How tolerant is your company of wrong answers? 2

[bellx1]

I'm about to move from a shielded intern environment to a position with more responsibility and I'm worried I'm gonna get things wrong.

Simple examples of this are messing up a callout on a drawing, or perhaps miscalculating some parameter. Being humans were going to mess up something time to time but I would like to avoid these situations.

I am meticulous and double check my work from time to time but double checking work takes a lot of time and I'm not sure if my employer will be mad that other engineers can turn out similar work in a shorter time.

Do engineers make these sort of mistakes often?

http://www.compositescentral.net

 

[ChrisConley]

We have an old plumber on staff who is invaluable for his bits of wisdom and experience.

Once when sitting in a meeting and trying to explain to a client how a co-ordination item was missed in the original design he piped up:

"If you wanted a perfect design you should have hired God, but you couldn't afford his rates."

 

[stanweld]

bellx1,
From my perspective, my company is far too tolerant of errors. I see the same mistakes made over and over again in the field. "That's how we did it on last job" is the common denominator.

 

[SiliconeAurora]

I've found the best method of handling people finding my mistakes is 1) to ask for some sort of verification, which is usually simple, 2) own up, admit the mistake, and vow to fix it 3) prioritize fixing it ASAP - if not within the hour, then within the day if at all possible.

You can turn making relatively minor mistakes into a positive for yourself by showing both willingness to admit mistakes and speed in correcting them. They're going to remember you made that mistake - make sure they also remember that you handled it quickly and professionally by doing so while it's still fresh in their minds. On the other hand, if you try to weasel too much, hiding behind very minor things that others did, someone's not gunna buy it and their opinion of both your character and your competance will be damaged.

Of course, if you have management that simply has no tolerance for this sort of thing, you're pretty much SOL.

 

[sbozy25]

I still have a file in my desk with drawing mistakes I made over 5 years ago when I did design work. I no longer use modeling programs or make prints, but I still keep this file to remind my self no one is perfect. Also, where applicable, I would write the dollar amount the mistake cost.

When I get new people working for me, I always have them read through the file so they can see that mistakes will happen, and learning from them is what gets you ahead.

Cabbages, knickers, It hasn't got A BEAK!

 

[csd72]

I have checked calculations by many engineers from graduate to nearly retirement age and have found mistakes in most of their work.

The mistakes of the more experienced engineers tend to be more minor and more subtle, but are there nonetheless.

Many other simpler professions spend far more time checking than we do, for some reason engineers think they are more infallible than others but this is simply not true.

Have you heard of financial auditors? companies spend millions on consultancy firms to do this and all they are doing is making sure that the books are actually correct (i.e. checking the accounts).

If your calculations (or whatever you materials guys produce) are not checked by a more experienced engineer then this is a financial decision made by the managers of the company and it is not entirely your fault if one of your errors slips through.

 

[TheTick]

Sometimes you get the pleasure of having someone find your "mistakes", only to find they were mistaken.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Have you heard of financial auditors? companies spend millions on consultancy firms to do this and all they are doing is making sure that the books are actually correct (i.e. checking the accounts).

I would imagine they're looking more for intentional mistakes, ala ENRON, than accidental ;-)

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[lacajun]

If you are doing, you're going to make mistakes.

 

[rmw]

The only person who doesn't make mistakes is the person who doesn't do anything.

Real important advice a few posts above. Be willing to admit that you made a mistake, and when you do, state how you plan to rectify it. If you can, be the first one to announce it. Better to step into your bosses office and say "I wanted you to know this before you find out from someone else..." Bosses hate being blindsided - especially by their bosses. I had to do this just within the last couple of weeks. What could have been ugly if it had flowed from top management down to him turned out to be not to bad when he was able to hear it from below and be prepared with a plan when the "bosses" called.

If there weren't errors on drawings, there would be no need for checkers. If there weren't errors in peoples work, there wouldn't be processes to check and verify work.

Don't take yourself too seriously. We all make mistakes and you will too. Learn to laugh at yourself; others sure will.

One of the worst persons I ever worked with was a guy who 'never made mistakes.' He cost me plenty with his "perfect" work.

rmw

 

[lacajun]

•NEVER LIE!

Right on! You will meet people who lie for various reasons and they will try to seduce and/or pressure you into following suit. Don't do it because it is wrong and it does hurt others. Some, sadly, will possess engineering degrees, which does nothing more than sully the reputation of the profession.

 

[SomptingGuy]

The truth can always be reproduced from first priciples, using the original available inputs. Unlike a lie.

- Steve

LinkedIn

 

[europipe]

On the top they always think you're not that smart.

 

[KENAT]

If there weren't errors on drawings, there would be no need for checkers.

What's a checker? I thought they went the way of the DoDo most places.;-)

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[ysm]

* Do not make assumptions.
* Any time you find out an error, document it in your personal notes so that the next time, at least it is not the same kind of error you get busted for.
* If your hand claculations don't match the FEA results then find out why?
* All the data (material properties etc) you obtain, include the source in the report.
* Use CAD (3D) to make sure all the parts of the assembly go together.
* Do not shy away from asking the technicians.