PPT Presentation of Understanding Engineers

Click here to see my final presentation on Understanding Engineers.

Ue Final.Presentation

View more presentations from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Interview with Boris

Click here to watch Boris's Interview.

One Chance for a Positive New Employee Experience

"It’s been proven that happy employees are more productive employees. So, if you’re looking to drive bottom line results with state of the art talent management tactics, it’s time to get “onboard.”"

Read more about how best to utlize information technology to standardize, streamline, track, and coordinate the onboarding process to make your company’s most recent hires feel valued and supported. Here

A History of Information Technology and Systems

Check out the timeline of Information Technology.

Four basic periods
Characterized by a principal technology used to solve the input, processing, output and communication problems of the time:

Premechanical,
Mechanical,
Electromechanical, and
Electronic

Reflection on Ray Price's Presentation

Professor Raymond L. Price, from the college of engineering, at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recently lectured on tech visionaries and implications for HR professionals. During his lecture he illustrated how HP's culture of being engineering led versus business led fostered an environment where serial innovators and technical visionaries could create market leading products. His model describing how organizations are either enhancers or creators helps explain why 90% of companies fall into the enhancement category which allows for cheaper, faster and sometimes better products rather than focusing on creating, like HP, where extended time, money and other resources are spent to create products. Professor Price’s hour glass model presents steps on how companies can become more innovative and that being more innovative is what's necessary to set a company apart.

The implications for HR, as he explains in his lecture, will be to help organizations transform to engineering led companies by developing methods to recognize, recruit and retain innovative talent while creating an environment where they can be nurtured and allowed to flourish for the success of the company.

Read more about his new book, the HP Phenomenon.

Grand Challenges - Engineering Challenges

Grand Challenges - Engineering Challenges

Engineering Challenges of the 21st century.

In the book Engineering and the Mind’s Eye, chapter 6 discusses the origins of engineering, the need for experience and a PHd, the declining ability of design, gov’t support of engineering and the rise of engineering technology schools and its effect on the discipline. In another book, Revolt of the Engineers, chapter 7 and 8 discuss engineering reform and revolt surrounding membership and ownership when battling large enterprises that applied engineers as opposed to those with more theoretical education.

Despite the sea of changes the profession has gone to assert status, ownership and membership I believe personal views of status, ownership and membership of engineers and the engineering profession will always be overshadowed by the fundamental question of what societal problems need solving and how can engineers solve them.

Click here to see the new challenges for engineers for the 21st century.

Bill Gates Predicts Software Revolution

Another visionary on technology is Bill Gates. In this article he talks about how continual expansion of Internet services will provoke a revolution in software development to enable voice and touch recognition.

In this innovation for the better, how will HR professionals think about tackling Professor Price's and Goldberg's technology implications for recruiting, retention and development?

Read Bill Gates article.

Reflections on Professor Price’s Lecture

Professor Raymond L. Price, Severns Chair for Human Behavior, joined the UIUC faculty in the fall semester 1998. During his lecture last week, in Understanding Engineers, he spoke of implications that technology will have for HR professionals.

In the war for talent, I agree that technology affects hiring, training, development and promotion with retention. Technology companies like Microsoft, Google and Oracle will have to find new ways to creatively compete for engineering talent.

Read more about Professor Price’s lecture and Professor David E. Goldberg's lecture on tech visionary research.

STEM

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: STEM

Be Empowered with Information Technology

I believe that we are in a knowledge economy. Employees will be rewarded more by how they work with their heads instead of their hands. Watch, Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, describe how the effectiveness of the Google organization is embedded within its culture.

You Tube Video of Eric Schmidt

To better understand information technology along with growing concerns and usage, watch the video bar.

Engineering Trends

As we move towards a knowledge economy, will engineering in the USA sustain? More investments are going overseas, along with the international engineering talent returning to home countries to launch careers. To exacerbate the situation, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) researched three years ago that lower pay along with educational unpreparedness discouraged students to enter the field.

Read the (STEM) science technology engineering and mathematics report by the GAO on what the government is doing to turn things around.

