In this Master's Degree, Electronic Systems Engineering takes a systematic and overall approach, as opposed to the traditional one which is more oriented to components or circuits, but this approach is also necessary and is present in some of the subjects taught. The main objective of electronic systems engineering is to apply an interdisciplinary approach to studying and understanding the needs that arise and, by adopting a systemic paradigm, to design, implement, validate, optimize and maintain complex electronic systems in multidisciplinary settings. In this process of structured creation and development, the quality metrics for the creation of the results, and very often the need to rely on the methodologies of systems' science and other disciplines of engineering to design and deliver tangible products that represent the implementation of these systems should be taken into account.
An Electronic Systems Engineer must currently face a very high complexity and considerable diversity of components that compound the systems with which he works: hardware, software, people, etc. to which the large number of necessary knowledge and of information available must be added. Moreover, all these components interact with each other and must respond to the growing requirements, posed by a variety of stakeholders: employers, customers, regulators, technology providers, market, economic and financing aspects, etc.
The "Methodology, Quality and Personal Skills" course is the mainstay of the multifunctional and interdisciplinary training that is intended to be offered to participants, both those who choose professional development of an industrial nature, and those who are in their doctoral training stage. The adopted approach aims to bring the students to an integral training, not purely technical, based on their ability to enhance innovation, communication, leadership, finding
relevant information and documentation, and understanding of the market, developing their creative abilities and learning throughout term.
Given the ambitious objective, the scope of the course will focus on going through the fundamental aspects of some of these dimensions, starting a path which everyone must take throughout their career. The course consists of three main blocks:
• Approach towards system engineering projects: project financing, development methodology, quality assurance and environment, management of intellectual and industrial property.
• Approach to information and documentation: documentation sources, services and documentation centers, search and document retrieval on the Internet, writing and publication of research and development and innovation projects, support techniques to the oral presentation for the defense of research projects.
• Approach to personal and professional skills: methods for accessing a job, methods of communication and negotiation, leadership, conflict management, time management.relevant information and documentation, and understanding of the market, developing their creative abilities and learning throughout term.
Given the ambitious objective, the scope of the course will focus on going through the fundamental aspects of some of these dimensions, starting a path which everyone must take throughout their career. The course consists of three main blocks:
• Approach towards system engineering projects: project financing, development methodology, quality assurance and environment, management of intellectual and industrial property.
• Approach to information and documentation: documentation sources, services and documentation centers, search and document retrieval on the Internet, writing and publication of research and development and innovation projects, support techniques to the oral presentation for the defense of research projects.
• Approach to personal and professional skills: methods for accessing a job, methods of communication and negotiation, leadership, conflict management, time management.relevant information and documentation, and understanding of the market, developing their creative abilities and learning throughout term.
Given the ambitious objective, the scope of the course will focus on going through the fundamental aspects of some of these dimensions, starting a path which everyone must take throughout their career. The course consists of three main blocks:
• Approach towards system engineering projects: project financing, development methodology, quality assurance and environment, management of intellectual and industrial property.
• Approach to information and documentation: documentation sources, services and documentation centers, search and document retrieval on the Internet, writing and publication of research and development and innovation projects, support techniques to the oral presentation for the defense of research projects.
• Approach to personal and professional skills: methods for accessing a job, methods of communication and negotiation, leadership, conflict management, time management.
To the (Systems) Engineer:
Any engineer, by definition, is called to conceive and design systems that solve society’s problems. To carry out this task, is not enough to know the technological aspects, though this is often almost the sole focus that is put into their training. Reality must take into account many other factors such as:
• In the development is vital to follow an appropriate methodology to ensure that the product is obtained with the functionality specified in the time and cost agreed, that is, with quality, meeting environmental requirements, etc.
• The project must be carried out under reasonable cost parameters and must contribute to the viability of the company that puts it on the market (financial aspects).
• The project results should be protected as regards the intellectual property of the creator and at the same time may be published for dissemination to society.
• Similarly, and perhaps at an earlier stage, it is necessary to have all the documentary information necessary for the development of work.
• Engineers must be able to assess the importance of the documentary sources and select those that are most interesting in order to publish projects. In addition, engineers must have the ability to produce documents and prepare presentations that enable them to disseminate the results of his work.
• Finally, these activities are carried out by people, who form the fundamental value of any organization and, in many cases, turn out to be framed in a business environment. It iss key, therefore, to know aspects related to personal and professional skills.
The course is aimed, therefore, at any engineer, whose activity will typically be carried out in collaboration with others within an organization, be it a company, a university or an R&D center. Mainly, however, it is intended for engineers interested in keeping informed and trained to maintain their competence, strive to advance in the useful knowledge of their profession and provide professional development opportunities for themselves and their colleagues. In this sense, the system engineer to who takes this course must have a clear interest in promoting R&D tasks and participate in them within their professional environment, including, of course, those engineers who currently carry out scientific research in the development framework of their doctoral thesis.
The objective pursued is to provide a first contact with this large set of issues, key to the development of professional life and that are usually relegated in the engineers' training.
For the variety of topics to be covered, only an overview of each will be provided, placing a certain emphasis on some important point.
The bibliography and documentation provided should serve as a starting point for further individual work for training that should continue throughout professional life.
Students who have studied this subject will get sufficient training to be proficient in:
• Describe the phases of a development methodology and operation of a system, as well as project management.
• Select and apply appropriate methodology to any project.
• Remember the standards and quality assurance models and the tools available.
• Describe the environmental management system and its evolution.
• Describe tools for the investment analysis and strategies and funding mechanisms.
• Analyze investment alternatives for the development of a draft business.
