Coupled with other factors, this leads to a situation where the design team is asked to switch gears, in some cases quite drastically, in order to meet the needs of the client.  It has been my experience such change leads to the following statement from the owner “I need this minor design revision drawn in 30 days,  permitted in 30 days, priced in 30 days and built in 30 days.”

The ugly truth is, the change is major not minor (e.g. add a new elevated pool to the 15 floor).  The design should really take 60 days, the permitting is out of anyone’s control and the owner really hopes the change will cost $30,000 not $300,000.  The design team is then faced with the unenviable task of producing documents in a timely manor so as mitigate the delays to the project in progress.

Right away panic begins, as the consultants all cower to play CYA (cover your……….) with regards to design deliverables.  Every sentence starts with “I can’t get started with my portion until…..”  or when asked if they can provide components of the design in the interest of keeping the project moving forward, the moans and groans from the doom and gloom section begin their somber symphony “No, we need to design the entire system…”

With the clock ticking and the interest payments climbing the owner attempts to apply a renewed sense of urgency.  However, the momentum has stalled because design development meetings are ineffective.  Since the owner has foolishly decided to contract directly with the consultants, the architect has no leverage over the rest of the team.  This means that the mechanical engineer will not specify the size of the new chiller equipment, the structural engineer won’t design the slab to carry the weight and the architect is unable to coordinate the revised layout of the floor to house the new equipment.

The only way that this unfortunate trend can be reversed is if designers and engineers are able to assert themselves with owners, perhaps through more transparency in their service proposals and a more thorough explanation of the design and permitting process.  Owners inherently assume that drawings just appear from the clouds; courtesy the stork.  Before committing to  an owner driven change; designers need to outline a schedule.  This is no different than what would be expected of the Construction Manager tasked with implementing the design revision.  The schedule should detail the design process with tight integration of owner comments and constructability reviews.

From an owner’s perspective, those who control the purse strings must also be held accountable.  Owners need to recognise that deisgners are operating in an era under where they are under siege by liability litigation.  This leads to a level of “over cautiousness” which is inherently counter productive to the goals of rapid change.  Decisiveness from ownership on the aesthetic and programatic direction of a project is as critical as the execution of the design.

Owner’s also need to exercise their financial leverage over the design and construction teams so that owner precipitated changes don’t reset the tab, giving the designers and builders opportunities overcharge for taking the project in a new direction.

]]> http://www.qualifiedengineer.com/2009/09/100-cds-the-new-design-build/feed/ 0 http://www.qualifiedengineer.com/2009/07/the-andriod-that-ate-the-apple/ http://www.qualifiedengineer.com/2009/07/the-andriod-that-ate-the-apple/#comments Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:32:42 +0000 Qualified Engineer http://www.qualifiedengineer.com/?p=1280 The Iphone vs. Android battle isn’t the same fight Windows vs. Linux is.   All the stats tell us that the smart phone market is growing rapidly.  While it is accepted the Iphone is the single best selling smart phone handset, its OS has been only used on 1 handset which could ultimately limit it’s growth.  With the swift emergence on the Android OS on several upcoming handsets we can expect a number of significant advances in the presentation layer of Android.

One such example is the recent announcement of the HTC hero:

http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_hero_joins_the_android_bandwagon_with_a_custom_ui-news-988.php

http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/htc-hero-unlocked/4505-6452_7-33702036.html

There are 4 main things that make Iphone a success:

1. Apple’s marketing machine.
2. Great handset
3. Intuitive UI
4. Thousands of apps on the App Store

There are 4 main reasons that will negate the list above:

1. Since Android will be distributed through the Samsung, Sony, HTC etc…. you can expect a cumulative effort on the marketing front.
2. Apple is a close ecosystem.  For their mobile OS to really spread it’s wings, it will need to take a lot more significant steps than previously demonstrated.   these steps could be possible if the OS was deployed on multiple handsets.
3. The App store is filled with duplicate applications and software which could hardly be construed as useful.  The open source community has been getting behind Android and I suspect we’ll see rapid deployment of Android applications, probably at a rate which would outpace the App Store.
4. HTC’s G1 and G2 aren’t great looking handsets, but we know the list below of major manufacturers have a great chance of producing at least 2 or 3 handsets which are better than the Iphone.

• Acer Inc.
• ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
• Garmin International, Inc.
• HTC Corporation
• Huawei Technologies
• LG Electronics, Inc.
• Motorola, Inc.
• Samsung Electronics
• Sony Ericsson
• Toshiba Corporation

I love the styling of the Infiniti G37 sedan.  A beautiful, unique Japanese sports sedan.  A car which has an unmistakable silhouette and flourishes with uncompromising performance.  I am also a fan of the amazing website Car Walls.  Imagine my utter shock and dismay when my eyes fell upon what could only be described as the Infiniti’s evil doppelganger from Detroit, the Chrysler 200C EV.

