Strategies for system planning: Difference between revisions

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'''An ''Engineer-it'' chapter managed by the Institution of Engineers in Scotland  '''([http://www.engineers.scot/ www.engineers.scot])
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'''An ''Engineer-it'' module managed by the Institution of Engineers in Scotland  '''([http://www.engineers.scot/ www.engineers.scot])


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!<big>Links</big>
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|'''<big>Strategies</big>'''
|'''<big>Strategies</big>'''
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[[Top-down strategy]]
[[Top-down strategy]]


[[Risk]]  
[[Risk|Risk control]]  


[[Leadership]]
[[Leadership|Collaboratve Leadership]]
 
[[Planning]]


[[Quantify]]
[[Quantify]]


[[Governance]]
Wise [[governance]]


Integrity
[[Integrity|Professional integrity]]
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|'''Papers'''
|'''Papers'''


[http://www.iesis.org/toengineer/To-Engineer.pdf To Engineer]
[https://engineers.scot/office/resources/publications/to-engineer.pdf To Engineer]
|-  
|-  
|'''Case Studies'''
|'''Case Studies'''
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[http://info.iesis.org/papers/Journal+V156_web_secure.pdf The development of an optical scanner] (p22)  How to develop an innovative product
[http://info.iesis.org/papers/Journal+V156_web_secure.pdf The development of an optical scanner] (p22)  How to develop an innovative product
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[[File:Engprocess-6.png|alt=|thumb|500x500px|Figure 1 Features of strategies used in system planning ]]
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[[File:Engprocess-6.png|alt=|thumb|500x500px|Figure 1   Features of an 'engineered' process|left]]             
An engineered outcome results from the use of a range of control strategies that are appropriate in situations of complex uncertainty. The strategies used have universal application in complex problem solving. It is not only engineers who use them: Scientists  'engineer' the development of a drug;  professional engineers will engineer the design and development of an aircraft. Businesses are 'engineered' (or 're-engineered'). 


The strategies form the basis of a 'engineered process' that is used to control the risk of unsatisfactory outcomes.
This page provides infomation about strategies that are used in [https://eit.engineers.scot/index.php?title=Main_Page#System_planning system planning] i.e. in the the management of complex uncertainty.      


Figure 1 shows some features of an engineered process.
Figure 1 shows key features of the strategies.  


Key issues are ''competence'', i.e. the skills of those inolved and ''[[governance]]'',  i.e. how responsility, authority and accountabiliy are allocated.
Key issues are ''competence'', i.e. the skills of those inolved and ''[[governance]]'',  i.e. how responsibility, authority and accountabiliy are allocated.


Competence is shown as having two main components:
Competence is shown as having two main components:  


* Disciplinary expertise i.e. the abilities of those involved to carry out specific tasks.  It is common to require expertise from several disciplines
*Disciplinary expertise i.e. the abilities of those involved to carry out specific tasks.  It is common to require expertise from several disciplines
*Ethos - the principles that guide the actions of the participants.
*Ethos - the principles that guide the actions of the participants.


Whereas 'what you know' might be described in term of disciplinary expertise, ethos is 'how you think'.  
Whereas 'what you can do' might be described in term of disciplinary expertise, ethos is 'how you think'.  


[[Critical thinking]] may be the most important feature of an engineered process. Critical thinkers identify and use guiding principles that lead to engineered outcomes.
[[Critical thinking]] may be the most important feature of an engineered process. Critical thinkers identify and use guiding principles that lead to engineered outcomes.
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Deep collaboration within the project team with unswerving commitment to the project goals are also key features of an engineered process.
Deep collaboration within the project team with unswerving commitment to the project goals are also key features of an engineered process.


Closely related to commitment is the requirment that the process is underpinned by the highest levels of professional integrity.
Closely related to commitment is the requirement that the process is underpinned by the highest levels of professional integrity.
 
=== '''<big>Critial thinking</big>''' ===
[[File:Athena-2.png|left|thumb|318x318px]]
[[File:Thinker-2.png|left|thumb]]
Critical thinking implies the use of principles and processes that are used when addressing  situations of complex uncertainty, i.e. that may involve: competing goals; high levels of risk; technical, environmental and societal issues.
 
