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December 13, 2002
A. To demonstrate that IE graduates have an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering, they should:
Show that they can employ general principles, theories, concepts, and /or formulas from calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, statistics, probability, engineering sciences, and systems engineering in the solution of problems in the industrial engineering field. For a particular problem, students should demonstrate that they can:
Define and describe the pertinent principle, theory, concept, and/or formula;
Explain why it is appropriate to the problem; and
Demonstrate how it has been applied in the solution of the problem.
Examples include:
Properly analyze the results from a simulation study using statistics.
Properly analyze manufacturing operations using factory dynamics principles.
Properly use linear programming to analyze production and service systems.
B. To demonstrate that IE graduates have an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data, they should:
Be able to conduct a statistical study of a given situation. This study consists of five phases: Problem definition, system identification, model formulation, data collection, and statistical analysis. These phases can be reorganized into three, generally referred to as:
Phase I - The Experiment
Statement of the problem
Choice of response or dependent variable
Selection of factors or independent variables
Identification levels of factor: quantitative, qualitative, fixed, random
Definition of experimental conditions
Phase II - The Design
Sample size
Order of experimentation
Randomization method
Statistical model
Phase III - The Analysis
Data collection and processing
Computation of statistics to test hypotheses
Interpretation of results
Be able to apply fundamental principles of experimental design. The three basic principles of experimental design are: (a) replication; (b) randomization; (c) local control. Each principle plays an important role in the development of a significance test. Essentially, a significance test compares variation due to a systematic effect against random variation.
C. To demonstrate that IE graduates have an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs, they should:
Show an appreciation for the design process including the blend of analysis and creativity, the requirement for satisfying multiple, perhaps conflicting objectives, the trait of lacking a single correct answer, and the need for an iterative type approach.
Be able to conduct a design project in a systematic but flexible manner and include at least the following design steps:
Identify the need and opportunity. This involves identifying and understanding the critical issues and determining the overall goal and objective of the project. It often involves assessing relative impact of different projects and setting priorities based on the value that can be derived versus the time and effort required.
Define the structure of the design project to satisfy the identified need. This involves determining the system boundaries, recognizing and differentiating the real and perceived constraints on the problem, and identifying the critical evaluation metrics. It also involves determining the resources (personnel, materials, time, budget, etc.) required to carry out the project and setting up (and then managing) a project plan.
Gather information. This involves determining what information is critical and how best to obtain it. It often requires making tradeoffs between the types of information and the level of detail and making judgments about the value of the information relative to the level of effort and cost required to obtain it.
Generate alternative solutions. This step requires a mix of using analytic tools and software and using creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Understand that a broad range of solutions is desirable.
Evaluate and select the preferred solution(s). Developing a set of evaluation criteria and performance metrics and comparing each of the alternative solutions to these criteria. Realizing that this is not an easy step and that tradeoffs and sacrifices are often required and that the criteria usually must be prioritized, either implicitly or explicitly, and many different prioritizations exist depending on the perspective (operator, manager, executive, environment, society, etc.)
Perform sensitivity analysis on the solution(s). There is typically much uncertainty in the design process. For example, information will be unknown or uncertain or future requirements may be significantly different than planned. Thus, it is critical that some form of sensitivity analysis be conducted to understand the impact of these uncertainties on the solution and to ensure that the selected design is robust over a range of potential scenarios.
Assess the process and decide how to proceed. Often design will be done in iterative phases starting with a rough-cut analysis and moving toward a more detailed design. This process involves several iterations through the steps. The students must be able to assess the process and determine whether to iterate through the process at the same level of detail or narrow the alternatives and proceed to the next level of detail.
Communicate the results of the design. The recommendations and solutions, as well as the design process, must be documented through drawings, models, reports, etc. and presented through various forms and media to the required stakeholders. The stakeholders will typically be interested in different types of information and levels of detail and so different types of communication will be required.
D. To demonstrate that IE graduates have an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams, they should:
Possess an understanding of group dynamics, namely:
How to create a group climate that encourages success,
How to recognize and effectively utilize resources in group activities with minimal amount of activity/task overlap, and
How to use communication strategies for dealing productively with conflicts.
Show that they can participate effectively as team members in long-term group projects, namely:
Cooperating and keeping involved and updated,
Accepting divergent views/opinions,
Encouraging active participation of team members,
Conflict resolution,
Taking leadership roles, and
Show that they can work successfully with people performing a variety of functions within a group by:
Exhibiting respect for people and the diversity in the group,
Accept and incorporate appropriate thoughts/ideas from group members with different perspectives, and
Educating team members and knowledge sharing.
