doing the science and math is important, but while clear thinking and good communication can remedy bad science, I've never seen projects where good science overcame bad communication or disorganized management.

The ability to make something cheaper is nonsense. Anyone can make a thing cheaper if you don't mind making it a little crappier. Purchasing agents do it all the time--it's the reason the US was having so much trouble with counterfeit bolts. Lots of companies thrive on making better stuff--Apple Computer and Honda are two which come to mind. When you concentrate on cheaper, you get fake pipe flanges made from cast parts and slugged welds and the Oldsmobile diesel.

Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at <a href="/group/PipingDesign/post?postID=82m_HDu8_DoYI8NadcP77hcLXm6Y3fdK_kcrgR_AghtGlg_Ww1C1xXHxamzJJUn4zOYnIksTxSyltqTA0hU">chrisw@skypoint.com</a> | this distance" (last words of Gen.

...................................| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania 1864)

<a href="http://www.skypoint.com/~chrisw/">http://www.skypoint.com/~chrisw/</a> Received on Wed Sep 29 10:54:00 2004