Chapter 4 Researching Designs 65
Discussions with Others
Along with fi eld visits, engineers also talk
with people involved with the technologies in
which they are working. These people may be
fellow engineers, designers, production techni-
cians, users of the technology, salespersons, or
any other individuals connected with the tech-
nology. These discussions may take place as part
of a fi eld visit, or these contacts may be made
as formal interviews, focus groups, or informal
discussions. Also, online discussions are increas-
ingly popular among engineers. Some websites
include areas for online discussion. A discussion
forum is an area on the Internet where a person
can type a question or comment and other
people can answer the question or comment
on the original message. Discussion forums are
used by engineers working on similar problems.
Many times an informal discussion with a user
of a specifi c product leads engineers to redesign
the product.
Discussions with engineers take place in
many different formats. One example is two
engineers working together to solve a problem.
An electrical engineer may be working on a new
electronic control for a highly complex automo-
tive system. The engineer may contact mechan-
ical engineers to gain a better understanding of
the mechanical tools the system will be control-
ling and the history of the mechanical systems.
Also, the engineer will likely discuss this prod-
uct with other electrical engineers who have
worked with similar problems. See Figure 4-14.
The engineer will keep detailed notes for future
reference in the engineering notebook about
the discussions.
Figure 4-14. 
Engineers often discuss potential solutions and products with other engineers who have worked with similar problems.
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