Report and share experiences from the group effort, namely:
Highlight positive experiences, and
Discuss negative experiences and propose ideas to improve productivity and avoiding repetition of the experience for others.
E. To demonstrate that IE graduates have an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems, they should:
Show they can recognize an industrial engineering problem, which is defined as an opportunity for applying industrial engineering tools to improve operational aspects of complex manufacturing, service, and supply-chain systems.
Show they can define and formulate the important elements of an industrial engineering problem in a concrete, quantitative language of engineering and mathematics.
Show they can apply engineering, statistical, and mathematical methods to analyze the problem formulation for the purpose of understanding the qualitative and quantitative behavior of the system and the effects of potential changes made to the system.
Show they can isolate the most critical variables in the system and streamline the problem formulation (e.g. using visual representations) for the purpose of obtaining and communicating a clear, conceptual understanding of the system behavior.
Show they can apply engineering, statistical, and mathematical methods to arrive at appropriate solutions for variables that improve the operation of the system.
F. To demonstrate that IE graduates have an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility, they should:
Demonstrate an ability to make informed ethical choices in solving industrial engineering problems.
Demonstrate knowledge of the industrial engineering professional code of ethics.
Demonstrate an ability to evaluate the ethical dimensions of professional practice in solving industrial engineering problems and implementing solution procedures in industry.
Demonstrate ethical and professional behaviors in dealing with peers, faculty, and sponsors.
Show that graduates have taken and performed adequately in the engineering ethics course.
G. To demonstrate that IE graduates have an ability to communicate effectively, they should:
Exhibit a mastery of the forms of discourse appropriate to the profession of engineering: oral and written project proposal, oral and written progress report, technical report, technical presentation, etc. Depending on the form that is used, students should demonstrate that they can:
Describe the context (institutional and/or technological) of the problem and the significance of that problem within that context (introduction),
describe clearly and precisely the procedures used to solve the problem (methods),
report both verbally and visually the findings (results),
interpret the findings in a way that is appropriate to the audience (discussion), and
propose recommendations for a solution to the problem and justify that solution persuasively (conclusion).
Show that they can summarize technical material in way that is appropriate to a particular audience. Graduates should demonstrate that they can synthesize their own work and work of others in the form of abstracts, executive summaries, and literature surveys.
Show that they can communicate successfully for obtaining and maintaining productive employment. For getting employment, graduates should show that they can write resumes and letters of application and perform capably in a job interview situation. For maintaining employment graduates should show that they can write competent memos, letters, e-mail messages, and various reports (progress, personnel, trips, etc.) and give effective oral presentations to a variety of audiences.
H. To demonstrate that IE graduates have the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context, they should:
Show that they can interpret technical solutions in both a societal (more micro context) and global (more macro context). The societal context might be a particular community, state or even country. The global context might cover more than one community, nation, country, etc. Example impacts might include, but are not limited to, political, economical, religious, environmental, communication, and aesthetic impacts.
I. To demonstrate that IE graduates recognize the need for, and possess the ability to engage in life-long learning, they should:
Demonstrate the ability to use the critical information-seeking tools that enable industrial engineers to continue to stay up to date in the profession. These tools should include Internet resources, professional and technical journals, handbooks, etc.
Show a degree plan in which elective courses have been selected based on professional goals and aspirations.
Demonstrate active involvement in the profession through the membership in engineering societies, achievement and maintenance of professional registration for engineers, involvement in continuing education, etc.
Express, upon graduation, both a full appreciation for the need for and the motivation to pursue further education and training not only in engineering but also in areas outside engineering, math or science.
J. To demonstrate that IE graduates possess a knowledge of contemporary issues, they should:
Show that they have taken and performed adequately in a variety of university courses that are concerned with contemporary issues and/or the context for understanding those issues, including courses in the humanities, performing arts, and social sciences.
Demonstrate the ability to evaluate the socio-economic, political, and environmental implications of proposed technical solutions.
K. To demonstrate that IE graduates possess an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice, they should:
Demonstrate knowledge of state-of-the art computerized procedures for decision-making including, but not limited to, spreadsheet analysis, database management, and general-purpose computer languages.
Demonstrate knowledge of state-of-the art simulation packages.
Demonstrate knowledge in the use of technical library resources and literature search tools.
Demonstrate the ability to engage in an industry-based industrial engineering design experience.
