Chapter #4

ENGINEERING AS SOCIAL EXPERIMENTATION

Engineering AS Social Experimentation

To undertake a great work, and especially a work of a novel type, means carrying out an experiment. It means taking up a struggle with the forces of nature without the assurance of emerging as the victor after the first attack.
Louis Marie Henri Navier (1785 1836)

Titanic Example

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Experimentations??

Is commonly recognized as playing an

essential role in the design process.

Role of Experimentation in the Design Process

Preliminary tests or simulations of

concepts Components and modules tested prior to detailed design Cycle of test and modification through production(Test feedback) Beyond specific elements of design, each project taken in a totality can be viewed as an experiment

Similarities to Standard Experiments

Project carried out in partial ignorance
Parts functionality & availability Luxury of waiting until all relevant facts are in not

available (ability to work with partial knowledge is one talent crucial to an engineers success)

Outcomes of projects are generally uncertain

Unknown risk may attend even a seemingly benign

project

Effective engineering depends on knowledge gained both before and after products are released
Monitoring

Monitoring ?
Is to make periodic observations and test in

order to check for both successful performance and unintended side effects. In-house monitoring that check
Products efficiency. Safety. Cost effectiveness. Environmental impact. Monitoring cannot be limited to in-house development it is also extends to the stage of client use.

Learning from the Past

Product history matters! Respect the past! Can you always know it? Competence, openness to learning. Do not be afraid to ask! Can you know about a competitors safety statistics? Are there good communication channels in your own company? Between different departments? Across generations of engineers? Is there a dangerous generation gap between young and old engineers?

Contrasts with Standard Experiments

Experiment control? Cannot control what humans may do with a product What applications will it be used for? Will they subject it to unforeseen stresses?

Informed consent? (e.g., in medical trials)

Keystone of engineer - public interaction What experiments are acceptable? Keep in mind that there is a large variance on the types of customers you might have. Can they all read?
Knowledge gained? Seek the unexpected!

Informed Consent
Keystone of properly conducted experiments involving human subjects

Main elements:
Volunteerism: absence of force, fraud, or deception Knowledge: all the information needed to make a

reasonable decision (not just what they request) Competence: consenter is competent to process the information and make rational decisions