Writing Assignment #3 - F23 - IE 20000 (1)
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IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar
Fall 2023
Writing Assignment #3
Due Date: December 7
th
by 11:59 PM EST
For this writing assignment, the following learning objectives and areas will be covered:
Learning Objectives:
1.
Have a good understanding of the Purdue IE program;
2.
Have a good understanding of the field of industrial engineering; and
3.
Have a good understanding of basic engineering ethics.
Areas of Reflection:
1.
Knowledge of the School of IE (e.g., program requirements, history, etc.);
2. Knowledge of the discipline
3. Personal and professional development
Assignment requirements:
1.
Should be submitted in Brightspace as a single document with your name at the top. The
organization of the document is up to the student, but the prompts chosen must be clearly
identified.
2. There will be a total of five (5) writing prompts that connect to the areas and learning
objectives listed above. At least one prompt must be selected from each area of reflection.
a. The first prompt for each writing assignment is reflecting on the corresponding
required Mentor Discussion (e.g., the first prompt for Writing Assignment #1 will
reflect on Mentor Discussion #1).
b.
The remaining four (4) prompts can be chosen from the selection of prompts listed
below.
3.
The document must include a bibliography of resources used in reflecting on the prompts.
You are expected to follow an accepted standard for formatting the citations (APA, IEEE,
etc.) For information on citation format please visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL):
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html
4.
You may propose your own reading resources or prompt(s) to replace one or more of the
four (4) selective prompts, but they must be approved by the instructional staff at least two
(2) days before the writing assignment deadline.
*Note: prompts are in no particular order.
Mandatory Mentor Discussion Reflection:
1.
What did you and your mentor group discuss?
2.
How did your perspective and/or opinions differ from others in your group?
3.
What did you learn and how might you implement this new knowledge in the future?
IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar
Fall 2023
Select 4 prompts from the following two areas, with at least one prompt from each area.
Prompts for Area 1: Knowledge of the School of IE
1.
What is
IISE
? How does the student chapter serve the Purdue IE community?
2.
What are examples of available semester exchange programs for IEs at Purdue?
3.
Describe how Purdue is attempting to ReThink IE.
4.
Pick two IE faculty whose research interests you.
a.
In what area do they perform research? This question could be answered by
considering how they state their own research interests, or in the context of the
categories outlined in the ReThink Initiative webpage
1
(Note: copying and pasting
the faculty’s description of their research is not acceptable)
b.
Describe why their research is of interest to you.
5. Comment on the following:
a.
Given what you have identified as a prospective career aspiration, what do you
expect to need to have as a core skill set before you graduate?
b.
Based on your perception of the School of IE at Purdue, what are available
options and resources that can be leveraged to build this skill set? (Answering
this will likely require some searching around the IE website, and other sources
you can obtain on your own, such as the
IISE website
).
c.
What do you perceive as barriers to building the skill set?
Prompts for Area 2:
Knowledge of the discipline
Note: For some of these prompts, you would want to have your own definition of IE, or use the
perspective of the School
to inform your responses.
1.
Consider the article “The chameleons of engineering” by Howenstein
2
. Why did you
select IE as a major? How does it correlate with the description of IEs given in the
article?
2.
IE is known to have a different technical focus than many of the other engineering
disciplines. Based on the perspective of the presenters (at the point of submitting this
assignment), how might it impact your career?
3.
How does an IE background provide a springboard to higher level business roles such
as COO/CEO?
4.
Consider the article “The calm and the chaos” by Denton
3
and the perspective of the
presenters (at the point of submitting this assignment). Why are IEs uniquely suited to
work between functions, and how might that lead to potentially “uncomfortable”
situations that require skill to navigate successfully.
5.
One subarea of IE is known as “Operations Research” (OR). Visit the website:
https://www.informs.org/Resource-Center/INFORMS-Student-Union/Career-FAQs#Q1
,
which contains an FAQ about OR (and the related topic of Analytics). Pick one or two
sections and highlight what you find most interesting about the application of
OR/Analytics to real-world problems.
1
https://engineering.purdue.edu/IE/research
2
Howenstine, R. (2016). The chameleons of engineering. ISE Magazine, May, 34-39.
3
Denton, D.K. (2015). The calm and the chaos.
