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Book Content

The book includes both technical engineering and team skills recognising that although technical expertise in a product design engineering team is indispensable it is only part of what is needed to make the team successful, with fellow engineers needing to work together effectively. The book also considers the need for an engineering team leader to manage change and take full advantage of the talents of individual team members. The team skills covered in the book are referred to as People Skills. 

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The Technical Skills are introduced in the context of a 4-Phase Failure Mode Avoidance Framework that promotes coherent information flow within, and between, phases.

Mind Map of Technical Skills composed of graphics and text. Map divided into quadrants with 4 Phase Failure Mode Avoidance Framework at the core; Phase 1: Function Analysis, Phase 2: Failure Analysis, Phase 3: Failure Prevention, Phase 4: Design Verification. Top Left Phase 1 branch with System State Flow Diagram, Boundary Diagram, Function Tree and Interface Analysis sub branches. Bottom left Phase 2 branch with Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, Function Fault Tree and Interface Analysis sub branches. Bottom right Phase 3 branch with Vigilance, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, Robustness Strategies and Noise and Control Factor Table sub branches. Top right Phase 4 branch with Noise and Control Factor Table and Design Verification testing sub branches.

The People Skills are used in synergy with the technical skills and introduced in the context of effective meetings.

Mind Map of People Skills composed of graphics and text. Map divided into quadrants with Effective Meeting Process flowchart at the core. Top left: Knowledge with Explicit, Tacit and Visualisation branches. Top Right: Communication Skills; Listening, Restatement, Speaking, Framing, Questioning for Clarification and Questioning for Information branches. Bottom Right: Attribution and Attitudes branches. Bottom Left: Feedback with Evaluative and Descriptive branches.

The Technical and People Skills are embedded within a fictitious story-line giving the book a structure that makes it straight forward to read. 

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