The Engineering Process
The engineering profession is not well understood in the broader community. Watch any TV show and if there is any engineering to be done (build a rocket or a bridge, using only a left-handed screwdriver) all they show is the leader saying "let's do it!" and then, shazam, the next scene is the rocket blasting into space, or the bridge spanning across a deep ravine.
There's no awareness of the steps that completing such a project takes, all the time and effort to develop a concept, undertake feasibility studies, assess the cost/risk/value of the proposal, and then complete the engineering, procurement and construction required to bring the project to fruition.
Although we are not working in the space industry (yet), take for example NASA's Artemis project. This project has 3,800 different companies* supplying various componentry, professional services, and know-how to the program. The complexity of managing all these suppliers, the quality of their work, the cost and schedule, is enormous. And obviously the failure of a component or other work can have immense ramifications, with loss of the spacecraft or worse.
In our business supporting the oil & gas and chemicals industries, we work on a smaller scale than the Artemis project, but the same rules and practices apply. In terms of developing a project there are no short cuts. Someone may have the inspirational idea to do "X", but once that happens that is when the hard work begins... reviewing the concept and collaborating with colleagues and the customer, running some simulations to check the outputs, determining the unit operations required, developing an overall plan (schedule, cost, suppliers), and then delivering the work.
We are proud of our capability in delivering projects through all phases, up to and including commissioning
and operating. If you would like some advice/support on your next project, please feel free to be in touch:
*Source:
https://www.nasa.gov/content/artemis-partners