Communication is key to a healthy industry

One would think that the electronics industry is mature, based upon a strong foundation of engineering and fueled by common goals. Yet it still suffers from near-insane swings and stalls in the lab as well as the marketplace. A large part of the blame lies with the lack of efficient communication among the various disciplines (not to mention among the various companies) in the industry.

If we do not engender better communication practices among ourselves, we will always suffer the consequences. At the recent Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) in Dallas, I had the opportunity to both participate in and observe examples of healthy communication between engineers, and also noticed areas where it could be improved. At APEC, as in similar events, both classroom presentations and hot-topic roundtables brought engineers from around the world together, with some taking more advantage of the opportunity than others. Unfortunately as many factors contribute to the lack of communication as support it. One of the more reasonable is a desire to protect intellectual capital, for example. Other reasons are not as logical, such as prejudices within the industry. I think there may still be a bit of a perception and attitude problem between digital and analog engineers, with some digital engineers carrying a negative attitude toward analog design. This may get to the point where digital engineers–in the process of creating a device–blind themselves to the analog design portion and how the two integrate, not realizing (or caring) that they are creating some of the same problems they complain about later in the design process. Take power supply specification, for example. The best engineers examine power requirements before the key elements of a design are established–how much of what kind in what form factor with what interface–to ensure a smooth product development cycle. Others just design the digital element, expecting the power guy to custom-fit a solution to it. Obviously, the latter approach can turn into a design nightmare of budget creep and missed deadlines. Another area where the lack of communication is damaging is in implementing and maintaining standards. Once a standard is established, it behooves the industry players involved to stay in communication to ensure that the standard is properly implemented, maintained as a true cross-platform solution, and upgraded as capabilities improve. In the marketplace, we would accomplish much more if we looked at ourselves as partners in a difficult field of endeavor instead of as separate business units in a zero-sum game. This is not to say that there shouldn't be competition; it is just that healthy competition must include communication between the participants in order to ensure that the industry as a whole prospers.

Alix L. Paultre, Associate Editor
<_align3d_22_right22_>

Have a comment? Feel free to e-mail us, or post a comment online at the Viewpoints section on our Bulletin Board at http://forum.electronicproducts.com