Engineering's Unwritten Rules

When I was at a large company managing diesel engine testing and development, my director passed along the following document he called "Engineering's Unwritten Rules". It really resonated with me because it solidified so many thoughts I had had for years.

I suspect many engineers have a similar story of documents like this being passed down through the (workforce) generations, because through some googling I found out that this was actually someone's summary of a series of three articles from 1944 by W. J. King, originally published in Mechanical Engineering magazine as "The Unwritten Laws of Engineering". (The full document has since been made available for purchase via ASME and includes some modern updates. A scanned older version is also available on Google Books.)

Regardless, what I received years ago was a nice document on its own, though was surely modified by a few people over the decades. It focuses on the first portion of the original article series, on the successful behaviors of new engineers. It is presented here with minimal modification [with additions by Mike in brackets]:

A summary of The Unwritten Laws of Engineering for new engineers

1. There is always a premium upon the ability to get things done, typically a combination of:
1. Energy
2. Resourcefulness
3. Persistence
2. In carrying out a project, do not wait for co-workers, vendors, or others to do what you need; go after them and keep after them.
1. It is not sufficient to place an order and then sit back and wait for delivery
2. Jobs require expediting: planning, investigating, promoting, and facilitating every step in the process.
3. Look for ways around obstacles.
4. Do not become overzealous to the point where you become obnoxious and antagonize everyone. But do be a persistent and a polite irritation.
3. Avoid indecisiveness
1. Make quick decisions [when the opportunity arrives] based on well thought-out plans [that were made ahead of time]
2. Always have a backup plan if the decision turns out to be incorrect
3. Getting 10 good things done always outweighs 1 great thing
1. [aka: "done is better than perfect" and "the perfect is the enemy of the good"]
4. Never base your opinion on “which way the wind is blowing”; do what is right
4. Don’t be timid, speak up and express yourself and promote your ideas.
1. Never think that your job is simply to do what you are told
2. There are times that it is prudent to keep your mouth shut, but as a rule, it pays to express your point of view. It is your duty to tell your boss what you think is best but then it is your obligation to do what you are asked to do even if you think it is not the best way.
3. Overly quiet individuals may be credited with having nothing to say
4. Frequently no one is sure how a matter should be handled; often the first definite and plausible proposal is adopted
5. Often the individual who speaks knowingly and confidently about a matter will end up with the assignment. If you don’t want the job, keep your mouth shut.
5. Don’t assume your job is just what is on an organization chart
1. People are valued for getting done what needs to be done and not being rigid about what work they think is their responsibility
2. Your ultimate goal is to do whatever is needed to keep the company running; your paycheck depends on it.
6. Before asking for approval of any major action, have a definite plan worked out to support it.
1. Develop well-considered proposals, not half-baked schemes
7. Strive for conciseness and clarity in oral or written reports
1. Executives are busy. Don’t take a half hour of rambling discourse to cover a subject that could be covered in 5 minutes.
2. Once people are in agreement with you, stop talking
3. If you are asked to hurry through a presentation then do so. Don’t be insulted it is nothing personal against you. You will make a good impression by listening and doing what is asked of you.
4. Convey a maximum amount of information in a minimum amount of time. Tell them what they need to hear, ask if they have any questions and then quickly move on. You and they have more important things that need to be done.
8. Be accurate in your statements.
1. If you don’t know the answer don’t guess. Tell them when you can get back to them with the correct answer and make sure you follow up and get it to them before they ask again.
2. Never submit a report without carefully checking it to make sure it is logical and done correctly. Showing sloppy work with mistakes and illogical conclusions makes a very bad impression.
9. Always keep a daily and weekly list of tasks that need to be done
1. Every time you make a promise be sure it is on your list and done when promised. If you find you need more time than you thought, be sure to let the person know that you need a little more time. Don’t let the deadline slip past when you promised without following up with the person expecting it.
2. Every time you ask for someone else to do something make sure it is on your list and you follow up multiple times before it is due to ensure it gets done
3. Never go anywhere or do anything without having this list with you
4. Make sure you have specific goals each day that need to be done. There should be enough on your daily list that you cannot get it done. This ensures you are working with a lot of energy and enthusiasm
5. [Each day identify one thing you can do that will have the greatest impact and then do it first (see my comments on Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy).]
10. One of the first things you owe your boss is to keep him (her) informed of all significant developments
1. Never let your boss get surprised on something you already know. This potentially makes your boss look like they don’t know what is going on in their own group. It is easier to deal with difficult issues earlier rather than later. This is because you have more time and less outside "help" which gives more options for a solution.
2. It is always difficult to know how much detail the boss wants; work with your boss to find a happy medium.
3. Your boss is often required to explain/defend your activities to others so keep them informed.
4. Timeliness of information is important. Sooner is usually better.
11. Whatever the boss wants done takes priority always
1. The boss usually has a good reason for wanting his priorities done first and it may not be obvious or logical to you
2. Your performance on these assignments will have a significant bearing on your performance rating
3. If you find a problem with the assignment because of subsequent information, inform the boss to make sure what you are doing is still value-added.
12. Do not expect the boss to think for you or blindly follow the boss’s lead
1. Do not plague the boss incessantly for minute directions and approvals
2. Do not surrender all initiative and expect the boss to think for you. You should anticipate what is needed based on previous assignments and do what is needed without being asked.
3. Do not persist in carrying through a design or program after new evidence has proved the original plan wrong
4. Programs are typically more tentative than they are sacred. If a better solution or way exists then realign to the new plan. Always keep optimizing the plan; being too rigid can compromise the true intended results.
13. Never let processes dictate timing or results
1. Understand the intent for the process and always follow the spirit that drove the need for the process.
2. Processes are always put in place to try and force the correct result. Use common sense and get results and people in charge will rarely question why a process wasn’t strictly followed.
3. Follow “the spirit of the law” not necessarily “the letter of the law”

Conclusion

I can't believe how well these concepts have held up over decades! Every one of these points could launch a larger discussion, and in talking with a few others, I confirmed that these "rules" apply to just about every profession that calls for an employee to think for themselves and be conscientious. These are definitely points that every new engineer needs to internalize and that every established engineer needs to be reminded of on occasion.

What might still be missing from this list?

Mike