World Wide Web: Engineers' indispensable tool

When it comes to getting the job done, the Web is fast becoming an essential resource for engineers. Technical research that would have taken days to complete 10 years ago can now be accomplished in a matter of seconds, thanks to the Internet. The Web has also accelerated communications with customers and colleagues, helping to speed up product development.

All this is evident from a new survey of Test & Measurement World readers, in which we set out to learn how test engineers are using the Internet in their work (Ref. 1). The survey shows that the typical respondent uses the Web almost 3.5 hours a week for job-related tasks (Duration of Internet usage). For example, Dave Lundell, system/test engineer at Beacon Power Corp. (Wilmington, MA), spends about an hour each day locating vendors of hard-to-find equipment on the Web. "I had been looking for a high-voltage DC rolling switch gear for trains," says Lundell. "On the Web, I was able to locate a potential supplier in Romania."

There is no arguing that the Web provides endless opportunities in the quest for technical information. In our survey, 78% of respondents use the Internet to obtain product specifications (Ways the Internet is used in work ), while 74% use it to locate suppliers and 74% use it to access product directories (multiple answers were possible). Steven Frazier, project engineer at Autographics Services (Mahwah, NJ), no longer has to wait days for the delivery of manuals and data sheets. "I can be talking to a supplier over the phone and we both can be looking at the same thing at the same time," says Frazier. "This can be very helpful in finding what I need, fast."

Others like being able to compare and purchase products online. Of the T&MW readers that use the Internet for product or vendor searches, 32% go one step further and purchase test-and-measurement products they have sought out online. John Howard, test engineer for Sperry Marine (Charlottesville, VA), recently ordered new computers he needed for test systems at Sperry. Recalls Howard: "I wasn't sure whether to go with Hewlett-Packard or Dell, so I went to both of their Web sites and was able to find the most cost-effective solution for what we needed, and purchased them right online."

The beauty of the Web, of course, is that users can both send and receive information. Our readers clearly take advantage of this feature, as 29% of respondents said they use the Internet to collaborate with engineering colleagues, and 28% said they use it to exchange design and test data. Other principle online activities for respondents include:

• researching technology,
• downloading software,
• accessing newspapers and magazines,
• obtaining applications support, and
• researching competitors.

In addition to asking engineers how they used the Internet, we asked them how the Internet has benefited them in their work. Perhaps not surprisingly, the largest percentage—82%—said the Web has decreased the time they spend searching for products or vendors (Internet benefits). After that, 51% of survey respondents cited sharing files with other engineers as their most valued Web-based activity. Within their own companies, test engineers most often share information with design engineers and manufacturing. Terry Bradford, mechanical engineer at the Tennessee Valley Authority's fossil power division (Chattanooga, TN), says that the Internet benefits his work the most by enabling him to communicate with engineering colleagues at other branches of the TVA. through message boards on the company Web site. "The ability for real-time communication via the Internet has helped us greatly, saving us time and effort," says Bradford.

Such communications between engineering co-workers can be a crucial element in getting a job done. Randal Burnette, president of Synergent Technologies (Frederick, MD), equips his workstations with WebEX software, which enables Synergent to share computer desktops for remote software development. "We've become kind of addicted to the Internet," says Burnette. "It has forced our schedules to contract."

The Internet also appears to be helping engineers meet a long-held, industry-wide goal: One third of the respondents said the Internet has helped them reduce test-development times. Also, more than half of survey respondents share Web information with customers, while one quarter share information with suppliers.

Supplier Web sites have become valuable resources for engineers, offering a plethora of product information. What are the key influences driving engineers to supplier sites? Readers point first to articles in engineering magazines, followed by search engines and advertisements in engineering magazines (Drivers to suppliers' Web sites ).

But once engineers find a supplier's Web site, what makes them return? Our respondents noted several factors that make for a "sticky" site (Most valued features on supplier Web sites ), including

• catalogs,
• specification sheets,
• application notes,
• product pricing,
• diagrams,
• contact information and links, and
• software downloads.

As crucial as the Web has become to engineering success, engineers can look forward to even greater success, thanks to the advancements taking place on the Internet, particularly on vendor sites. (See "What's cooking on vendor sites?" )

Vendors and their Web-design-teams are constantly looking for new ways to improve their sites. "Speaking with customers directly offers us the most effective feedback about the site," says Tim Wilson, Web content group manager at National Instruments (Austin, TX). "The biggest challenge is that there is such a broad range of users, and we must address the needs of all of them."

In the upcoming months, look for test vendors to improve upon their sites' effectiveness by rolling out features such as Web-seminars, product forums, technical-support portals, and increased assistance with product selection and pricing.