Engineering and Business Data Communications
Course Overview for Masters of Engineering in Professional Practice
University of
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/
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
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.