Engineering Approaches

Engineering approaches are the sets of engineering processes that have been distilled from years of engineering practices throughout the profession. Prototyping is perhaps the most fundamental engineering process since the profession's inception. Engineering products typically progress through multiple stages: concept, design, prototype, validation, manufacturing, mass production, and service. Staging organizes these steps into distinct development phases. In engineering practice, the requirements are typically compiled into a document called design specifications, or simply specifications. Segmentation involves dividing system components into manageable units for design, testing, and final assembly. Documentation impacts multiple aspects of engineering with strict timing requirements. The interdisciplinary nature is fundamental to engineering success—each contributing discipline becomes essential to the final outcome. Contemporary engineering pursues cost-effectiveness due to its practical nature, distinguishing it from pure science. Reliability has been a long-standing value for engineering products, without which engineering may not have survived as a business.