Industrial Engineer
, April, 42-46.
IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar
Fall 2023
6.
Read the articles “The evolution of analytics” by Harsha Rao and Deepali Jain
4
and
“Defining analytics: a conceptual framework” by Robert Rose
5
. Answer the following:
a.
How is analytics connected to operations research and IE?
b.
How will it impact potential career paths for IEs?
7.
Consider the article “What is Systems Engineering?” by Valerdi
6
. Considering the
different areas within IE, provide a perspective on the importance of systems
(engineering) thinking.
8. Read the following articles:
a.
http://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/robert-d-patricia-e-kern-center-
science-health-care-delivery/about/about-science-of-health-care-delivery
b. “Engineering tomorrow’s healthcare” by Eisenhauer
7
Considering the articles, describe why the healthcare system is complex. In addition,
describe how IEs play a role in the improvement of the delivery of care.
9.
One subarea of IE is known as “Human Factors”. Visit the website:
https://www.hfes.org/publications/free-publications
, which contains documents outlining
careers in human factors (specifically:
Explore the Possibilities: Pursue a Career in
Human Factors/Ergonomics
, and
Good Ergonomics Is Good Economics
). In addition,
the following webpage has a perspective on human factors that may be helpful:
https://iea.cc/what-is-ergonomics/
. Pick one or two elements from the document(s) and
the webpage and highlight what you find most interesting about the area of human
factors.
10. Read the articles “Fixing your supply chain with big data” by Alexander Klein
8
and “Keys
to stellar supply chain management” by Diana Berry
9
. Considering the content of the
articles, describe why supply chains are complex, and why IEs are the key to the
success of a supply chain.
11. Lean is a common term within the IE discipline, as it represents one of the design and
management philosophies within the production systems area of focus. Considering the
article “The Triumph of the Lean Production System” by Krafcik
10
provide a perspective
on why IEs would want to know about, and how to use “lean” methods.
Prompts for Area 3:
Personal and professional development
1.
Write a letter to your future self. Who am I now? Who do I want to be 5 years out? 10
years out? What do I think I should accomplish by then?
4
H. Rao and D. Jain (2013). The evolution of analytics.
ORMS Today
, 40(6). Retrieved from:
https://www.informs.org/ORMS-Today/Public-Articles/December-Volume-40-Number-6/The-evolution-of-
analytics
5
Rose, R. (2016). Defining analytics: a conceptual framework.
ORMS Today
, 43(3), Retrieved from:
https://www.informs.org/ORMS-Today/Public-Articles/June-Volume-43-Number-3/Defining-analytics-a-
conceptual-framework
6
Valerdi, R. (2012). What is Systems Engineering?
ISE Magazine
, 44(2), 30.
7
Eisenhauer, W. (2013). Engineering tomorrow’s healthcare.
Industrial Engineer
, 45(4), April, 22.
8
Klein, A. (2017). Fixing your supply chain with big data.
ISE Magazine
, Sept. 39-43.
9
Berry, D. (2017). Keys to stellar supply chain management.
ISE Magazine
, Aug. 42-46.
10
Krafcik, J.F. (1988). “Triumph of the Lean Production System,”
Sloan Management Review,
30(1), 41–
52.
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IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar
Fall 2023
2.
Read the article “Why use Undergraduate Research Experiences?”
(
https://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/studentresearch/Why.html
). From the perspective of
career development, how can research be a valuable development tool regardless of
whether you pursue a research-focused career? In addition, what skills were you
surprised to learn are gained from a quality research experience?
3.
Consider the article “The Focused Leader” by Daniel Goleman
11
. Based on the article,
answer the following:
a.
Describe personal attributes that make a person a good leader.
b.
Given your response to part (a), what is the difference between a leader and a
manager.
4.
Consider yourself, and answer the following:
a.
How do you define “success” for yourself?
b.
What metrics do you use to measure this?
c.
How might your definition differ from others?
d.
What sort of factors may contribute to these differences in definitions?
5.
Consider yourself, and answer the following:
a.
Why did you choose IE as a major? (If you had responded to Prompt 1 from Area
2, you can use that response here).
b.