It is mainly concerned with ''ethos'' i.e. the principles that guide your actions.
 
Critical thinkers discipline their minds to reduce the risk of unsatisfactory outcomes.
 
Use of the word ''critical'' here denotes that this mode of thinking (a) is critical in the sense of being analytical about ideas and (b) is an essential strategy in situations of complex uncertainty.
 
'''Guiding principles'''
 
Critical thinkers constantly look for guiding principles. They seek to identify and use the principles that will lead to success.  Here are some guiding principles:
 
'''Actions'''
 
* Test proposals, critique, review.
* Use, where appropriate the Engineer-it [[Chapter 1:Strategies for engineered outcomes|strategies]]
* Reflect: question, consult, challenge, be challenged, expect to be challenged.
* Submit to reason: use logic and evidence to the limits of their potential before making informed judgements.
* Think for yourself but not by yourself.
* Adopt a system approach: consider the system as a whole as well as its parts.
* Adopt a holistic approach: take account of all relevant isues.
* Be humble, be prepared to change your mind.
* Learn from successes, learn from failures.
* If a feaure can be quantified, quantify it. Use predictive models, use data.
* Be sceptical about the validity of all information.
* Constantly seek to improve products and processes.
 
'''Seek to:'''
 
* embrace integrity without question: honest, trustworthy, reliable,
* be open, friendly, respectful
* be committed
* be collaborative, inclusive
* be disinterested in outcomes
 
'''Avoid being:'''
 
* autocratic
* deferential
 
=== Learning for critical thinking ===
The development of good habits should start as early as practical in your life. That learning for critial thinking should start in primary school and be addressed continuously in education is becoming recognised. Critical thinking should be treated as a discipline in education i.e. as a branch of learning - see Section 4 (page 10) of the Discipline for critical thinking paper.


However, you cannot rely on being coached to be a critical thinker. People need to discippline their minds to develop critical thinking skills, Strategies for doing this include:
All this needs to be inspired by collaborative [[leadership]].


* Be a student of crtitical thinking. Collect guiding principles. Write them down,memorise and use them.
===Learning for system planning===
* Watch how other people operate and identify the principles that guide them to be successful. Discuss the issues with them. Add their good ideas to your list of principles.
See [https://eit.engineers.scot/index.php?title=Critical_thinking#Learning_for_critical_thinking Learning for critical thinking]
* Read about contexts where critical thinking was needed to identify principles
* Identify the reasons for people to be unsuccessful. Actively avoid copying them.
* Remember that some guiding princples are context specific. You are not using a set of fixed rules that result in success.  You need to use critical thinking about your critical thinking strategies.
* If you have a [[leadership]] role, work with your colleagues to develo the principles under which the team will operate.

Latest revision as of 23:24, 7 September 2022

Clydeview.png

An Engineer-it module managed by the Institution of Engineers in Scotland (www.engineers.scot)

Strategies

Critical thinking

Top-down strategy

Risk control

Collaboratve Leadership

Quantify

Wise governance

Professional integrity

Papers

To Engineer

Case Studies

The UK Covid-19 Task Force A successful government project

The development of an optical scanner (p22) How to develop an innovative product

Figure 1 Features of strategies used in system planning

This page provides infomation about strategies that are used in system planning i.e. in the the management of complex uncertainty.

Figure 1 shows key features of the strategies.

Key issues are competence, i.e. the skills of those inolved and governance, i.e. how responsibility, authority and accountabiliy are allocated.

Competence is shown as having two main components:

  • Disciplinary expertise i.e. the abilities of those involved to carry out specific tasks. It is common to require expertise from several disciplines
  • Ethos - the principles that guide the actions of the participants.

Whereas 'what you can do' might be described in term of disciplinary expertise, ethos is 'how you think'.

Critical thinking may be the most important feature of an engineered process. Critical thinkers identify and use guiding principles that lead to engineered outcomes.

Deep collaboration within the project team with unswerving commitment to the project goals are also key features of an engineered process.

Closely related to commitment is the requirement that the process is underpinned by the highest levels of professional integrity.

All this needs to be inspired by collaborative leadership.

Learning for system planning

See Learning for critical thinking