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U4 Managing A Professional Engineering Project

1. This unit introduces students to techniques for successfully creating and managing an engineering project to solve an identified problem. 2. Students will consider the roles and responsibilities of professional engineers, and learn how to plan, execute, monitor and adapt their project plans. 3. The unit covers topics such as project management stages, devising solutions, communication skills, and producing and presenting a project report reflecting on the outcomes of each stage.

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Noel Jennings
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170 views8 pages

U4 Managing A Professional Engineering Project

1. This unit introduces students to techniques for successfully creating and managing an engineering project to solve an identified problem. 2. Students will consider the roles and responsibilities of professional engineers, and learn how to plan, execute, monitor and adapt their project plans. 3. The unit covers topics such as project management stages, devising solutions, communication skills, and producing and presenting a project report reflecting on the outcomes of each stage.

Uploaded by

Noel Jennings
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 4: Managing a Professional

Engineering Project

Unit code A/615/1478

Unit type Core

Unit level 4

Credit value 15

Introduction
The responsibilities of the engineer go far beyond completing the task in hand.
Reflecting on their role in a wider ethical, environmental and sustainability context
starts the process of becoming a professional engineer – a vial requirement for career
progression.
Engineers seldom work in isolation and most tasks they undertake require a range of
expertise, designing, developing, manufacturing, constructing, operating and
maintaining the physical infrastructure and content of our world. The bringing
together of these skills, expertise and experience is often managed through the
creation of a project.
This unit introduces students to the techniques and best practices required to
successfully create and manage an engineering project designed to identify a solution
to an engineering need. While carrying out this project students will consider the role
and function of engineering in our society, the professional duties and responsibilities
expected of engineers together with the behaviours that accompany their actions.
Among the topics covered in this unit are: roles, responsibilities and behaviours of a
professional engineer, planning a project, project management stages, devising
solutions, theories and calculations, management using a Gantt chart, evaluation
techniques, communication skills, and the creation and presentation of a project
report.

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Specification – Issue 7 – October 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020 119
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to conceive, plan, develop
and execute a successful engineering project, and produce and present a project
report outlining and reflecting on the outcomes of each of the project processes and
stages. As a result, they will develop skills such as critical thinking, analysis, reasoning,
interpretation, decision-making, information literacy, and information and
communication technology, and skills in professional and confident self-presentation.
This unit is assessed by a Pearson-set theme. The project brief will be set by the
centre, based on a theme provided by Pearson (this will change annually). The theme
and chosen project within the theme will enable students to explore and examine a
relevant and current topical aspect of professional engineering.
*Please refer to the accompanying Pearson-set Assignment Guide and the
Theme Release document for further support and guidance on the delivery of
the Pearson-set unit.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit students will be able to:
1. Formulate and plan a project that will provide a solution to an identified
engineering problem.
2. Conduct planned project activities to generate outcomes which provide a solution
to the identified engineering problem.
3. Produce a project report analysing the outcomes of each of the project processes
and stages.
4. Present the project report drawing conclusions on the outcomes of the project.

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Essential Content

LO1 Formulate and plan a project that will provide a solution to an identified
engineering problem

Examples of realistic engineering based problems:


Crucial considerations for the project
How to identify the nature of the problem through vigorous research
Feasibility study to identify constraints and produce an outline specification

Develop an outline project brief and design specification:


Knowledge theories, calculations and other relevant information that can
support the development of a potential solution

Ethical frameworks:
The Engineering Council and Royal Academy of Engineering’s Statement of
Ethical Principles
The National Society for Professional Engineers’ Code of Ethics

Regulatory bodies:
Global, European and national influences on engineering and the role of the
engineer, in particular: The Royal Academy of Engineering and the UK
Engineering Council
The role and responsibilities of the UK Engineering Council and the Professional
Engineering Institutions (PEIs)
The content of the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence
(UKSPEC)
Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer and Engineering Technician

