Decisions: An Engineering and Management Perspective

DECISIONS examines the issues required to stimulate new thinking for improving the decision-making process and achieve higher project success rates for all managerial levels.

This book considers what it takes to convert the macro decision into a positive outcome; to resolve the gap that exists between the macro and subsidiary decisions; to understand why so many decisions fail to meet expectations; to direct the mindset of the engineering community to focus on its relation to other organizational units; to perform diligently the up-front work required to meet objectives; to stop squandering valuable talent and resources; to urge engineers and other discipline professionals to take a more business-oriented approach in participating in the organization's decision-making process; lastly, to not only recognize the importance of and the role of communication in all decision-making processes, but to initiate appropriate communication processes.

The author addresses these topics which encompass macro and micro decisions by:

• Presenting critical decisions that need to be addressed in conjunction with preparations for making the macro decision

• Including simple illustrations and case studies to aid the process of decision-making

• Highlighting research related to problems associated with meeting requirements, schedule, and cost

• Presenting a share of factors, e.g. global economy, global participation, and global access to human and physical resources that add layers of complexity and are too often neglected

The author tackles the challenges changing the mindset of engineering and its managers, and convincing executive level management to pursue to the up-front work with greater diligence prior to making commitments.