Automotive design and engineering professional Mike H. was interviewed. Questions regarding misconceptions within the automotive industry were discussed.
There are many common misunderstandings surrounding the Automotive Design and Engineering field. From not understanding the impact that engineering can have on the safety of one's life, to being unable to describe what goes on in a workplace, the average person known little about the daily life on the job of an Automotive Engineer.
Among all questions asked, the most frequently occurring answer involved the way people think that questions are solved. Answers to problems are not similar to those in a textbook. In a textbook, problems have a definitive answer, as in a number or value. Real life situations almost never end this way. When asked about solutions to real life problems, Mike replied "there is almost never a black and white answer to anything. Problems are complex, and one solution will never make everyone happy at the same time. Compromises must be made in order that progress will continue to move forward." For example, (hypothetically) moving jobs from the United States to foreign countries can be a very effective way to make money. From a strictly financial standpoint, this would be ideal. However, there are many more dynamics to this. Shipping jobs over seas creates a large loss of jobs here. This causes not only those living in our own country to suffer, but also a lapse in the local economy. As Mike stated, there is no black and white answer to this problem.
Moving forward, a solution must be given, and a decision must eventually be made. When put in these sort of situations, Mike claims that "it is best to give a range of solutions, not one solution specifically." Taking the example from above and applying this mindset, a solution for the hypothetical situation can be formed. The solution could be something like this, involving actual numbers rather the unknown amounts of jobs or money: If a small amount of jobs were moved over seas, this amount of money would be saved, and this many people would loose their job. If a large amount of jobs were moved, this much more money would be saved and this many more people would loose their jobs. Is this an ideal answer? Not necessarily. But offering a range of solutions is the best way to answer a question with no real solution. The pros and cons of each side of the answer can be weighed, until a final solution is formed.
Sources:
-Cloudsolutions. Digital image. Authorinet. N.p., 1 Jan. 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
-Interview given by Nick's Father
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