Normally I wouldn’t have a problem with a copy cat design.  But when you consider that my US tax dollars were pumped into producing this feeble attempt at originality, it is no wonder the collective team at Qualified Engineer sighed in a concerto of disappointment.

However, As an engineer it brings different questions to the fore.

In this economic climate, should all your designs be driven by creativity or do you just try to keep up with the Jones (Japanese)?  In the case of the entry level luxury sport sedans, the competition is stiff.  Even the likes of Lincoln have offerings which rival the Europeans in exterior styling (quality TBD).  With access to government funds and with the very future of you company hanging in the balance, is it wise to reverse engineer the success of others or try to carve out a new niche for yourself? Despite its lackluster interior, the Chrysler 300 was original.  It would behoove Chrysler to demand that same level of creativity.

The goal of a certification is to acknowledge the expertise of a professional in a specific
field and also to provide an indication to the public about that person’s abilities in a particular field.
Certifications are not meant to replace professional licensure, but the reality is that many engineers don’t seek professional licensure.   However, certifications offer an alternate means for professionals to be recognized and to validate their expertise.

Amongst professional engineers with licenses, certifications can offer a means a measured distinction.  To the professional skeptics I offer responses to the the most common questions:

Of course certifications are not without short comings.  Probably the most significant issue with certifications is the perception that they are solely developed for the financial gain of the governing bodies.  Unfortunately this theory gains traction when you consider how expensive some certifications are.   However, the reality is that certification administration is not cheap.  Governing bodies have to pay professinals to develop the course material, develop the testing criteria, develop  testing procedures.   There are also costs associated with the administration and maintenance of candidates credentials.

Based upon my extensive research into engineering certifications I’ve concluded that they indeed value to the careers of engineers and I would encourage any engineer (licensed or unlicensed) to explore the available certifications within their chosen discipline.

Please feel free to provide feedback on this topic.

The lack of personal accountability is the driving factor behind the current predicament we find ourselves in.  It is only through personal recognition of our own misguided greed and lack of fiscal discretion will we truly emerge a stronger nation.

For those who oppose the bill, I actively challenge you to prescribe another course of medication for this ailing economy.

As engineers, contractors and scientists, it appears as if we are poised to benefit substantially from the new bill.  Please visit www.stimuluswatch.com to find out about opportunities in your area.

For those of you who were lucky enough to have already passed the exam, you are in good shape; your credentials remain in tact.  However, if you haven’t taken the exam yet, time is running out for you to get the LEED AP designation without working on a LEED certified project.

When I was preparing for the exam I came across a few amazing websites that really helped me to prepare for FREE.

In the Leed

Building Green

Good luck to all of the prospective test takers.

For more details, check out the USGBC.

I’ve only been observing the engineering profession for a few years, but from what I have seen, there is a clear issue of low compensation that must be tackled. When a high school student takes on the challenge to pursue a degree in engineering and then goes on to seek professional licensure, he or she embarks upon a path of academic and professional commitment as critical and as risky as a medical doctor. I believe doctors are highly paid because they make life or death decisions.  Engineers often face this same level of risk and often times it is multiplied by hundreds or even thousands.

However, when you look at the absurd starting salaries and the snail’s pace of raises, it’s no wonder engineers seek alternate routes to secure their financial futures. They go back to school to get into the business sector or opt for Construction Management. The drain on talent eventually leads to a slow decline in engineering resources which leaves voids in specialty fields which aren’t being filled as the old guard heads into retirement.

What is the root of the problem? The Crab in the Bucket Syndrome. This syndrome is described as follows, “situations where one person is trying to better themself and others in the community attempt to pull them back down.”

In context this applies to the vicious under cutting of engineering fees and the negative slander engineering firms use to win bids for design or inspection services.

The engineering profession is in crisis.  Who can engineers turn to? Lawyers. There are tons of applicable negative cliches which can be applied to lawyers. But as far as competition amongst law firms, the engineering industry could learn a lot.

Lawyers have found a way to maintain a certain minimum rate from which you can’t escape. Engineers on the other hand, don’t seem to be able to set any kind of floor. Of course when selecting a skilled attorney there are variations in price, however, often it is commensurate with the level of service. With engineering, the low ball tactics lead to quality engineering firms having to prostitute themselves to fill their billable hours.

One possible solution could be for engineers to do a better collective effort of marketing the prestige of the industry, marketing the complicated skill sets the professionals must have to perform their tasks and value they provide to the overall public good. Engineering must be deemed to be an elite profession.

Another path to establishing better rates is to develop stronger associations. Associations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and other at the state level such as Florida Engineering Society (FLENG) need to organize the engineers in a show of force to mandate that accredited firms don’t undermine the profession. Once owner recognize that they aren’t able to steal these skilled services for bargain basement prices, the compensation will improve.

This will have the overall benefit of encouraging young scientific minds to return to the profession and replenish the dwindling talent pool.

Email me at admin@qualifiedengineer.com