Project management and engineering design are two concepts that play a key role in our everyday lives. But what is the relationship between these two disciplines?
What Is Project Management?
When we talk about project management, we refer to the application of processes and skills to ensure that a sequence of related tasks is carried out on time and within budget.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of industries where project management is particularly important:
- Engineering
- Information technology
- Financial services
- Construction
- Energy
What Is Engineering Design?
Engineering design is the organized development and testing (through the use of creativity as well as mathematical and scientific knowledge) of products and processes that perform a desired function within specified limits.
Some common applications of engineering design include:
- Construction of infrastructure (bridge, dams, highways, etc.)
- Developing software
- Designing a new product
- Improving an existing product
The Relationship Between Project Management and Engineering Design
If you take a look at the first list in this post, you’ll notice that engineering is among the industries where project management is used more commonly.
This is no coincidence, as project management and engineering design are complementary disciplines.
At the core of engineering design is the engineering design process, a framework for solving problems using a scientific and iterative approach.
This makes sense, as in many ways engineering design is about solving problems and meeting the needs of end-users.
Now, while engineering design offers a framework and a considerable body of knowledge focused on problem-solving, project management provides tools that ensure that the solutions implemented through engineering design are carried out without unnecessary delays or wasted effort.
Learn More About Engineering Design
Engineering design is a discipline full of interesting stories and bits of information. Below are some previous posts you can read to learn more about this fascinating topic.
- What is a kaizen event?
- What is civil engineering design?
- What is the engineering design process?
- Do good design engineers make good project managers?
Darnell Technical Services is an engineering design firm with extensive experience in a vast array of projects. Our headquarters are located in Santa Ana, California, and we have an office in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Contact us today by telephone (714-285-0082 (CA), 702-945-2899 (NV)) or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to learn more about all the technical instruments and materials we put at your disposal.
