Task 3: The Importance of communication skills for engineers

 “Without clear lines of communication, our ideas would stay within our own small development teams instead of becoming mature products. While this is obvious to those of us who have become experienced engineers, the real question is: Why is it lost to us when we are engineering students?” Akbar R Khan, Software Systems Engineer, USA, "Good Communication Is Essential..." (2014)

“Without clear lines of communication, our ideas would stay within our own small development teams instead of becoming mature products."

In my opinion, what Mr Khan is saying is that, if an engineer has an idea of making a new product or has ways to make something better but only discusses with his or her own team instead of branching out to supervisors, project managers or marketing department, their idea will only be an idea at the end of the day. If one wants to produce something, he or she has to speak up and share with more than just within the team so that with multiple feedbacks and assistance from different perspectives, it will be a proper mature product, from an idea turned into reality. To add on, i feel is more of a personal branding or social networking aspect if he or she wants to bring the idea to reality. With both good personal branding and social networking, people will be able to communicate with the engineer better and help he or she expand the idea and make it into a mature product instead of it just being stuck at just being an idea.

"the real question is: Why is it lost to us when we are engineering students?”

In my opinion, why communication is lost between engineering students is that, students tend to keep things to themselves or within their close circle of friends and just discuss within each other. Another issue as a student is having enough funds for their ideas. In my experience, I've met multiple people that had ideas but didn't branch out as he/she was scared that it wouldn't work or make it that far. Thus, another issue is having limitations due to their beliefs. Most of the issues at hand will be solved once they go through school in which certain modules will help improve and shape the student to be more confident with themselves and open to communicating between strangers and able to finally find the pathway to bring their ideas to reality. These students will be able to join competitions as well, to give exposure to their ideas and if possible acquiring the funds from the competition of which solving one of the issue at hand. In conclusion, these are the reasons of why I think clear lines of communication is lost when we are engineering students.