Good and Great - First Who Then What

Welcome back everyone for the next installment in our look at how to apply principles of greatness to the world of CAD and Design.  If you are just joining the conversation you may want to review the previous "Good and Great" postings available in the archive.

The principle of "First Who" as it is described in the book is derived from the fact that all of the companies making the good to great transition discovered and practiced a rather remarkable thing.  It seems that the old adage, "People are a companies most valuable asset." is wrong.  The right people are a companies most valuable asset.

The principle revolves around the idea that if you have a team full of highly capable individuals then that team will be able to adapt more readily to an ever changing environment. 

At first I asked myself, "What exactly is a highly capable person?"  I have known many people who had great skills in one area or another, and yet, they could not grasp any concept outside of their particular realm of experience.  I would not necessarily refer to these people as "Highly Capable". 

In my world I work in many industries regularly, and even more industries irregularly.  So in my world a capable person cannot be strictly a one industry expert.  They must be flexible and quick, with a willingness to always be learning.  But that is just my realm of experience. For a broader perhaps more helpful definition lets reflect on the lessons in the book.

In the first posting "Good and Great" I listed out the three main principles of the book.

Disciplined People

Disciplined Thought

Disciplined Action

A disciplined person arrives to work on time, dresses appropriately for the job, recognizes and follows the rules as a necessary means of being part of the team.  I'm not referring to the robots all around who follow the rules simply because they have no imagination to see beyond them.

I am talking about the rare group of people who understand rules are the common ground that supplies consistency of structure required for people to work together toward a common cause.

Disciplined people recognize the value of their commitment to the team as a whole as well as the goals of the team.

Disciplined thought, is this respect,  is about examining an issue and objectively to determine the best course of action.  A highly capable person can dissect an issue for the purpose of solving it, and not only find the solution but recognize when a problem is untenable.  They can face the brutal fact that there are skills or abilities that they do not poses and then look around them to find the right person to help them.

Disciplined action is the willingness to act on the solution regardless of what it takes.  Like Darwin Smith's decision to sell the mills, disciplined action is to follow the path of excellence without wavering despite the hardship.

If you are in a position like me, you do not have the ability to choose those that you work with or pick the members of you team.  However we still have the ability to choose who discuss issues and solutions with.  A coworker or a friend with keen insight and the traits of a highly capable individual can be a valuable asset.

If you are still having trouble finding the right people to talk and collaborate with I suggest trying your local user group or industry group.  These are great resources for people who are already dedicated to improving their skills and abilities, and they are taking the step of disciplined action to do it by giving up their free time to be with like minded individuals.

That sounds like the beginning of "First Who" thinking to me.

Hello everyone! I just wanted you all to know that I have not dropped off the face of the world!

As many of you know I post new articles on Mondays and Thursdays. However I have been delayed in my series on the application of great principles by a new addition in the family! A baby boy born on Saturday, January 28Th.

I will, without fail, resume my series on Thursday. In the intervening period, I hope that you will take some time to visit the "Good to Great" web site and look through some of the materials available there.

Until then my friends give your inner geek a great big hug and welcome a very small new member into the fold.

Good and Great - Level 5 Leadership

Lets continue on our exploration of the principles learned in the "Good to Great" study.

The first principle discussed in the book is leadership.  Now lets be clear.  The fact that an organization "Has a leader" is not significant.  What the study found is this.

Of the 15 companies that Mr. Collins ad his group studied, all of them had a level 5 leader at the time they began the transition from good to great.  If you don't know what a level 5 leader is then your not alone. 

Mr. Collins gives the following progression of leadership on page 20.

Level 1 - Highly Capable Individual

Makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skill, and good work habits.

Level 2 - Contributing Team Member

Contributes individual capabilities to the achievement of group objectives and works effectively with others in a group setting.

Level 3 - Competent Manager

Organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.

Level 4 - Effective Leader

Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards.

Level 5 - Level 5 Executive

Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.

As I was reading the book I had trouble imagining what a level 5 would look like if I met one, until I began to read the examples.  So let me go through one as quickly as I can without loosing the dramatic impact of the story.

Darwin E. Smith and Kimberly-Clark Corp.