See where the engineering jobs are.

Engineering Trends

NSPE Code of Ethics

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Reflections on Engineering Ethics

During week four, we discussed professional societies that establish guidelines to help engineers face ethical challenges whether in the field or as they assume managerial roles that many aspire to. We used the following three standards IEEE, NSPE and SHRM. As you read the standards from each you will see the contrast in language. For example, IEEE is comprised of a list of 10 guidelines that leaves one with the impression that an attempt should be made to be ethical. The NSPE on the other hand uses words like Preamble to paint a serious picture that one can equate to a constitutional document. SHRM’s document, the Society of Human Resource Management delves into ethical, professional responsibility, intent, justice and conflicts of interests and uses of information. It leaves nothing to interpretation as does the IEEE guidelines.

Learning about different professional societies helps me as a HR professional to understand Engineers and the dilemma they face as they practice a discipline sometimes seen with a capitalistic view as opposed to one with understanding of great societal implications.

Click the below links to learn about the above three standards:
1. IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
2. NSPE - National Society of Professional Engineers
3. SHRM - Society for Human Resource Management

Buyouts and Mergers to Proliferate in 2009

See how the IT industry is changing thanks to Mergers and Acquisitions.
Click Here

SEEII Technical Write-Up

In the light emitting diode experiment, the team used a resistor measuring 100ohms, a 3 volt diode and two AA batteries measuring 3.23 volts. The experiment used a 100ohm resistor to decrease the voltage along a circuit to light a 3 volts LED. By creating the loop this way, the diode would not bun out.

SEEII was easier than SEEI because of the acquired knowledge about circuits, electricity, volt and measurement/conversions. Once we figured out the loop, measured the resistance, double checked the specifications of the diode and which way the diode had to be positioned to emit a light, the rest was easy. Combing the 100ohms with a 3.2 volt battery dropped the volts by 1.33.

SEEI Technical Write-Up

Below are the results for experiment SEE1.

Measuring nominal resistance versus measured resistance of below resistors.
• 1st resistor - Brown, Black, Red – 1000 ohms nominal versus 972 measured.
• 2nd resistor- Blue, Gray, Yellow – 680,000 ohms nominal versus 670,000 measured.
• 3rd resistor - Gray, Red, Orange – 82,000 ohms nominal versus 80,000 measured.

Measuring voltage resistance accross circuit using 2 AA batteries + DC voltage scale.
• 1st resistor - nominal versus actual = 3.0/3.26 micro amps
• 2nd resistor -nominal versus actual =4.40/5.0 micro amps
• 3rd resistor - nominal versus actual = 36.5/40.0 micro amps


The difficulties the group encountered in the set up and testing phases were as follows:
1. We lacked basic understanding of OHM’s law, concepts of circuits, circuit boards and acceptable levels of error to truly understand if we were doing the experiments correctly.
2. We had different levels of knowledge about circuits and electricity which confused each other when measuring volts versus amps.
3. Converting amps and volts, using a digital meter, was confusing for the first few tries. As our understanding of electricity and mathematical conversions became clearer, we were able to measure and convert volts, amps, mili-amps of the resistors much faster.

SEE II Reflections

The light emitting diode experiment, involved creating a loop with batteries, circuit board and resistor to lower the volts to not burn out the light diode. It was a fairly simple experiment, like the first one, that taught me about precision and knowledge. With elementary knowledge gained from measuring resistors, converting amps and working with circuit boards I was able to get results quicker in experiment #2. Seeing the diode light up also gave me a sense of accomplishment and excitement of seeing what I had done with fellow team members.

To be a very good engineer, one has to acquire substantial knowledge and also be able to apply it. Knowing how to use tools and having an understanding of what you are working on is important in the goal of accomplishing something. I can see why engineers like to experiment so much. Unlike HR which can work in abstract and unproven ideas, engineers like to test out theories and ideas to prove them right or wrong and to make them work.

