Design and Engineering: A Classification and Commentary

Abstract

There are myriad understandings of design that have evolved over time and vary by the industries and disciplines that practice it. In the engineering context, design is often described as a process or problem-solving ability. Through interviews with 12 experienced engineers, it was found that there are diverse understandings of the relationship between design and engineering. This qualitative study presented a classification of their perspectives through three emergent categories: the relationship between design and engineering, the proportion of design tasks within a job, and the level or stage of development where design occurs. A synthesis of the data revealed that engineers demonstrate an ownership of design within engineering and there are diverse understandings of how design occurs within engineering. The implications of these findings were discussed and recommendations were offered for engineering educators, researchers, and industry. Engineering educators can help prepare designers as catalysts to produce a more inclusive, holistic, and sustainably minded profession.