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At first, yes, it does kind of annoy me when people chime in with their thoughts even though they don’t really know much about it. However, if you take a step back and think about it, sometimes having that perspective outside can lead to some really good solutions that you wouldn’t have come across yourself.
Rising Star
It shouldn’t. You should give everyone a listen because those “non-engineers” may have been an engineer or someone that has direct, relatable experience. Be fair to everyone. And if it not valuable, let them know professionally that you thought about their solution and here are the reasons we are looking at other solutions. It will broaden your perspective and may allow you to solve problems in novel ways.
If a machinist is telling you you should probably listen
Unless you tell me that steel is steel.🤣
I have been a drafter for almost 30 years and you are why I hate my career.
Your pompous attitude "I will only justify your solutions if I deem you an equal".
Sadly, it sounds like you have worked with real jerks.
I welcome comments. That being said, I do not care for management who try to invalidate my solutions with made up science, then hold me accountable for poor results.
Depends. Are we talking about some pencil pusher who has absolutely no freaking idea about the subject or are we talking about a skilled technician who works in/on the respective field all day dealing with the problems that on paper engineers solve but in the real world our solutions aren't all their cracked up to be or reasonably feasible to accomplish/accommodate!!! Your question is extremely broad in scope and not as precise as i world expect of an engine. .
Pro
I concur with MDE 1. Non-advocates are valuable because they look at things with fresh eyes and a different perspective.
That said, there is a big difference between a non-engineer offering solutions in good faith / in a bid to be helpful and a non-engineer offering solutions because they think they know better than the engineer. I am welcome to the former but not the latter.
I think it depends on what exactly is being proposed, and who is proposing it. In other words, if someone who is going to be impacted has an opinion on what's going to be implemented, that can be useful to consider. But if it's just someone talking to hear their own voice, that's another story. In those cases it's good to ask the person to put their proposal in writing. That usually means you won't hear about it again.
There are no bad ideas
Uhhhhh...you might want to rethink that.
If the idea has merit and is technically possible then no problem.
What gets me is when it is to just chime in to try and take control. (Without merit or possible working.)
Once had an accountant complain to the engineers: why the problem was not solved yet on a new technology and saying we should have solved it by then. We all told him if it was that easy someone else would have done it by then.
The best non-engineers to listen to are the people that have to use what you make or work out. They can tell you all the things you did not think of to add and improve, or that will not work because of... You also have to be able to sometimes explain to them the details of validation and testing as well as maybe there is no tech solution readily available.
Never dismiss anyone's idea out of hand. Just give them a voice and then give them the details of what might be an issue.
Another thing is someone telling you how something has to be done, kindly ask them to help with it. 50%-50% sure I can help, the rest say OH never mind. Measures how much they are in the game.
As someone who works in the field without an engineering degree, you should maybe listen to boots on the ground when warranted. We may have key insight into what works on paper but doesn’t work in real life. But agree with other comments when it comes to people talking just to talk!
Rising Star
Sometimes. It's difficult to know how much others understand of the issues. I welcome any answers/solutions, but I want to ensure everyone understands all the parameters.
Nope not at all. I take all input and think on it. It's not like we have to go with any particular idea just need to find the best one.
As an engineer turned sales guy I give my ideas all the time but always spin it as what do I know I am just a dumb sales guy. Sometimes people don't even know I have an engineering background. Many people I have worked with have figured it out but I don't need the credit just hope for the best idea to prevail.
Sometimes school of hard knocks proves better than an engineer. Watch a individual tell a room full of engineers that a trailer design would put too much weight on the drive axles...they spent 100s of thousands building it and guess what...it was over weight on the drive axles.
Everyone has an important perspective. My experience has been that the people on the ground floor know how things actually happen. They know the cause and effect of everything way more than the engineers. My role as engineer has always been to understand why these things happen.
This develops a fantastic synergy. Your technical understanding can improve based on their real world experience.
Yes, sometimes you need to filter information but a good engineer can do this while respecting those giving the information.
No, Engineer is only a position, because not all engineer could analyze & solve the problem effective at right time delivery, it can be other person, spv, skills or hands on people or even they are Helper, whoever have a good solution with systematic thinking they actually engineer (mindset)
Chief
No, unless they are too pushy about it. I will always take your suggestion but I won't always go with it.
I think it depends on what is really discussed.
All views are observed differently and will help out to know what others think.
Sometimes it's technical and the answers given may mislead those that are not knowledgeable in specific engineering field.
I sometimes find that some engineers think they are well above a person who isn't an engineer. Sometimes the people that work with things designed by an engineer are the ones to know if something actually works or fits properly. Nowt worse than a big head arrogant engineer.
No, not at all. You don't need to be an engineer to solve problems.
My only issue when this happens is when it's frome someone who has nothing to do with it or know's nothing about the problem itself - you know, in the tell me how to do my job when they don't even know how to do thier job kind of way? Or when someone who pops up out of the blue, and is known to be an idiot, tries to act like they know something when they clearly don't. Outside of that, I don't mind it - you never know what new perspective or fresh pair of eyes may be able to contribute alond with the fact that others have thier own experiences and my know something they you don't or overlooked.
Your a knacker