THE ART AND SCIENCE OF ENGINEERING AND DESIGN

摘要

People often confuse the two terms "design" and "engineering." While engineering is an educated and trained vocation, design can apply to virtually anyone with a creative mind. I have often applied the concepts of engineering without observing adequate design techniques during my career. I have also applied strict design techniques in a few cases, while sacrificing and falling somewhat short on the engineering aspects.This can be a true conundrum. Engineers need to make their structures operable, safe, and secure (i.e., the function, even if it means ignoring the design aspects or form of the structure). However, humans, being what we are, like to include design elements into our work to complete the well-known phrase of "form and function."I have often heard the basic difference between an engineer and a designer is the designer knows how to build something using anything necessary or available, while the engineer knows how to build the same thing but by using the least amount of material to make it economical and still retain the form and function. Obviously, whether that definition is accurate or not will largely depend on the past experience, attitude, and yes, even the prejudice of the individual.