• Describe the management tools of intellectual and industrial property, as well as the technological patent reports as important levers of innovation and competitiveness.
• Search and retrieve documental information for the development of any work of R&D&I.
• Assess the importance of documentary sources and select those that are most interesting in publishing the projects.
• Develop documents and prepare presentations to enable them to disseminate the results of their research projects.
Describe the aspects that deal with people and their professional development in business or organizations: competency development, knowledge management and talent management.
• Apply the basic tools in the negotiation and management of conflicts.
• Understand and apply the techniques that make effective a communication, at a personal and professional level.
• Implement a skills-based approach in curriculum design and prepare, submit and effectively manage a job application.
The overall objective of the course is to focus on the skills of the participant who must be able to incorporate not exclusively technological aspects, which are important in the field of engineering systems, both electronic and any other kind.
Also, indirectly, seek to aim for the subject of handling a range of topics not strictly technical and the sources of information related to them, so the engineers are in a position to continue their work of self-training or training with courses having identified the importance of these subjects and develop the ability of bibliographic research, individual work, report writing and team work.
Topic 0 – Introduction to the subject. Opening lecture: "Competitiveness and Career Success: Some challenges of the twenty-first Century".
Topic 1 - Methodology of project development: A brief description of the life cycle phases of a system and the methodologies and techniques that are usually applied to both the development and management of the project will be presented.
Topic 2 - Quality Assurance and Environment: There will be a description of the principles, tools and usual practices to implement a system of quality management and environment in an organization, oriented towards continuous improvement.
Topic 3 – Project funding: Beyond the technical, organizational, human or institutional aspects it is always necessary to take into account the importance of the financial aspects of project development. It seeks to highlight the basic tools for effective financial management, financial feasibility analysis of a business or project, and environmental conditions. On the other hand, it aims to explain the principle of financial intelligence and discuss techniques to develop and use it effectively.
Topic 4 - Management of Intellectual and Industrial Property (IIP): Obtaining new knowledge and its subsequent operation are among the goals of both research groups from universities and innovation activities of enterprises. This knowledge can be obtained in many different ways, however in any case or procedure, knowledge can be protected, managed and acquired. The management of intellectual and industrial property is a key aspect for which records, procedures and institutions are available at a state and world level that has to be known both by university's research group and the company's innovation department.
Topic 5: Methodology and scientific documentation: Whether in an industrial/business environment as an academic/university environment, where tasks and R&D&I projects are is raised and carried out, the search and retrieval of documentary information is essential for the development of any project. In a series of lessons, it is sought therefore to prepare students to assess the significance of the documentary sources, select those that are the most interesting in publishing their work and produce documents and prepare presentations that enable them to disseminate the results of their work.
Topic 6: Methodology to access a job: The first stages in the search for a job include the need to communicate to the company to which the candidate wishes to join, his personal and professional background, knowledge, preferences, talents, abilities, skills or attitudes.
The means by which a candidate typically transfers these issues to a company is usually a covering letter, a resume (or CV) and one or more personal interviews. Knowing how to use these means adequately, contributes decisively at the time of accessing a job.
Good writing and quality in content and structure of a covering letter or a resume, as well as the good development of an interview, at the time of trying to get a job, are vital since they are very common and initially the only way to give the company requesting the new professional profiles, a first impression of the candidates.
Knowing and applying these tools optimally constitutes the aim of this lesson, and allows benefits to students in finding employment to be provided.
Topic 7: Communication: Communication is a competition that integrates many skills and attitudes such as speaking, declaring, listening and many other capabilities that we have never associated with communication and whose mastery is essential both at a personal and professional level.
To value the importance of communication is worth a mere thought, from the professional point of view on how to intervene in practically in all areas of business management: negotiating, selling, writing reports, communicate the team, make presentations, etc.
This lesson aims to show, ponder and debate those elements that conform the concept of communication in a broad sense, both from a theoretical point of view and through carrying out practical experience.
It is important to understand the elements that affect communication, verbal and nonverbal, and know the basics that make it effective, trying to improve the current abilities of students in this means of communication.
Topic 8: Negotiation: We consider negotiating as the relationship between two or more people, leading to reaching an agreement on a topic that hold different positions, trying to get the maximum benefit for all. Also, as a result of negotiations, it aims to achieve the compliance and satisfaction of all parties involved.
Negotiation is part of everyday activities, both personal and professional. From this standpoint, there are many examples where bargaining is essential, as in the relationship with suppliers, customers, others in the company, Public Bodies, etc.
It is a class objective that students understand the negotiating process through the knowledge and mastery of the key elements involved in it.
In short, it seeks to highlight the different aspects that influence effective negotiation, trying to improve this competence of the student, through a theoretical and practical learning.
Topic 9: Leadership, conflict management, time management and planning: In this last issue a review will be made of personal skills and professional competencies a systems engineer who intends to lead projects and research work, development and innovation in their work environment should have. An oral presentation is made on a list of keys to success for a professional in the sector, such as competitiveness and leadership in the twenty-first century, the relationship of change and people, skills development, knowledge management, talent management, "I" management and leadership, conflict management, time management and the importance of proper planning.
Links:
[1] https://www.die.upm.es/en/category/categoria/programa-master
[2] https://www.die.upm.es/sites/default/files/MCHP-MISE_en.pdf
[3] https://www.die.upm.es/en/perfil/giorgos-kontaxakis
[4] https://www.die.upm.es/en/content/carlos-alberto-l%C3%B3pez-barrio
[5] https://www.die.upm.es/en/MISE/home
[6] https://www.die.upm.es/en/DSE/home