Kimberly-Clark is a paper corporation that in 1971 appointed the in-house attorney, one Mr Darwin Smith, as CEO.  Mr. Smith himself was not sure that the company had decided wisely.  His doubts were reinforced by a director who pulled him aside to remind him that he lacked some of the qualifications for the position.  He was made CEO however and remained in that position for twenty years. 

In 1971 (bNET), under the leadership of Mr. Smith, the company began a climb from paper manufacturing to becoming one of  the worlds leaders in paper based consumables.  Shortly after the beginning of his term as CEO he and his colleges came to the conclusion that the companies primary business of producing coated paper held at best a mediocre future.

Smith ultimately made the bold decision to sell all of the paper mills.  Even the original mill in Kimberly, Wisconsin, the flagship of the company.  A truly gutsy move, stepping outside of the long standing company tradition and investing the money from the sale of the mills into paper based consumables.

A man of stoic resolve and discipline he never wavered in his conviction that selling the mills was the right decision.  Eventually he was proven right.  In 1995 Kimberly-Clark announced a merger with Scott Paper Co. to create a global consumer company with $11 billion dollars in annual revenue.

What kind of leader makes this bold decision?  According to the book he was more likely to be found spending his free time among plumbers and electricians than at the country club.  He reportedly spent his vacations in the cab of a backhoe digging holes and moving rocks.  So if you have never heard of Darwin Smith, don't feel bad.  He probably would have liked it that way.

The Point

Darwin Smith made the decision to sell the mills because he knew that the company and industry had reached it's limit.  There was little possibility of growth and poor competition to drive the company forward.  At the core I believe it was a rejection of the average and the embrace of a grand vision.  Although the scope is different, I understand.

As I look at the way I do my job and production tasks; I have begun to ask, "Where are my mills?"  Where are the things that I have come to rely on that are really there because I am comfortable with them, rather than because they are the best decisions.

I can't tell you where the particular mills are in your world.  However, I would suggest that you ask the following questions.

1. Will a software upgrade and a change in the user interface hamper my ability to work productively?
2. Are the new features and tools not being used because no one knows how to implement them?
3. Is it possible to customize or automate part of the project work flow?
4. Is my company so invested in the current customization that it CANNOT upgrade without a major change in process?

These are not all "sell the mills" type of decisions but they may require a similar attitude to change current behaviors and mentalities.  I have seen all of these things hamper the productivity of drafters that would be great if they would just address their own biases.  Changing a particular way of thinking can be just as dramatic and difficult as Darwin Smith's decision to sell all of the mills and embark in a new direction.

I am not a Level 5 Leader as the book talks about them.  However I would like to be one some day, and perhaps that is a start.  One thing that I do know is this.  I do not have to be the CEO of a major corporation to start thinking in this manner.

The focus should not always be on what is most convenient for me, my employer, or my coworkers.  The best decision is not necessarily even the most obviously convenient for the client or project.  The best decision is the one that rigorously adheres to excellence in all facets.

Good and Great

In the previous two postings the discussion revolved around the tools that I believe should be explored thoroughly for immediate introduction into project workflow.  Then I closed with a couple remarks about competing in an ever changing world.  It is that topic that I would like to explore a little more in this post.

If you have never read the book "Good to Great", by Jim Collins, I highly suggest that you do so.  The insights that it offer are excellent in their clarity and precise in their explanations.  Although this book is about what it takes to make a good company into a great company, I found myself examining more than the company that I work for in light of the book.

I started looking at my department and my coworkers.  More importantly, I began examining my own attitudes towards each of these.  The result was surprising to me, but ultimately encouraging.

Don't misunderstand.  This is not going to be a book review, but rather an exploration into the application of great principles to our daily tasks.

I am going to take a few postings to examine the role that attitude plays in determining an ability to compete and truly become great at whatever we do; but with a focus on CAD and design.

Good is the Enemy of Great

Mr. Collins makes one of his most valuable points on the very first page of his book.  The idea that good is the enemy of great is just this.  We don't have great institutions simply because it is so easy to have an adequate and sufficient organization.  The trap of mediocrity and marginal performance is so easy to become intrenched in.

Consider this for a moment if you will.  The reason that we do not have great schools is because we have so many simply good schools.  How would the school system be different if the focus was to turn out 4.0 straight A students as possible.  Contrast this idea to the current standard of education meeting a minimum standard for graduation.  This would take a nearly radical commitment to the pursuit of of excellence in academics, and that is precisely the point.

