Tie down the variables

EE-Evaluation Engineering, March, 2007 by Vern Nelson

"Make sure you have a clipboard and paper to take notes on." Those were the instructions Joe Fields gave me shortly after I joined Ford Motor Company as a project test engineer many years ago. We were preparing to show the general manager of the Ford Car Division a new electrical system in a prototype vehicle. We had a 15-minute window for our demo.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Joe knew the GM was a no-nonsense person who used his time wisely, and if he said changes were needed in our proposed system, it was vital someone made careful notes on what he wanted. If not, the executive engineering manager, the chief engineer, the section engineering manager, and I would have a major problem. When we released the vehicle into production, it had to have the changes the GM requested.

Making notes and using them have been part of my engineering work, editorial career, and personal life ever since. It's all part of making sure I "tie down the variables." This seems pretty low tech, but believe me, it is critical.

In the early days of Evaluation Engineering, I attended IEEE shows juggling a tape recorder in one hand and a briefcase in the other. Those were the days before recorders had cassettes or micro cassettes. The box I lugged around measured approximately 10" x 10" x 3", had tape recording spools measuring about 3" in diameter, and had a microphone separate from the main unit. Perhaps it was a bit inconvenient at times, but I used that machine constantly. It was a real time-saver when I interviewed engineers and product managers about new developments at their companies. After a few trade shows, I became known as "the guy with the recorder."

Information recorded on those tapes became the basis for articles that appeared in EE. Then, and now, accuracy in technical reporting is essential in this business. The recorder makes sure we have accurately tied down all the variables.

When EE started, the United States was ramping up for the space age. One of the critical variables that NASA dealt with was and is systems reliability. MTBF (mean time between failure) and MTTF (mean time to failure) were variables used to measure the reliability of parts and systems. We don't hear these terms discussed much today which attests to the improvement in the reliability of electronic systems. The evaluation process works!

The technology has changed drastically over the years, but the philosophy has not. From its first issue 45 years ago, EE has--and will be--a magazine that ties down all the variables for you. I recommend that you make sure to have a clipboard and paper, tape recorder, or PDA to take notes and tie down the variables.

Thanks for allowing EE in print and online to be your source of information that helps you engineer very successful products and services.

Cordially,

Vern Nelson

Publisher