Design -- what does it include? -- The involvement of the design engineer can be narrow or broad. I am comfortable working at any level of involvement and I look forward to an opportunity to help you reach your goals.

As a consultant it is important for me to gain an understanding of the level of involvement you require of me. Even the simplest design requires hundreds or even thousands of decisions at various levels and across many disciplines. Design is not something that simply takes place on the desk or at the workstation of an engineer.

Without question, the design must meet the functional requirements. The product must perform it's function using the available power source and within the intended operating environment. It must fit within some physical dimensions. It must accept some inputs and produce some outputs....It could be that simple but it seldom is unless an incredible effort and attention to detail has been applied to the specification process.

Additionally, and in my opinion equally important, there is a long list of additional requirements that must be considered part of the design effort. They must be considered part of the design effort because they either impact many of the detail decisions of the design process or the detail decisions of the design process impact them.

There are:

• Cost and schedule goals.
• Requirements of the physical design; mechanical engineering, housing, physical interface, electrical interface, mounting, clearance of components, etc.
• Requirements of other departments; preferences of purchasing, manufacturing, testing, distribution, and field support.
• Document requirements of many types; engineering, manufacturing, test reports, service, sales.
• Considerations about the intended product life span in relation to the technologies chosen; are the chosen components likely to be available for the expected manufacturing period and will they also be available for repair purposes for the intended life of the product?
• Considerations about environmental implications of the technologies and manufacturing methods dictated by the design.
• Forward looking concerns about the disposition of the product at the end-of-life.

My experience has prepared me for involvement at any, or all, of these levels and in co-operation with the many disciplines involved with product development.