SEEI Reflection

Working with basic circuits taught me that engineers are more precise in logic and results when dealing with problems or when coming up with solutions than other professionals. It’s hard to approach a solution if operating from different rules and theory. Engineers strive for perfection to eliminate variance which in turn helps to have a widely accepted practice. For example, a resistor has markers which allow for consistency when calculating resistance values. All engineers can calculate those markers and come to the same conclusion. I see how this is good for developing products or finding new solutions. Future engineers go on to build off what previous engineers have done.

This is very different than the practice of HR. Application of HR practices can yield varying results because although a standard may exist, circumstances cause HR practices to change. One implication of engineering practices yielding varying results would be bad business. Something as simple as making batteries that produce different volts, assuming the same brand and size, would be bad for business because consumers could not trust the reliability of the volts listed on the package and therefore not buy.

Engineers deal in precision and logic. So when working with one, frame your message or idea in terms they can understand. Here's a diagram shows a common domestic circuit. Imagine if each circuit was greatly different in output? You could start a fire!

Origins of Engineering

To better understand this week's topic, Origins of Engineering, check out these two sites:

ORIGINS OF ENGINEERING

The Origins of Social Engineering

Engineering Through the Four Revolutions

Origins of Engineering dating back to the Middle Ages. Since then, the discipline has gone through several revolutions. See them below and for additional information, visit "History of Engineering."

"Pre-scientific which features ancient master builders and Renaissance engineers such as Leonardo da Vinci.

Industrial revolution from the eighteenth through early nineteenth century, civil and mechanical engineers changed from practical artists to scientific professionals

Second industrial revolution: In the century before World War II, chemical, electrical, and other science-based engineering branches developed electricity, telecommunications, cars, airplanes, and mass production.

Information revolution: As engineering science matured after the war, microelectronics, computers, and telecommunications jointly produced information technology."

Carl Selinger’s “Stuff You Don’t Learn in Engineering School”

http://www.carlselinger.com/seminars.html

Engineering Curriculum

"Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet."

Scott Adams, The Dilbert Principle

All engineers are taught math, science, theory and how to be "innovative." Despite a strong foundation, I believe the 21st century engineer will require a stronger curriculum incorporating business acumen, communication and greater understanding of implications of projects as they relate to investments and society.

While taking a class called Understanding Engineers, I had an opportunity to work on circuits measuring resistance and forming loops for just an hour. In just that hour, I realized on a rudimentary level the complexity of thought and application involved in being an engineer. Although I don't plan on studying the discipline, I look forward to working with engineers, as a Human Resource professional, to bridge the curriculum gap which could place more emphasis on seeing the world as a smaller and connected place in need of greater sustainability.

The National Academy of Engineering expresses their view about the 21st century engineer in an article called "Introduction to the Grand Challenges for Engineering."

DOD and Open Source

Along the lines of standardization, I thought that this article from SDtimes.com was pretty interesting. So much software development is either opensourced or crowdsourced that it seems essentially inevitable to me that the products will make their way, or have already made their way, into governmental or defense use. I actually think it's fairly forward-thinking of the DOD to issue a memo like this investigating the strengths and weaknesses of open source development.

I wonder if these trends will make their ways into other aspects of engineering, as well. In some ways, perhaps they have. For example, much of the design process for Boeing's 787 "Dreamliner" was essentially crowdsourced, though it was done in a closed community. What would the outcome be if a geographically diverse group of people collaborated in their free time to build a bridge, or a rocket?

Professionalism and the Software Industry

Not being an engineer, I didn't really have much of an idea about the history of the profession. From this week's readings, especially The Revolt of the Engineers, I think it's very interesting to not the parallels between physical engineering and software engineering, which is a subject I do know a fair amount about, as my father, who I'm sure to mention in the future, is a software engineer.

I think it's interesting to note that many of the pioneers of software development are not formally educated engineers. The perfect example is Bill Gates, who is essentially self-taught. This is very much like the early development of the physical engineering trade, where many young engineers learned their trade by working hands-on. Software engineering has moved towards professionalism with some aplomb; there are a remarkable number of University that offer degrees in the field now, and a truly staggering number of professional certifications. I suspect that as we move forward, software engineering will become more formalized, as engineering has.