Introduction to Professional Engineering ENSC1003

The engineering method –

systems thinking
Dowling et al. (2020), Chapter 2, pp. 43-59
 Assignment 1
1. Read the brief on the LMS under ASSESSMENT
2. EZONE Student Hub
3. Purpose of the assignment
1. Roles and capabilities of engineers
2. Context, safety and sustainability
3. Approaching open ended problems, finding and
analysing literature, reporting
4. Important resources
1. EZONE 4D Learning Environment
2. Unit Readings on LMS
1. Textbook
2. Trevelyan (2019) explains engineering disciplines in 30 seconds
 Engineering method
• Problem-solving and design process that can be
applied to “complicated” and “complex” problems.
– “Wicked problems”?
• Sustainable and reliable drinking water supplies for
Australian cities? n
c i si o
– Desalination de
m ake a n d
t o
– Recycling of treated wastewater?
w fia b le
Ho j us ti
e ?
– Build more reservoirs? that is n t a b l
u
acco
 Engineering method
• Method:
– Explore the problem ro blem
of t he p blem
– Explore available solutions AADDIE se contexst of the proons
A naly detail s oluti
– Evaluate alternative solutions- Analyse ptions o olution r
-
s ig n o
ils o fs
– Choose preferred solution - De ign deta
s
- De lement
– Communicate preferred solution- to Imclient
p
te
Evalua
-
 1. Explore the problem

• Project brief
– Client needs
– Performance
criteria
– Requirements
and constraints
 Requirements
• Guidance on writing clear and unambiguous “requirements”
– Focus – what and why?
– Clarify – Readily understandable
– Testable – success can be tested through finite and objective process
– Measurable - Clarify how to measure success
– Singular – no ambiguity or possibility of dual outcomes

• I want to buy a car - what are my requirements or desires?

– Size, fuel consumption, colour??
Understanding key specifications
Mind map
Data, information and reliability
• Primary data
– Observed and records by the project team
• Secondary data
– Compiled by the project team, observed/recorded by external entity
• Assessment of reliability of data and information sources
– Peer review improves reliability
– Internet as a source of information
– Citations are essential
– Peers as source of information
• Knowledge or information management systems
– What will you use for your team project?
 Exploring alternative solutions
• Brainstorm possible solutions or options
• Identify what additional information needed to help assess
different solutions
• Expand range of solutions/options – divergent thinking

• Case study – reliable drinking water

supply
– Exploration and assessment of options
– Engineers choose recycling treated
wastewater as best option
– Strong community opposition
– How to convince community that this
option is safe?
 Engineering decision making and
communication
• Double check that assessment of options was valid,
robust, and defensible
– Independent reviewer/audit
– Justifying assumptions
– Clear communication about decision making process
• Engineer failures often occur due to poor
communication about decisions, and lack of
auditing of those decisions
Scientific method
 Systems thinking
• Process of identifying all the elements of a problem
– Boundaries
• what is inside vs outside our problem?
– Components or sub-systems
• major elements of problem?
– Interactions and interfaces
• how do components interaction with one another?

• Allows construction of mathematical model and

computer simulation
 System boundaries
• Critical part of understanding the problem
– If not understood can easily become overwhelmed.
• If problem seems intractable, come back to defining or
re-defining systems boundaries
• Make simplifying assumptions to re-define boundaries
i n g
• Can be boundaries in space or time in k
th t
– Boundary conditions e n
rg
nve
Co
System boundaries – Case Study

Port Geographe, Geographe Bay, Western Australia

System boundaries – Case Study

Port Geographe, Geographe Bay, Western Australia

System boundaries – Case Study
System boundaries – Case Study

Port Geographe, Geographe Bay, Western Australia

System boundaries – Case Study
System boundaries – Case Study
System boundaries – Case Study

Port Geographe, Geographe Bay, Western Australia

 Systems thinking
• Process of identifying all the elements of a problem
– Boundaries
✓
• what is inside vs outside our problem?
– Components or sub-systems
• major elements of problem? ✓

– Interactions and interfaces

• how do components interaction with one another? ✓

• Allows construction of mathematical model and

computer simulation ✓
 Wicked problems
• Difficult to define
• Many interdependencies and often multi-causal
• Attempts to address problem can lead to unforeseen
consequences
• Problems often not stable
• Usually have no clear solution
• Socially complex
• Shared responsibility
• Involve changing behavior
• Characterised by chronic policy failure
 Wicked problems
• Climate change
• Obesity
• Indigenous disadvantage
• Land degradation

Engineering problem-solving and project

management methods are unlikely to
solve wicked problems
 Take home messages
• We all make decisions about complex problems in our lives; the
engineering method is simply a way of making our decision
processes transparent.
• Engineering decisions can cost lives, so they must be justifiable
and accountable
• Be conscious of divergent thinking and convergent thinking
stages in decision-making – optimize them both
• Systems thinking helps us tackle a problem
• Defining boundaries is critical
• Recognize wicked problems and take care!
 Questions??

[email protected]