Discipline and rigor in the pursuit of excellence is the mark to which many never aspire.

I can easily think of ways that I have settled for mediocrity in my work to hit a deadline or finish my day a little early.  There is nothing wrong with seeking to trim a few minutes or hours off of a process.  It is the sacrifice of excellence that is the problem. 

The lowering of standards in the pursuit of the simply average, that is the offence.

Mr. Collins and his crew of researchers boiled down stacks of data and interviews into a few simple principles.

Disciplined People - Leadership; First Who Then What

Disciplined Thought - ConFront the Brutal Facts, Hedgehog Concept

Disciplined Action - Culture of Discipline, Technology Accelerators

So join me in reflection over the next few posts, and take a look at principles  of greatness applied to the world of CAD and design.

Some Good Tools for Instant Productivity - Part 2

Here we are again, back to round out the list of the top five tools to implement for an instant productivity increase.  If you are just joining into the conversation you might want to take the time to go back and review the previous post entitled, "Some Good Tools for Instant Productivity".  This will help you follow along with the continuation.

In the last posting I covered four of the top five tools everyone should begin to look at and implement.

5. Dynamic Blocks

4. Fields

3. Publish

2. eTransmit

Coming in at the number one position is Sheet Sets and here are the reasons why.

1. Sheet Sets

Introduced in AutoCAD 2005, this is quite simply the most powerful and useful tool that has been introduced into AutoCAD since UNDO or perhaps PURGE.  I know that is a bold statement.  At my company we ask everyone who interviews what their favorite AutoCAD command is, and about 90% of them say UNDO.  (If asked that question don't say UNDO, even if it is true.  Say something else.  Anything else, will help set you apart and encourage conversation so you can show off what you know.) 

A tool that can not only help you streamline the way you organize and work with your drawings, but track details, and publish entire sets of drawings with less than a handful of clicks.  Then pack the entire project up for transmittal to the client or for archival, is definitely among the coolest things ever implemented.

But wait!  That is not everything!  I can also nearly eliminate the need for the OPEN FILE dialog box.  A somewhat necessary evil up until now, who's time has finally come.  Never again will we be forced to browse up and down the project tree looking for the right file!  Only to realize that there are 14 files with the same name and slightly varied versions of the word "old" at the end.

Never again will I sort through an entire set of drawings hunting for a detail call out that has changed.  I will instead use fields in an attributed block and have them update automatically as I change information in my Sheet Set Manager.

So it sounds great so far.  "But what will this wonder tool cost me?", you ask.

My answer is "Nothing."  You already have it.  In fact if is not currently being used and you have a version newer than AutoCAD release 2004 then it has been closed and discarded as one of the, "Annoying windows that pop up when I open my new version."

So open AutoCAD and follow along as I introduce you to the wonders of Sheet Sets that seems to have fallen by the wayside somehow.

Starting a new Sheet Set is quite simple.  From the command line enter SHEETSET.  This will open up the Sheet Set Manager dialog and you will see a drop-down box in the upper left corner that has the word "OPEN..." in it.  Selecting the drop-down and choosing the "New Sheet Set..." option will launch a wizard.

At this point the option is given to create from a Template supplied by Autodesk or from existing drawings.  To complete this process check out this link on the subject.  AutoCAD Insider

Publishing and eTransmit are made even more simple when combined with Sheet Sets.  A right click on the Sheet Set name at he top of the tree will present the user with a wide variety of choices including Publish and eTransmit. 

If publish is selected then a flyout menu will appear.  At the top of the flyout is the most useful feature.  The publish to DWF command will send the entire selection to a multi-sheet DWF file.  (If you are not using DWF yet, it is time to look into it!)  If you try this and things don't look quite like you expect you may need to do a little cleanup on the layout.  Check out this link to learn more.  Autodesk Labs

When eTransmit is selected the entire Sheet Set and the associated files will be populated into the eTransmit dialog box.  From this point the entire process is the same as any other transmittal.

Fields, when combined with Sheet Sets make a powerful tool for reducing time intense intense tasks such as renumbering sheets, revising issue dates, drawn by, and any other information could normally be put in an attributed block.

