Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes 56 seconds. Read Later
This is an excerpt from a talk I gave to non-engineers in my local Rotary organization about what engineers do and how we think. The audience consisted of accountants, attorneys and sales people. I tried to relate specifically to their professions in order to help them understand. Here is the tongue-in-cheek explanation I gave to them.
Some people say engineers are just like accountants... except engineers have a personality.
We both work with numbers; although engineers have to take six semesters of calculus and differential equations where accountants think higher math is long division. We both have our specialized calculators, but ours have more buttons than theirs.
Accountants work on balance sheets, keeping track of their debits and credits, and most of the time they restrict their number keeping to currency (dollars). Engineers also make sure we keep things in balance, but we use a variety of units including BTUs, horse power, kiloWatts, moles, amps, kips, and the like depending on what field of engineering we practice.
Now here is where it gets difficult. When an accountant provides their customer with an answer, there is always a dollar sign next to the numbers. The customer can easily determine the value from the accountant’s work based on the size of the number next to the dollar sign.
When an engineer provides their customer with an answer, there is a number but the units that we use are in something only an engineer in the same engineering discipline would understand. It’s almost like we are speaking a different language. As a result, it’s hard for our customer’s to see the value in our work. When we present our answers, we get a confused look and a few polite questions and then we are ushered out of the room. Then the sales engineer (that’s an engineer that didn't do that well in math classes) takes over. They make up something that they think the customer will understand, tells them how much they can save using our solution, come up with a price, and closes the deal.
I can tell you that an engineer would never compare themselves to anyone in the legal profession.
Both professions have knowledge of their laws, but our laws are named after people and are stated with the clarity of mathematical expressions. The great engineering law givers are the likes of Sir Isaac Newton, James Watt, Michael Faraday, Alessandro Volta to name a few. We don't have many laws but they have names such as Newton's first law, Newton’s second law and Newton’s third laws (not much imagination there). Our laws are not open to interpretation, no need for judges because our laws dictate how the universe operates.
To us, a slippery slope is an inclined plane that has a low coefficient of friction. Also our laws are self-enforcing so not a lot of need for law enforcement. If an engineer doesn’t understand Newton’s law’s their bridge falls down and there’s no talking your way out of that one.
Engineers should not be compared to sales people.
A sales person describes how their customer can use their product, state the value proposition, ask for the order, and then get on to the next sale. They provide just enough information as is necessary.
An engineer on the other hand will want to explain to everyone present, as accurately, and in as much detail as possible, how their device works. Pointing out the simplicity and elegance of their design, and why they are so smart in coming up with the idea. So no, never compare an engineer to a sales person.
In fact, my friends that sell insurance will go out of their way not to talk with engineers! They comment that the engineer will want to know in fine detail how the policy works. They’ll insist on learning about the formula and math used to determine the risks and premiums before they are ready to purchase. I don't want to say engineers are high maintenance, but an engineer friend of mine had one insurance salesman come back three times to answer numerous questions until he felt he had sufficient information to make a purchasing decision.
I hope this talk provided you with a little insight about us engineers. The next time you see one of us, just say “hi.” Whatever you do - don't try to make small talk unless you want to learn all about the science of Nano technology. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Leave me a comment below and share your thoughts!
This is an excerpt from a talk I gave to non-engineers in my local Rotary organization about what engineers do and how we think. The audience consisted of accountants, attorneys and sales people. I tried to relate specifically to their professions in order to help them understand. Here is the tongue-in-cheek explanation I gave to them.
We both work with numbers; although engineers have to take six semesters of calculus and differential equations where accountants think higher math is long division. We both have our specialized calculators, but ours have more buttons than theirs.
Accountants work on balance sheets, keeping track of their debits and credits, and most of the time they restrict their number keeping to currency (dollars). Engineers also make sure we keep things in balance, but we use a variety of units including BTUs, horse power, kiloWatts, moles, amps, kips, and the like depending on what field of engineering we practice.
Now here is where it gets difficult. When an accountant provides their customer with an answer, there is always a dollar sign next to the numbers. The customer can easily determine the value from the accountant’s work based on the size of the number next to the dollar sign.
When an engineer provides their customer with an answer, there is a number but the units that we use are in something only an engineer in the same engineering discipline would understand. It’s almost like we are speaking a different language. As a result, it’s hard for our customer’s to see the value in our work. When we present our answers, we get a confused look and a few polite questions and then we are ushered out of the room. Then the sales engineer (that’s an engineer that didn't do that well in math classes) takes over. They make up something that they think the customer will understand, tells them how much they can save using our solution, come up with a price, and closes the deal.
 |
| A young Michael Faraday was a scientist, chemist, physicist and philosopher. He does look like he could be a lawyer though. |
Both professions have knowledge of their laws, but our laws are named after people and are stated with the clarity of mathematical expressions. The great engineering law givers are the likes of Sir Isaac Newton, James Watt, Michael Faraday, Alessandro Volta to name a few. We don't have many laws but they have names such as Newton's first law, Newton’s second law and Newton’s third laws (not much imagination there). Our laws are not open to interpretation, no need for judges because our laws dictate how the universe operates.
To us, a slippery slope is an inclined plane that has a low coefficient of friction. Also our laws are self-enforcing so not a lot of need for law enforcement. If an engineer doesn’t understand Newton’s law’s their bridge falls down and there’s no talking your way out of that one.
Engineers should not be compared to sales people.
A sales person describes how their customer can use their product, state the value proposition, ask for the order, and then get on to the next sale. They provide just enough information as is necessary.
An engineer on the other hand will want to explain to everyone present, as accurately, and in as much detail as possible, how their device works. Pointing out the simplicity and elegance of their design, and why they are so smart in coming up with the idea. So no, never compare an engineer to a sales person.
In fact, my friends that sell insurance will go out of their way not to talk with engineers! They comment that the engineer will want to know in fine detail how the policy works. They’ll insist on learning about the formula and math used to determine the risks and premiums before they are ready to purchase. I don't want to say engineers are high maintenance, but an engineer friend of mine had one insurance salesman come back three times to answer numerous questions until he felt he had sufficient information to make a purchasing decision.
Leave me a comment below and share your thoughts!
I loved the one with the accountant.
ReplyDeleteHad a laugh.
krishna