Engineering/Business Data Communications Course Description

Course Overview for Masters of Engineering in Professional Practice

College of Engineering

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Bruce Elbert, Adjunct Assistant Professor

Engineers use technology to get their jobs done and to coordinate work with others on a project or in the enterprise. Traditional methods include writing reports, talking on the telephone, sending memos and holding meetings. The fax machine followed by email provided some more capabilities, as did video conferencing and scheduling systems. But there is a lot more to engineering communications in that we generate a lot of data which needs to be processed, shared and improved. Examples include CAD/CAM, manufacturing data systems and wireless data acquisition. The integration of all of these into a cohesive system for doing work is what EBDC is about.

Telecommunications and Information Technology provide the infrastructure for doing the above. The IT or Information Services department of companies and government agencies is responsible for delivering these capabilities throughout the organization. Because engineering and manufacturing are but a part of the IT responsibility, it is possible that our unique requirements may not receive the priority they deserve. Bridging this gap is a main objective of EBDC.

As science majors, engineers have all of the technical foundation they need to understand the basics of data communications. Building on Network Skills for Remote Learners, you will move to the next level in terms of your home network as well as the networks found within your organization. You will conduct your own tour of the network at your company and provide a report on its purpose and construction. These will be shared, which is an excellent opportunity to compare how different companies go about this challenge.

Aside from cables and radio waves, data communications must focus on the processing, presentation and storage of the data itself. This is the role of complex software systems that have become the norm in major organizations. Enterprises are moving to comprehensive software called Enterprise Resource Planning, and engineers are automating processes using improved data management systems and custom software for the special needs of their industries. Sometimes, these must be brought together.

Our last segment deals with engineering collaboration and concurrent engineering. EBDC provides structure and methodology for extending the coverage of your team to others who cannot be physically present. This is precisely how MEPP works, and you will use your distance education tools to conduct team projects in areas of interest to you and your colleagues.

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