What is your career aspiration(s), and why? (For example, Become a CEO of a
Multi-national company). If you do not have a career aspiration, that’s OK, but
you should reflect on why you do not and what option(s) you have considered up
to now.
c.
How would/should your aspiration, or lack there-of, influence decisions you make
throughout your career? How would they influence your approach to interacting,
or otherwise considering the perspectives, with (of) the guest speakers in this
course?
d.
What is the purpose of higher education? What factors have influenced or
shaped your response?
6.
Considering the responses from the student panel, provide examples of developmental
tasks that could be undertaken as a Purdue student. In particular, highlight how these
developmental opportunities could benefit you as a student looking for employment.
7.
Create a “User Manual for Me” based on the 2017 article by Cassie Robinson
(
https://cassierobinson.medium.com/a-user-manual-for-me-d3a851fbc694
).
8.
Consider the article “Hone Your Brand Believability and Style” by Gold and Sink
12
. What
are elements that become part of your personal brand? What steps can you take to
develop your brand, and which do you think you will need to work on most as your
progress in the program?
9.
Write out your elevator pitch and practice with at least two people.
a.
What feedback did they give you?
b.
Did you make any adjustments? If so, what is your new elevator pitch?
11
Goleman, D. (2013). The Focused Leader.
Harvard Business Review
, 91(12), December, 50-60.
12
Gold, B. and D.S. Sink (2017). Hone your brand, believability and style.
ISE Magazine
, June, 28-33.
IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar
Fall 2023
10. Present a narrative of a potential study abroad experience for yourself. Specifically,
select a program (any from the Purdue Study Abroad website) and describe why it is a
good fit for you and how you would develop yourself before, during, and after the
program to ensure maximum impact.
11. Read the article “How to Gain Credibility When You Have Little Experience” by Andy
Molinsky and Jake Newfield
13
. A significant amount of corporate work requires the ability
to work across functional boundaries, and perhaps even geographic boundaries.
Considering the perspective of the presenters (at the point of submitting this
assignment), what strengths do IEs potentially have in this regard? How can you build
even more capability in the early stages of your career to complement your
undergraduate education?
12. Describe developmental activities you have completed (or are participating in to-date).
a.
Why are these activities important to you?
b. How did you select them?
c.
What is their contribution to your development as an Industrial Engineer?
d. To your overall development?
13. Read “Getting Started in the Right Direction: Expert Advice for Preparing for Your
Professional Career” by Shapiro
et al.
14
. Considering the perspectives of the authors,
and of the presenters (at the point of submitting this assignment), argue for why IEs who
develop themselves well will allow for opportunities they might not otherwise have
thought possible?
14. Read “Your Career Needs Many Mentors, Not Just One” by Dorie Clark
15
. Based on the
article and a selected, describe why multiple mentors are beneficial. What knowledge
about yourself do you need to have to appropriately develop criteria for selecting
potential mentors?
15. Read the article “Are you ready? How to prepare for reality: the ins and outs for young
professional engineers” by Christina Kach
16
.
a.
Which specific points from the article have been articulated by the alumni guest
speakers throughout the semester?
b.
Which points have been articulated more often and/or with more emphasis?
16. Read the Code of Ethics from the National Society of Professional Engineers
17
. In
addition, read the article “Cambridge Analytica, influencing elections and the INFORMS
13
Molinsky, A. and J. Newfield (2017). How to Gain Credibility When You Have Little Experience.
Harvard
Business Review
, 95(5), Sept./Oct. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2017/10/how-to-gain-credibility-when-
you-have-little-experience.
14
Shapiro, R.G., Andre, A.D., Beith, B.H., Entin, E.B., and B.M. Legin (2003). Getting Started in the Right
Direction: Expert Advice for Preparing for Your Professional Career.
Proceedings of the Human Factors
and Ergonomics Society 47th Annual Meeting
, 1791-1795.
15
Clark, D. (2017). Your Career Needs Many Mentors, Not Just One.
Harvard Business Review
.
Accessed from: https://hbr.org/2017/01/your-career-needs-many-mentors-not-just-one
16
Kach, C. (2015). Are You Ready?: How to prepare for reality.
Industrial Engineer
, Oct., 31 - 35.
17
Accessible here:
https://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics
IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar
Fall 2023
Ethics Guidelines” by Hunt and Messinger
18
,
19
. Given the content of the code, comment
on the following statements:
a.
