How to Confidently Plan Engineering Projects
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Throughout college (studying electrical & computer engineering) we did several "engineering design projects" (general name for group projects meant to embody the realism of working on a design team to solve an engineering problem). As important as this would seem, the opportunities for such projects were far fewer than one might expect. To my thinking, these projects and the private design projects I wanted to undertake were the whole point for going to college, paying all the money, and attempting to learn anything. Surprisingly most engineering courses lacked the relevancy of projects like these.
Learning something without a deep connection to application or implication is trivial, it's like learning the relationship history of a celebrity you don't even like or relate to. This is one reason studied material and educational content seems to go in one ear and out the other. Because, despite the intense pressure applied to it, the learning material is often made meaningless by its lack of imminence.
In my experience if I hear about a concept and it has no relevance to my purpose or identity then it won't stick. But even if it has that relevance, if it is delayed then the impact of the tool/concept/fact/lesson becomes less important and less memorable as well. And finally if the application of the lesson does not reappear it will quickly disappear in the mind. The solution is to invert those flaws.
This is the model for applied learning:
- Make the content personally relevant (valuable).
- Make the content immediately essential in solving some real problem (imminent application).
- Use the content to solve that problem and others across time (spaced repetition).
This is the whole reason for using design projects to learn as it teaches the iterative process of prioritizing solutions and working through applying them to solve problems. The best way to learn is by doing. Everything prior to application is simply preparation, which is essential, but must be understood in context to make the information relevant. This is why we gather data/information.
Successful engineering is not just about creation and execution but also about anticipation and preparation. By adhering to a structured plan that respects the complexity of engineering principles, we can navigate from: (1) small idea, (2) working prototype, to (3) a fully realized system, while staying encourage and excited to continue working because of its obvious relevance and guidance.
This is how to cultivate passion in work.
When I lose interest/motivation in a project (or book or idea or opportunity) I try to remind myself that the reason I am getting discouraged is because I am forgetting to respect this balance. If the problem does not seem relevant or important enough to pursue then I will get bored of it. If the problem is so extremely important and complicated and huge then I will become intimidated or too anxious to pursue any solution. In the past, anything I've quit has followed that format.
Here is the answer: by following a strategic plan, we can take on intimidating endeavors and organize the step-by-step process to succeed. The problem is relevant, and the solution balances reality with practicality, to achieve something we didn't think we were capable of (because maybe we didn't know the right thing or have the right tools or have access to the help we needed).
Here is a checklist for making a plan that increases confidence and reduces anxiety:
- Define the problem to solve & the current limitations to solving it.
- Identify what you don't know & what you need to learn (remember you never need to learn everything to solve a problem, it is lazy to "study" a problem instead of "solve" it).
- Describe general solution requirements.
- Consider whether your problem can be solved by solving a different problem. Consider whether there are alternative solutions that already exist (divergent thinking).
- Make a shortlist of solution options that can be prototyped (1-5 options or less). If you can't start building it then it's not really a solution. Compare them.
- Develop a buildable design for the selected solution. "Reduction to practice" (AKA prototyping) will encourage you that you're making progress and that you can actually solve parts of the problem.
- Test design and adjust to overcome limitations (or unforeseen requirements).
- Finalize system design. Consider: have you met your objectives?
- Document process fully based on notes taken throughout process.
- Present the design process, functionality, user experience, and implications.
p.s. A great resource for finding one's purpose through applied learning is the book Mastery by Robert Greene (which I've read like 5x). Link below.