Engineering management facts for kids
Engineering management is a cool job that mixes the skills of an engineer with the smarts of a manager. Imagine someone who knows how to solve tough technical problems like an engineer, but also knows how to lead teams, plan projects, handle money, and make sure everything runs smoothly, just like a manager!
It's about using engineering know-how to build and improve things, while also using management skills to organize people and resources. Think of it as being the captain of a ship that's building something amazing – you need to understand how the ship works (engineering) and how to guide the crew and plan the journey (management). Some people even get a special degree called a Master of Engineering Management (MEM), which is like a business degree but for engineers.
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History of Engineering Management
Engineering management isn't a brand-new idea! It started a long time ago because people realized that big engineering projects needed good leaders who understood both the technical and business sides of things.
One of the first places to teach engineering management was Stevens Institute of Technology in the USA, way back in 1908. They called it the School of Business Engineering. Later, in 1957, Syracuse University offered the first advanced degree in this field. Then, in 1967, Missouri University of Science and Technology created the first university department specifically named "Engineering Management."
Other countries also started teaching this important subject. In Germany, a department focused on Engineering Management opened in 1927 at the Technical University of Berlin. In Turkey, Istanbul Technical University started its Management Engineering Department in 1982. The University of Warwick in the UK also began offering a program in Engineering Business Management in 1980. So, it's a field that has grown all over the world!
What Engineering Managers Do
Engineering management is a wide field that covers many different skills. Here are some of the main areas:
Leading Teams and Organizations
A big part of being an engineering manager is being a good leader. This means guiding technical teams, helping people do their best work, and making important decisions about how engineering projects should be done within a company. It's about inspiring people and making sure everyone is working towards the same goal.
Managing Operations and Supply Chains
Operations management is all about how things are made or services are provided. Engineering managers help design and control these processes to make them efficient. Supply chain management means making sure all the materials and parts needed for a project get from where they are made to where they are used, smoothly and on time. It's like making sure all the ingredients for a big cake arrive at the bakery when they're needed!
Understanding Engineering Law
Engineers have special rules and laws they must follow to make sure everything they build is safe and reliable. This is called Engineering law. An engineering manager needs to know these laws very well. They must make sure their team follows all the rules, even if there's pressure to finish a project quickly or save money. Public safety is always the most important thing!
Managing New Technology
Bringing in and using new technology is super important for making products better and cheaper. Engineering managers help companies decide which new technologies to use and how to use them effectively. This involves understanding how new ideas and changes can help a business grow.
Developing New Products
New product development is the whole process of creating a brand-new product and getting it ready to sell. Product engineering focuses on designing and developing the actual product so it can be made easily and well. Engineering managers use project management skills to guide this process, making sure the product is high quality, affordable, and meets what people need.
Systems Engineering
Systems engineering is about designing and managing really complex systems, like a whole transportation network or a large factory. It's an interdisciplinary field, meaning it combines different types of engineering and management to make sure all the parts of a big system work together perfectly throughout its entire life.
Industrial Engineering
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on making processes, systems, or organizations better and more efficient. Industrial engineers work to reduce waste of time, money, materials, and energy. They look for ways to do things smarter, not harder, to get more value out of resources.
Using Science for Management Decisions
Management science uses scientific methods, like math and statistics, to help managers make smart decisions. It's about using data and models to find the best ways to solve complex problems and improve how an organization works.
Managing Engineering Design
Engineering design management is about guiding the process of designing things. It involves planning, leading, and checking the work of design teams to make sure they are productive and create great designs.
Safety and Human Factors
In any engineering project, especially complex ones, it's really important to understand how people interact with systems and to create a strong safety culture. This means making sure everyone feels comfortable reporting problems, that leaders listen to concerns, and that information flows freely. Unlike some other professions, in engineering, sharing information clearly and quickly is key to keeping everyone safe and preventing mistakes. Engineering managers must always prioritize safety over tight schedules or budgets.
How to Become an Engineering Manager
To become an engineering manager, you usually need a strong background in engineering.
Undergraduate Degrees While many engineering management programs are for advanced studies, some universities offer bachelor's degrees in this field. For example, Western Michigan University and Missouri University of Science and Technology offer programs accredited by ABET, which means they meet high quality standards. These programs help students learn both engineering and management skills from the start.
Graduate Degrees Many universities offer a Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degree. These programs are often for people who already have an engineering degree and some work experience. For example, Northwestern University has offered an MEM program since 1976. Missouri University of Science and Technology even awarded the first Ph.D. in Engineering Management in 1984! These advanced degrees help engineers move into leadership roles.
Engineering Management Consulting
Sometimes, companies that focus on engineering projects need outside help to improve how they work. This is where management consultants who specialize in engineering management come in. These consultants usually have strong engineering backgrounds and also know a lot about business and management. They help companies solve problems, improve their processes, and make sure their engineering projects are successful. They might help design a new product development process or make a factory more efficient. They use their knowledge to help businesses work smarter.
Professional Organizations
There are groups and societies just for engineering managers! One big one is the Engineering Management Society, which is part of IEEE. Another important group is the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM). These organizations help engineering managers learn new things, connect with others in the field, and even get special certifications to show they are experts.
See also
- Business engineering
- Business manager
- Construction management
- Engineering law
- Industrial engineering
- List of engineering topics
- List of management topics
- Systems Engineering
- Associations
- American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM)
- INFORMS
