Hello,

i have been given a topic in which i have to deliver a presentation:
"The Application Engineering Bottleneck -
What is this and what can be done about it?"

As i am not currently in this field i am unaware of what needs to be discussed,

Any advice or information is appreciated, thank you

 

Applications engineering requires the same skills as design engineering, but the additional skills required for an applications engineer are: must get along with people, write clearly, the ability to simplify complex subjects for explanation purposes, excellent presentation skills, willing to travel, comfortable in front of large audiences, work under tremendous pressure, troubleshoot problems under pressure, complete honesty, able to strike an excellent relationship with significent company peers, be able to think while running, and more.
Now you can see that only a small percentage of design engineer have or can develop these skills. I know because I was the best analog application engineer in the USA for many years.
P.S. Learn how to use capitol letters, and you will be taken more seriously.

 

Thank you for the information.

Just to confirm, the application engineering bottleneck does not refer to a specific area, instead the many traits you listed as well as others?

This presentation is part of a interview. Ive recently graduated uni and left with a first.
This is the area of the industry i wish to be part of.

Thank you for the advice.

 

Applications engineering requires the same skills as design engineering, but the additional skills required for an applications engineer are: must get along with people, write clearly, the ability to simplify complex subjects for explanation purposes, excellent presentation skills, willing to travel, comfortable in front of large audiences, work under tremendous pressure, troubleshoot problems under pressure, complete honesty, able to strike an excellent relationship with significent company peers, be able to think while running, and more.

Have enough self control not to strangle the director of marketing, enough patience to (several times a day) explain why we can't violate the laws of physics even though they REALLY want to, have the willingness to quietly do a lot of other people's jobs for them to make sure nothing gets out the door that will blow up in the field, you get the idea.


Application engineers do "system level design" such as be able to design circuits for the end user which employ the company's products. So apps guys were designers, writers, and technical support for sales and marketing... which is to say the guy who had to go in and clean up after them.

Now you can see that only a small percentage of design engineer have or can develop these skills.

Or will stay in those positions if they do have those skills.

I know because I was the best analog application engineer in the USA for many years.

Yes, we heard about you.....

P.S. Learn how to use capitol letters, and you will be taken more seriously.

And very large font.

Also, program your cel phone to ring at random intervals in meetings so you can look at it and say very sternly:

"I have to take this!"

Only really important people get urgent calls all the time.

 

Just to confirm, the application engineering bottleneck does not refer to a specific area, instead the many traits you listed as well as others?

To be honest, you need to ask for a specific definition on the term to be able to do a presentation on it. In reality, there is no such thing. That term, for us, was just Marketing's unhappiness that we could not test, characterize parts, and create the data sheet curves BEFORE THE PART'S WERE AVAILABLE FROM THE FAB. I'm not kidding on that. Testing and characterization is the single most important step in the development cycle, and if they do a half arse job that is when bad parts get out that don't work right, oscillate, blow up, etc. But there is constant insane pressure to "reduce cycle times" which is another term for releasing parts before they are ready. Bottom line, one of the Apps guy's jobs is to stand their ground and refuse to get bullied into letting parts out until they have been characterized. It's not a glamor job and people are always going to gripe.

The final bench characterization and taking of data for the data sheet curves is always going to be in the critical path to release and there is always going to be some brain dead moron whining that we should "do it later" and get the product out NOW to get the revenue stream started....

Then when they blow up in the field, those guys are nowhere to be found. The CEO is asking why the APPS guy didn't do his job.