What are some tips for working with engineers?

Question

I'm starting a new job. I want to fit in (or at least not get on anyone's nerves), but frankly I've never worked with engineers before. I'm easy to get along with. I figure that will help. Maybe my best attribute, as they might see it, is I care about the details. In fact, I can get down right obsessed if given the opportunity.

I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts on this subject. Thank you.

It's a support position, that is, not management. (I realize now that's an important detail for this question.) I'll be doing technical writing.

Answer 1

IN fact engineers are hard to understand they think they are the alian knowledgebase like that. They always insults the science graduates, but grabing all the innovationa and knowledge from the science and apply for the marketting goods. Since they have fear on othe science, arts subject they are showing jealous others. Funny and innocent people.

Answer 2

Hi, I am an engineer and I've never worked on any job where I was not working with at least some other engineers. As some other people have mentioned, engineers are all different but tend to be what used to be called "goal oriented" they like nice clear goals with a well defined "problem" that they already have the tools to "fix" : if they have plenty of time and money they are usually quite happy to build or buy new tools and test them out, if it seems likely that they will be useful for a particular project. Mostly, engineers expect to be asked to do things, if you don't tell them what you want them to do, and why, they are puzzled as to why you are talking to them. They are mostly aware that there are lots of different ways of doing any particular thing and that finding the "best way" in any particular situation will almost certainly cause them massive amounts of grief so if you ever ask an engineer to find the optimal solution don't expect it quick or cheap unless you have already defined that quick and cheap = optimal and all the other things they may be thinking of are less important (to you). It's very nice for engineers if they have some idea why they are working on whatever they are working on, particularly if specifications change in mid-project. Some engineers get a nice warm feeling when something they have contributed to turns out to be useful in some way - if that ever happens, be sure to let them know.

If you've never worked with engineers before I would thoroughly recommend getting hold of several Dilbert cartoon strips and analyzing why they are funny.

Best of Luck - Mike

Answer 3

Well take it from the horse's mouth. Be honest with them and don't pretend you know something when you dont. Alert them early if you are not sure about something or something is out of place. In other words work on your communiction skills.

Remember engineers like detail. If their is a drawing on a particular project, ensure that drawing is avaliable in a meeting because their going to request for it sooner or later.

Do not feel ashamed to ask questions. You will be surprised that even people (including engineers) who have worked for a long time sometimes dont know or forget some basic facts.

Remember engineering is a business like any other business. So they need to make money and normally margins are small. So you need to check your work. Several times when you are new on the job. At least twice if time allows.

I would also suggest to you you do a basic project management course. Write to me at [e-mail] for some reading material on PM.

Remember engineers are humans like everyone but they are a bit competitive.

Answer 4

A rule of thumb. The more alcohol an engineer drinks the better they are at solving problems. Just remember that engineering is 15% smarts and 85% working your a** off. A good converstion starter is to ask them what level they are in World of Warcraft or Diablo 2( if they are old school). I'm serious!!!

Answer 5

some considerable universities (Texas A&M includes techniques) furnish BS tiers in the two electric powered Engineering and electric powered Engineering technologies. The EET degree is an entire bachelors degree, and it extremely is interior the college of Engineering, yet makes a speciality of a extra palms on application curriculum (determining on factors to place at the same time in a equipment - say determining on opamps and transistors to layout a definite board) as adversarial to the extra theoretical electric powered Engineering curriculum (the thank you to layout an op-amp). those tiers (counting on the section if concentration in electric powered Engineering) are lots closer than what you're speaking approximately. An pals degree in digital Engineering technologies is probably to be extra concentrated on being a lab technician - the thank you to apply/diagnose/fix a bite of equipment it is already been built/bought as adversarial to actual engaged on the advent and layout. One added concept to contemplate is that in the time of many situations electric powered Engineers prefer some ordinary be attentive to-how of what an EE tech could do just to do their jobs. whilst one among my boards breaks at artwork, I could desire to a minimum of be attentive to adequate to confirm what went incorrect so i will the two replace it or have it replaced. it extremely is barely an opinion, however the varieties of issues you're able to do with a BS degree are lots extra diverse and numerous, simply by fact the previous answer states, there's an outstanding prefer for EE Techs interior the artwork rigidity, and from a numbers perspective there are various roles for the two fields.

Answer 6

I would say many engineers are cocky, in front of people who is not engineering background. They like to argue and show off at times. But there are many engineers that are willing to help and teaches other people stuff. Most of them are very reasonable and understandable. That is their nature is to be as objective as possible.

But I think one thing they hate the most is someone B.S. If you don't know some subjects, don't act like you know it. If you have questions, please make sure you ask questions
If you are detail oriented person, you should be fine dealing with engineers.

If you are a lady/girl, that should be good for you cause most engineers are guys. They would treat you better and nicer.

Answer 7

I am an engineer. You sound fine already. You will take an interest in what they are doing. They will appreciate that (they are humans with egos)
If you want engineers to appreciate you then get them to do something for you. This will make them feel valued. Some of those negative comments by other answerers come about because some engineers have never felt valued.

Answer 8

If you're working in a large company with a large staff, then just the large amount of people kind of even things out. You'll see the full spectrum from nerd-geeks to really cool people. Have fun and enjoy experiencing different people.

The best way to "get along" with people is to listen and speak well, act with good intentions and be yourself.

Answer 9

To tell you the truth, all engineers think they are God's choosen one. If they don't know what your background is before you came to work for thier company, they will run you over like a steam roller.

Let me give you my experience with one engineer who thought he could boss me because I had never work with NASACAR / Formula 1 Cars... and he wasn't even my Supervisor.

He was angry because I didn't put a note in the return box after I had rebuild the Starter for one of the Customer he had spoken with. He came in my department and started ordering me to evaluate the flywheel that were left by the other co-worker who quit the job I had started.

He kept on interrupting and accusing me of something that I didn't do.

So I told him to "Be quiet... let me speak and don't you interrupt me." After that I let him have it... by saying that I had documented very thing you (himself) had given me, I also written you email to fix the problem that we were having and that you haven't address the issue and also to get back with the customer, because he requested that you personally speak with them and it has been about 3 months after I had spoken and emailed you." I then produce a original written letter with the date that he had wrote and told him, "Do you have any question to ask me... now that I have shown your mistakes."

I then mention that I never had any issues with any of the past Engineers that I had work with... since I was a Senior Head Mechanic for a Aviation Company in L. A. Calif.

I said in fact, since I was the Oxygen Line Assembler, the Engineers had to work off of my designed drawings in order for the system to work and function correctly.

The reason why I started working here was my ability to understand blueprint, data system , and knowledge of structual stress on metals and aluminum which you don't have a clue or understand of Power and Airframe of a Commerical Aircraft.
Then I concluded that I had been working over 25 years and learn that you always document everything you do and say, so that people like you don't accuse me of doing something stupid or dumb.

After that conversation, he left and never to this day forward argue or question my knowledge or ability.

So I say to you...

1) Always document your work and if you have a co-worker you are working with, make sure that he understand that the work will be overseer by you and approval before the operation.

2) Get written account of who and why you were told to follow those instruction... and date it.

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3) Never... and I mean "NEVER" sign your name on any document that you didn't work on or perform work without any assign approval by a Head Supervisor or even Head Management

Answer 10

I work closely with engineers...they are people just like everyone else. Some are easy to get along with and others are not. You can't categorize their behavior.