What is Engineering

Engineering is the process of developing technology products such as airplanes, bridges, integrated circuits, chemical processing plants, medical devices, and so on.

Here are the main ideas.

Process

A process is a set of actions that leads to useful results plus aligned rewards (satisfaction, joy, learning, financial rewards, and such). Processes can be taught, learned, and applied. That is, engineering is a learned skill, just like playing the piano, practicing law, or doing accounting.

Develop

In this context, develop refers to any actions relevant to a product: invent, design, measure, do research on, apply, improve, and so on.

Product

A product is a good or service. A good is something that can be owned. A service is something that one actor (person or group) does for another actor.

Technology Product

A technology product is any product whose development is enhanced by application of math, science, computer programs, existing technologies, and so on.

Note: Engineering is a vast field with many sub-disciplines and specialties. This definition captures the commonalities of the profession.

Rationale

Here are some reasons why engineering is worthwhile.

1. Engineering is super-fun. It is like being a kid again and playing with a lego set that has infinite dimensions.

2. It feels great to develop a better world for self and others. Great life purpose. Engineers design and build the technology of the world; this feels meaningful.

3. Pay is good. Employment is good. Engineers are respected.

4. We take on and solve really hard problems. For example, in 1961 when JFK committed the US to put a man on the moon, the technology had not yet been invented. Engineers played a major role in this technology development.

How to Excel at Engineering

Learn engineering by using the method called Deliberate Practice. Focus your learning on three things.

1. Engineering Skills: Learn skills that are needed by most engineers: designing, doing experiments, building math models, drawing, and so on.

2. Life Skills: Learn skills that are essential for most professions: Critical thinking, research, problem solving, self-directed learning, teamwork, leadership, organization and management, following values, and so on.

3. Domain Subjects: Learn subjects that are useful for many engineering tasks: chemistry, calculus, statics, physics, thermodynamics, computer programming, and so on.

Summary

Engineering is when an actor (person or group) develops a technology product.

This development involves a variety of things:

1. Engineering Skills: Inventing, designing, building, troubleshooting, applying, doing research, testing, prototyping, and so on.

2. Life Skills: Critical thinking, teamwork, learning, leadership, and so on.

3. Domain Knowledge: Understanding and applying calculus, physics, circuits, matlab, chemistry, thermodynamics, and such.

Engineering is worth learning if you enjoy designing and building technology products that make the world a better place.

The way to become good at engineering, whether you are in school or working, is to apply deliberate practice. This is an iterative process that involves doing the following three steps over and over.

1. Figure out some useful information.

2. Apply this information to do something relevant to the development of a technology product.

3. Improve your knowledge and performance using RT (reflective thinking).