Check out this link for more information. Robert Green

Closing Thought

The fact of the matter, is this. The fundamental nature of the way we work is changing.  Projects are getting larger and deadlines are moving ever closer to the kick-off meetings. 

The impact is that we as drafters and designers simply must change the way we approach our work flow.  I cannot afford the several hours it may take me to sit and plot a set of drawings one at a time.  In a world where companies can transmit scans to a third world country and have work done for a fraction of what it costs to have an employee or local contractor do it.  We must adapt and prove that efficient and cost effective can be joined with local and knowledgeable to produce a better product.

Leveraging our ingenuity  and the technology at hand is the only way to compete.

Some Good Tools for Instant Productivity

I have talked a lot about keeping up to date.  However, before you can keep up, you have to catch up.  In this posting I will talk about my picks as the best features in AutoCAD to implement for immediate results. 

Here are my top 5 picks:

5.  Dynamic Blocks

Introduced in AutoCAD 2006 these little gems allow the user to change and modify an existing block without altering all of the other block instances in the drawing.  Imagine being able to move or change one feature of a block without having to explode it, or being able to change the appearance of a block entirely.  I have put together a list of sites that offer great tutorials so I will not go into how they work.  Just let me say this.  Check it out! Open up the ToolPallette and go to the Dynamic blocks tab to see a sample of pre-made blocks that can be played with and experimented with.  Between the Lines, Autodesk, Ellen Finkelstein

4.  Fields

Fields arrive on the scene in AutoCAD 2005.  Widely unknown or misunderstood fields have gone unused in most production environments.  These are great for adding into text that you would normally fill with data derived from the drawing.  (i.e. Point Elevation, Area of a closed polyline, Drawing plot date, etc.) 

Just to give a quick example.  While working on MEP (Mechanical Electrical Plumbing) coordination project for a hospital I had to put in elevation tags all over the model.  I wanted it to be standard and adjustable so I created a dynamic block that would allow me to flip,  rotate and stretch the block as needed.  This was great.  It worked like a leader and looked the way I wanted it.  The only problem was that to fill the attribute value I had to copy and paste the Z coordinate from the properties dialog.  Quick enough, but when placing hundreds in a model and then revising the model it became a time consuming task to manage it all. 

By placing a field that displayed the Z coordinate for the block insertion I no longer had to mange the tags beyond making sure that it was in the right place. 

Better yet, I could now use a block that was a management issue, as a modeling tool by placing it in the right place and then drafting to it.  It became a construction item that was actually part of the finished product and an instant QC (Quality Control) tool.

Check out these links for more information on AutoCAD fields: Ellen Finkelstein, cadalyst, CAD Forum

3.  Publish

Publish came out in the AutoCAD 2004 release and what a difference it can make.  If you plot sets of drawings by opening and printing one at a time then you need to start using this tool.  Be warned now.  Publish is an infectious and productivity enhancing tool.  You will, without a doubt, experience praise from your boss and an increased expectation to perform.  Here is how it works.

From the command line enter PUBLISH.  This will open the publish dialog box.  You should see the layouts in your current drawings listed in the dialog box.  From here you can select the whole list and and assign any named Page Setup to the entire list.  By clicking the Add Drawings button it is possible to add the layouts from other drawings into the publish list and then assign a named Page Setup.

If you happen to work for a company where you can simply open a drawing, type plot, and hit enter to send the plot without making any additional changes then you will not need to change the setup from default.  You can just add the file to the Publish list and then run the batch.

Check out these links for more information on AutoCAD Publish: Ellen Finkelstein, cadalyst, CAD Forum

2.  eTransmit

This is a "classic" feature with a new look and more capabilities.  For those of us that have been around for a while we will recognize the main functionality to be the same as Pack'n Go (It has been a long time and I can't remember if that was the way to spell it or not.  If you know what it is then its no problem.  If you don't know what it is, don't bother) 

Here is the way that I use eTransmit to make my life easier.  After all, is that not what CAD is for?  To make MY life easier.  When I get a call from a client asking me to send the 100 page construction set from the architects office to the contractor so they can do take-off's or whatever I have a few options.

