Transcript ECE 582: Electrical and Computer Engineering Design I

ECE 582: Electrical and
Computer Engineering Design I
Memos, Documentation,
and Team vs. Group
Goals for this lecture
 Documenting Sources
 Memoranda Writing
 Discuss important issues in Team
Writing
 Understand how to make it work
 Discuss teamwork experience to date
Documenting Sources
 Chapter 14 in “Pocket Book of
Technical Writing” by Finkelstein.
Documenting Sources
 When to document sources
 Information is not common knowledge
 Idea used that you did not create
 Why document?
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Give formal credit
Legal requirements
Academic Standards
Establish credibility
How to Document Sources
 Parenthetical documentation
 Source citation in parenthesis/brackets
The development of a requirement specification
described in [2] allows engineers to create
products based on clearly defined criteria
rather than whimsy.
 List of references at the end
 Correspond to citations
 List of sources at the end
 Not cited, but used to develop ideas
Examples
 Books
[1] J. Eric Salt and Robert Rothery, Design for Electrical and
Computer Engineers. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, INC.,
2002.
 Journals
[2] Changku Hwang, “A Very Low Frequency, Micropower, Low
Voltage CMOS Oscillator for Noncardiac Pacemakers,” IEEE
Trans. Circuits and Systems, vol. 42, Nov. 1995, pp 962-965.
 Electronic References
[3] “PIC18F1230/1330 Data Sheet.” Microchip, http://ww1.
microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/39758c.pdf
(Accessed May 1, 2007)
Memoranda Writing
 Chap. 18 Finkelstein
 Less formal than letters
 Often used for interoffice communication
 Also used to document certain events or
agreements
Outline
Date: The date the letter or memo will be sent
To:
Recipient’s name, title
From: Sender’s name and organization/office
(Often is signed or initialed by the
sender)
Re:
Refers to the subject or purpose
Body: First Paragraph: A summary of what will
follow.
Follow-on paragraph(s): Supporting
materials and explanations
Summary paragraph: Either a summary, a
final pitch, or a line that invites a response.
Teams vs Groups
Work Groups
 Share space, interact frequently,
personally acquainted
 Low interdependence to get work done
 Meetings focus on:
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Sharing information
Perspectives
Best practices
Discussing problems
Teams
Work Teams
 Assembly of people with complementary
skills
 Committed to common purpose and goals
 Mutual accountability (team members
responsible for results other than their
own)
Groups II
 May unintentionally work at cross
purposes
 Members may compete
 Sum of whole = the sum of the potential
of individual participant
Teams II
 Work products/services require joint efforts
 Decide among themselves how to proceed
to accomplish work
 Synergistic benefit
 Sum of whole > the sum of the potential
of individuals
Team Writing
 Motivation
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Grades
Interest
Graduation
Experience – something to talk about
in a job interview
Future Team Tasks
 Designate a team leader
 Qualified
 Listens to other members
 Ensure consistency
 Keep project on track
Team Tasks II
 Identify skills of team members
 Courses taken
 Abilities / Interests
 Assign project areas – who is
responsible for what
 Project work……
Team Tasks III
 Document Assembly
 Individuals write sections of document for their
assigned areas
 Team Writer integrates, modifies, rewords, or
smoothes out to create a draft report
 All team members review entire document
 Independent review
 Understand complete system
 Correct problems found in review
 Create final report
Teamwork Discussion
 What has been effective?
 What problems have been
encountered?
 How were you able to resolve
problems?