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Specification – Issue 7 – October 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020 121
International regulatory regimes and agreements associated with professional
engineering:
European Federation of International Engineering Institutions.
European Engineer (Eur Eng)
European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education
European Society for Engineering Education
Washington Accord
Dublin Accord
Sydney Accord
International Engineers Alliance
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Engineers Agreement

LO2 Conduct planned project activities to generate outcomes which provide a


solution to the identified engineering problem

Project execution phase:


Continually monitoring development against the agreed project plan and adapt
the project plan where appropriate
Work plan and time management, using Gantt chart or similar.
Tracking costs and timescales
Maintaining a project diary to monitor progress against milestones and
timescales

Engineering professional behaviour sources:


Professional responsibility for health and safety (UK-SPEC)
Professional standards of behaviour (UK-SPEC)

Ethical frameworks:
The Engineering Council and Royal Academy of Engineering’s Statement of
Ethical Principles
The National Society for Professional Engineers’ Code of Ethics

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122 Specification – Issue 7 – October 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
LO3 Produce a project report analysing the outcomes of each of the project
processes and stages

Convincing arguments:
All findings/outcomes should be convincing and presented logically where the
assumption is that the audience has little or no knowledge of the project process

Critical analysis and evaluation techniques:


Most appropriate evaluation techniques to achieve a potential solution
Secondary and primary data should be critiqued and considered with an
objective mindset
Objectivity results in more robust evaluations where an analysis justifies a
judgement

LO4 Present the project report drawing conclusions on the outcomes of the
project

Presentation considerations:
Media selection, what to include in the presentation and what outcomes to
expect from it. Audience expectations and contributions
Presentation specifics. Who to invite: project supervisors, fellow students and
employers. Time allocation, structure of presentation
Reflection on project outcomes and audience reactions
Conclusion to report, recommendations for future work, lessons learned,
changes to own work patterns

Reflection for learning and practice:

former considers the research process, information gathering and data


collection, the latter the quality of the research argument and use of evidence

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Specification – Issue 7 – October 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020 123
The cycle of reflection:
To include reflection in action and reflection on action
How to use reflection to inform future behaviour, particularly directed towards
sustainable performance
The importance of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in refining on-
going professional practice

Reflective writing:
Avoiding generalisation and focusing on personal development and the research
journey in a critical and objective way

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124 Specification – Issue 7 – October 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass Merit Distinction


LO1 Formulate and plan a project that will provide a D1 Illustrate the effect of
solution to an identified engineering problem legislation and ethics in
developing the project
P1 Select an M1 Undertake a feasibility
plan
appropriate study to justify project
engineering based selection
project, giving reasons
for the selection
P2 Create a project
plan for the
engineering project
LO2 Conduct planned project activities to generate D2 Critically evaluate the
outcomes which provide a solution to the identified success of the project plan
engineering problem making recommendations
for improvements
P3 Conduct project M2 Explore alternative
activities, recording methods to monitor and
progress against meet project milestones,
original project plan justify selection of chosen
method(s)
LO3 Produce a project report analysing the LO3 & LO4
outcomes of each of the project processes and
D3 Critically analyse the
stages
project outcomes making
P4 Produce a project M3 Use appropriate critical recommendations for
report covering each analysis and evaluation further development
stage of the project techniques to analyse
and analysing project project findings
outcomes
LO4 Present the project report drawing conclusions
on the outcomes of the project

P5 Present the M4 Analyse own


project report using behaviours and
appropriate media to performance during the
an audience project and suggest areas
for improvement

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Specification – Issue 7 – October 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020 125
Recommended Resources

Textbooks
PUGH, P. S. (1990) Total Design: Integrated Methods for Successful Product Engineering.
Prentice Hall.
STRIEBIG, B., OGUNDIPE, A. and PAPADAKIS, M. (2015) Engineering Applications in
Sustainable Design and Development. Cengage Learning.
ULRICH, K. and EPPINGER, S. (2011) Product Design and Development.
5th Ed. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Journals
Journal of Engineering Design.

Links
This unit links to the following related units:
Unit 34: Research Project
Unit 35: Professional Engineering Management

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126 Specification – Issue 7 – October 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020

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