Option 1.   I can browse the project folders and grab all of the DWG, tiff, jpg, ctb, and miscellaneous font files that I used in the project. (Boy isn't that fun.)  Then copy them all to one directory so that all of my external references path correctly (As an added bonus. They will never figure out my super secret project folder structure!)  Then put it on a CD, FTP site, or engage in torturing the contractor with a monstrous email attachment that will be so HUGE it will take the better part of the afternoon for them to down load it.  If it goes through at all.  In fact it will will probably be so big that I might CC the client on the email.  Just so they know the task was accomplished and to thank them for eating up several hours of my day of course.

Option 2.  I can copy the entire working folder structure of my project and transmit it using one of the above mentioned options.  Of course if I do this I will get all of the backup files and other digital detritus that a large project produces, probably double my transmittal size and give away my super secret project folder structure.  I know that they will become VERY familiar with my structure for the simple reason that none of the xref files will be found unless I have meticulously maintained all of the relative pathing.  Oh and don't forget to go round up the font files from the AutoCAD fonts directory for any necessary SHX files and the Windows fonts directory for the TTF fonts.

Option 3.  Open one of my project files.  Any file in the project will serve my purposes but I generally choose whatever sheet is first in the set.  Save the file.  Etransmit will not collect a file that has not been saved immediately preceding the eTransmit command.  Then from the menu's pick  File-->eTransmit...

The "Create Transmittal" dialog window will open and you should see a file tree with the current file and any associated xref's, fonts, etc. There are various options for configuration and control.  This can be used to grab everything needed to open, display and plot one file or one hundred files and the steps are pretty much the same. 

All in all this process takes about 10 minutes with a large project and it will even make sure all of your xrefs are pathed properly.  Pretty cool, and what a time saver!

I have attached a link here (Ellen Finkelstein) to an excellent tutorial, and will not go through every step.  I do encourage you to read through and try it a couple times.  You will never look back.

1.  Will be in the next posting!!!

I know it is a little early on to be writing cliffhangers but I just couldn't resist.

Keeping Up With the Tools

It is important, and difficult, in this time of rapidly changing technology to keep up.  I think that most every one will agree with such a bland and obvious statement as that. But what does it really mean?

Should you stay one release behind so that all the bugs are worked out?  Should you always buy and install the newest release immediately?  Is there a happy medium somewhere?  Many people work for a firm or corporation where the decision to upgrade is completely out of their control.  What should they do?

I am not a big fan of the one release behind theory.  In my opinion there has not been a BAD release of AutoCAD since release 13.  If you used it then you know what I am talking about.  In my previous posting I talked about the Shrinking Pie Syndrome and I think that by staying one release behind it is far to easy to fall into that trap.

I often wonder how many of us just click the, "Don't show me this again." option when the new features window pops up the first time you load the newest version.  The number would be large I'm sure.

If you are like me then you want to be able to look at what is not only in the newest release but the next one also.  I want to not only be able to see what I have, but I want to know what is coming down the pipe from the software company in the next release.  I don't want to just be on the leading edge of technology.  I want to be on the "bleeding edge".

  If you don't know how to get a glimpse into the mind of a software developer and your skills of prognostication are not what you would like them to be.  (I always wondered why psychics have these run down looking buildings in the worst part of town.  If I could see the future I would pick a wining stock or two and just retire.)  The best way is to get involved with a local user group (LUG).  Try WWW.AUGI.COM for all of the Autodesk users out there.  The LUG that I am involved with does a "What's new in AutoCAD" with every release.  This is a great opportunity to see the best of the new features in one shot .

The AUGI site can help you find a LUG near you and then you can get involved to whatever extent you are comfortable.

Another good option is to take a class or two from a reseller or a local tech school.  This option is a good one but usually require two thing that most of us do not want to put out.  The first thing is money.  A reseller class can range from $200.00 up to $1000.00 depending on how the class is structured and how much personal attention you want.  The second thing is time.  These classes are almost always during the work day which will require time off from work.

If none of these options appeal to you.  I suggest getting involved in Beta testing program.  Autodesk has a great Beta program that allows you to get a glimpse of the upcoming release for free.  On top of that you actually get to tell them what you like and don't like about the new version!  You can help find the bugs BEFORE they go out into the rest of the world.

They guy who runs this Beta program is Shaan Hurley.  Shaan is a great guy who really cares about the product and the people who use it.  Everyone has to get past him and his team before getting into the Beta program.  The best way to get started is to click here ( myfeedback.autodesk.com ) and sign up.