“Ethics is not simply personal opinion”
b.
“There is always more than one alternative”
c.
“There is always a lack of complete information”
In addition, comment on why engineers have such a strict code of ethics to abide by.
Use specific examples from the guest speakers where possible.
17. Read the article by “Don’t Dread the Documentation” by Theresa Barker
20
. Describe the
importance of “showing your work” as an IE when solving problems in industry. Be sure
to incorporate ideas from the article as to how to make this process easier and more
impactful.
18. Read the article “Turning Potential Into Success” by Fernandez-Araoz
et al.
21
. Identify
the most crucial competencies (skills) that are important for success in industry. Use the
perspectives shared by the guest speaker, and the content of the article.
a.
Which of the above skills do you feel are already your strengths?
b. Your weaknesses?
c.
What can you do to further develop both while at Purdue?
19. Read the article “Lifelong Learning - ordeal or opportunity” by Crandall and Crandall
22
.
Considering the perspectives of the guest speaker, and the area in which he now works,
comment on the need for lifelong learning to stay current with industry and to facilitate
advancement.
20. Consider the article “How Will You Measure Your Life?” by Clayton Christensen
23
. The
classical justification regarding the value of undergraduate (and even graduate)
education is that graduates will have their ability to “think” transformed. However, life is
complicated and it can be hard to remember that what you learn can easily apply
holistically to life. What are examples within the article that are relevant to your career
and personal development? What is at least one example from a guest speaker? Why
did those examples stand out to you?
21. Law school is a fairly common path for engineers, as they seek post-graduate education
and or alternative career paths. However, law school is quite different in structure from
undergraduate. Read the following handy webpage, which discusses the differences:
https://gineersnow.com/students/engineers-need-know-going-law-school
. Given the
18
Hunt, D. and Messinger, P.R. (2018). Cambridge Analytica, influencing elections and the INFORMS
Ethics Guidelines.
ORMS Today
, October, 24-29.
19
It may also be useful to consider the INFORMS Ethics Guidelines:
https://www.informs.org/About-
INFORMS/Governance/INFORMS-Ethics-Guidelines
; and, the Code of Ethics from HFES for additional
perspective from disciplinary sub-areas of IE.
20
Barker, T. (2016). Don’t Dread the Documentation.
IISE Magazine
, Aug., 37-41.
21
Fernandez-Araoz, C., Roscoe, A., and Aramaki, K. (2017). Turning Potential into Success: The Missing
Link in Leadership Development.
Harvard Business Review,
95(6), Nov./Dec., 86-93
.
22
Crandall, R.E. and Crandall, W.R. (2018). Lifelong Learning - ordeal or opportunity.
ISE Magazine
,
April, 26-31.
23
Christensen, C.M. (2010). How Will You Measure Your Life?
Harvard Business Review
, 88(7-8),
Jul./Aug., 46-51. This article is tailored to MBA students, and other business majors, but applies broadly if
you ignore the specific references. In addition, ‘ability to “think”’ is thought of as the development of
critical thinking ability.
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IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar
Fall 2023
article and the comments from the guest speaker, comment on what skills you may need
to develop in order to be a successful law student (even if this is not an interesting
career path
24
, imagine that it is and compare yourself against what you see in the article.
22. Leadership is an oft-emphasized concept that is considered essential for nearly all
positions past the entry-level. However, there are as many different theories of
leadership as there are leaders. Read the article “
The 6 Fundamental Skills Every
Leader Should Practice”
by Ashkenas and Manville
25
. What are examples of tasks/skills
that are important to develop yourself as a leader (if you attended the talk, the guest
speaker mentioned several that may also be relevant)? Why is it important to find ways
to practice these tasks/skills?
24
You’re still young, so you never know. One of our alums who went on to law school found law
appealing after 5 years as a traditional engineer. His reason: he liked arguing with union workers who
resisted his design and improvement efforts more than the work coming up with the design!
25
Askenas, R. and Manville, B. (2018).
The 6 Fundamental Skills Every Leader Should Practice. Harvard
Business Review, 10/24/18. Accessed from:
https://hbr.org/2018/10/the-6-fundamental-skills-every-
leader-should-practice
.