Weekly Topic Phase 7: The difference between the meanings of Engineering and Design
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This week’s topic was provided by tech discussant Jeffreytang77; thanks to him! What is the difference in meaning between Engineering and Design? Please share your understanding based on your work experience. Everyone is familiar with these two terms, but those who work in different fields of design and have varying levels of understanding of design will surely have very different interpretations of them.
I’ll start by sharing my own understanding. When saying that a structure is over-designed, it means the design is too conservative; for example, too many rebar bars are used in the concrete – in such cases it should be referred to as over-engineered, as the term \"design\" is not appropriate here.
My understanding is that Design focuses on theoretical calculations, while Engineering focuses on practice.
Reply to 2# jeffreytang77: There is indeed over-design, but it doesn’t mean the design is too conservative; rather, it refers to the inclusion of too many unnecessary elements or functions, something like adding extra details that aren’t needed. Overall, engineering focuses on the vertical aspect, while design focuses on the horizontal aspect.
Engineering – focuses on engineering, that is, practical application. Design – focuses on theoretical calculations, still in the idea stage
Reply to 4# jeffreytang77: To facilitate understanding of these two terms, let’s use the design of a pipeline as an example. If 600# pipes are fully sufficient for this pipeline, then using 900# pipes represents over-engineering ； Another issue with this same pipe is that it has an unnecessary valve installed, which is an overdesign.
ENGINEERING, the work that engineers do. The root word is ENGINEER; adding the suffix -ING indicates the work that engineers are capable of doing. It generally refers to engineering as a whole, including various specialized fields such as civil engineering and chemical engineering, as well as various industries such as the chemical industry and the power sector. Design, engineering on paper – the engineering work done on paper – is part of engineering.
Design should involve design research and the concept of conceptual design. Engineering refers to engineering design and construction design.
engineering: engineering, engineering science, engineering design; design: design (in general)； Concept ； Drawings, patterns; engineering design – the field of engineering-related design. In terms of the meaning of “design,” these two terms belong to different categories: handshake
In my work, I’ve come to notice these subtle differences between these two words; I’d like to know if other people sharing this experience feel the same way. 1. Design focuses on scope ； Engineering focuses on the level, at degree 2. Design focuses on the result; engineering focuses on the process. 3. Design focuses on what is involved ； Engineering focuses on the methods, That is, the \"how\". Design is about creating specific concepts ； Engineering is needed to create tangible products. Design involves more innovative thinking ； Engineering relies more on rigorous verification, while discretion is important
Design should be part of Engineering as a whole.