This is the best option for those who work in an environment where they have no say in when an upgrade takes place.  The Beta program is free. Which is a big plus for the budget minded tech junky.  Then, when Autodesk releases everyone from the nondisclosure that is required, informed suggestions can be made to the powers-that-be regarding upgrading and whether it will help improve the process or not.  (Also, Beta tester looks great on a resume.)

Beta testing can be a fair bit of work, but I think the opportunity to look ahead and plan the integration of new tools and features is well worth the time for those of us who want to stay at the head of the industry.

My personal opinion is that you should upgrade every release and learn all the new features but only implement the ones that will add efficiencies to your daily routine.  A massive overhaul of your companies work flow is usually a major undertaking and a serious pain in the rear.  (Although it can be necessary from time to time.)  The need for this can be drastically reduced by staying with the current release and at least looking at all of the new tools at your disposal.

The Shrinking Pie

Since the quest for knowledge is the purpose of our little get together. Let me pose the question that really nags at me after all these years of working with some of the best and the brightest.

"Why is it that we pay thousands of dollars for software and only use or understand a very small percentage of it?"

I once heard this phenomenon described as the "Shrinking Pie Syndrome" by dave espinosa-aguilar. dave is one of the most knowledgeable and entertaining instructors at Autodesk University and I look forward to them every year. This is how the Shrinking Pie Syndrome works.

The Shrinking Pie Syndrome looks at our total knowledge of our CAD software in terms of a Pie Chart. The whole pie represents everything there is to know about your CAD package. The two slices of the pie represent the things that you know and the the things that you do not know about the software you are using.

When you bought your first seat of (insert favorite or most used CAD software here) and installed it. Most of us sought out some training or read the manual cover to cover to learn everything that we needed to know. Then we spent hours practicing and learning how to use the VERY expensive tool we had to mortgage the house to afford.

After learning all we could. A process was developed to accomplish whatever task actually made us money and allowed us to repay, among other things, the newly acquired mortgage. At this point the "Things I Know" slice is probably quite large. Then the next release came out.

This is where the slice of pie that represents what you know about your CAD software begins to shrink. ( I will refer to AutoCAD produced by Autodesk from here out because that is what I am most familiar with and how I originally heard the analogy explained.)

Some of you reading this may have actually stopped there. Currently you are very contentedly hacking away at projects with your excellent and very stable version of AutoCAD R14 or other sunset version of CAD. I know many of these companies are out there. They are profitable, but they still have not escaped the ever shrinking slice of pie. The world is moving on around them and they are missing out on efficiencies and time/money savings every day.

Those that have upgraded are a slightly better off. We at least have the new tools in our possession. However, if a little time is not allowed to fairly investigate the new tools then I might as well have not spent the money to upgrade. I will probably still use the new version in the same way that I used the old version. And my slice of the pie will continue to shrink until it is just a sliver of the whole.

dave's suggestion is to sit down with a beer (after hours please) and work your way through every command in the manual. This will probably take quite a while. In fact, if you try to do it all in one sitting and drink your way through the manual; I am fairly certain that there will be a trip to the emergency room in your near future. There are literally thousands of commands in AutoCAD and it will require months to go through.

If this is too much of a commitment, (it is for me) then my suggestion is that you sit down with a beverage of your choice, go through one item in the new features tour every day and learn it. This will at least give you the chance to make an informed decision about whether or not the feature is helpful to your process and worth the time to implement.

After all...you bought the pie, and it was expensive. Shouldn't you get to eat the whole thing?

The First Post

A friend convinced me that I need to start writing down my thoughts and ideas concerning CAD and the Engineering world. So, here I am.

You, like me, may be asking yourself, "What is the point of this blog." My simple answer is knowledge. Knowledge of anything that will make our work life more efficient and enjoyable, and perhaps to laugh at ourselves and others as we blunder through our daily routine.

It is said that the first step is the most difficult and, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I guess that would indicate I have started my journey to some unknown place far away. (Although if the first step requires such an effort, and the destination so far away and uncertain, I'm not sure why some people bother to begin with.) So I invite you to follow along as I document my way through the Dilbert like world of CAD, engineering and design.