Future Skills week: User-centric design 'has to be in the DNA of engineers'

Today, concepts such as user-centric design or human-centred design are probably best associated with software development. However, the term ‘design thinking’ was not popularised by a coder at Google or Uber, but by a professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University in the late 1950s. In his book Creative Engineering, John E Arnold advocated a more human-centred approach to industrial design, which involved reframing the design process as a problem-solving exercise – one that fundamentally requires creativity and an understanding of human behaviour. 

According to Canterbury Christ Church University Professor Mohamed Abdel-Maguid, modern consumers are not merely purchasing an artefact when they set out to buy a new car or piece of high-spec machinery. They are actually buying the experience of operating it, too. “As human beings, we expect whatever we buy to work our way and deliver what we want,” he says. “That is a major change in terms of design philosophy – but it’s required if I want to put a competitive product on the market.”

Even NASA started hiring user experience (UX) designers at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California around 2013. The aim of the space agency’s Human Centered Design Group is to create intuitive user interfaces in support of space exploration, as well as researching potential modes of human-robot interaction. While a UX designer is not necessarily an engineer, engineers must approach a project – whether it’s building a suspension bridge or a spacecraft – with end-users in mind. 

Changing the DNA

“Many people won’t know what processor is in their MacBook or iPhone – they’re focused on their experience, because that’s what they’re buying, not the technical specs,” says Abdel-Maguid. “So user-centric design skills are now quite crucial. They have to be in the DNA of the engineer.”

Case study: Alexandra Mather

Engineers working on large civil projects must be especially mindful of accessibility and inclusivity – ensuring that infrastructure works for all people who use it. This is why Alexandra Mather, a graduate civil engineer working on the bridges team at the Manchester branch of the consultancy WSP, is passionate about diversity in the engineering workforce. She is currently working in the project management team for the delivery of a set of railway asset inspections and assessments for Network Rail.

“Because civil engineers are designing things for the population, which has a 50/50 gender split, the workforce designing these projects should also have a 50/50 split,” she says. “But that could also extend to every identity group – including different races, religions and disabilities.”

A fascination with “very mechanical, traditional engineering” led Samuel Smith, now a mechanical engineer at the Ministry of Defence’s AWE research facility, to the sector. “Similar to a lot of engineers, I was attracted to the profession because of a fascination with how things work,” he says. Although he’s admittedly most interested in the design side of the field, he urges other engineers to connect concepts with industrial realities.

“I’d say my most valuable learning experience to date has come from getting to closely observe the manufacturing process,” he adds. “Skills in using design and engineering software will only become more and more vital in the future, but so will the ability to visualise and understand the manufacturing of a component.”

Join IMechE and Professional Engineering at THE virtual fair for early engineering careers and find your perfect job! Register for EngRec 2021 FREE today.

Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.