A philosophy of operation on the nontechnical aspects of computer application in an engineering environment is presented. The objectives for engineering use of computers are reviewed and ranked in a suggested order of importance. After objectives are clearly defined, criteria are established which must be satisfied if the objectives are to be met. The concepts, situations, and basic philosophies presented are nondisciplinary. The principal theme is a cooperative effort between engineers and computer personnel. The criteria developed correspond to engineering requirements and become specifications for data processing activities. Concrete examples drawn from the civil-structural disciplines illustrate the basic ideas presented. Procedural guidelines are proposed separately for program development and application to engineering problems. Some inadequacies in present undergraduate engineering curricula are pointed out along with a call for reevaluation of computer related courses.

A review is made of the impact of computer usage and software development on the practicing engineer as well as how he is proceeding to determine the price of this service to the client. Reasons for computer usage and methods of pricing are examined along with the cost factors influencing these decisions. The first draft of Computer Pricing Methods and Policy prepared by the Computer Practices Committee of the Technical Council on Computer Practices also is included.

A computerized scheduling and management system is presented for design engineering managers as an aid in maintaining design schedules and manpower levels. There are four basic reports in this system: (1) A man-hour report; (2) drawing schedule report; (3) contract manpower report; and (4) a manpower forecast report. The man-hour report programs maintain stored data files of actual time spent for reporting purposes. The drawing schedule report programs maintain stored data files containing information on each drawing scheduled for a particular contract. Drawing numbers, titles, due dates, percentage complete, and issue dates are some of the information contained on this file. The contract manpower report programs use the drawing files and man-hour data as the basis for forecasting required manpower by discipline to maintain the drawing schedules. The manpower forecast report is a summation of all the current contracts.

A computerized project management game has been developed to assist in understanding and teaching the economic and managerial problems of urban building development. In this game, players form teams, and make all decisions regarding building financing and construction; the response of the urban environment to all decisions is simulated by the computer system. Each team decides the type of project to build (commercial office buildings, high-rise apartments, moderate-income apartments, or shopping centers), its size, and its location in the simulated city. The computer game stresses the importance of financial planning, cash flow management, team organization, procurement and use of information, interaction with competing teams, and analyses of risks and alternatives as guides to decision-making.It is intended for students in construction management and practicing professionals with an interest in the building construction process.

Quantitative models which span the broad spectrum of inputs to the building development process are described. An economic performance measure which represents a typical goal of developers of high-rise housing is presented. This measure assists in: (1) Identifying the range of models required for a comprehensive decision-making process; (2) coordinating the design tasks to achieve an optimal building design; and (3) providing a means for incorporating risk in a quantitative manner into the design process. Uncertainty, as measured by variance, is used to describe the status of a building design. This characterization of information content assists in attaching value to information and thus helps to identifying how to proceed in the design process to achieve specified objectives.

Many mature engineers are skeptical about the use of computers and find the whole topic surrounded by a mystique. There is a need for education in the use of computing facilities and one way is described in this paper. A series of evaluations of commercially available computer programs for use in the United Kingdom construction industry are described. The professional engineer had the results of these appraisals available to him in the form of computer program user reports, which helped influence and educate him into the correct use of computer programs.

The philosophy and methodology of writing, releasing, and supporting software for the design of steel structures in Canada are presented. The development of programs to fit within a structural design process is examined. The role of user education, aid, and support is emphasized.

A software system is described which may be used to facilitate the dissemination of civil engineering application programs to promote technology transfer. Through the use of this system, denoted Generalizer/Specializer System, a software center may provide subscribers with a customized program based on their selection of engineering options and target computer specifications. The Generalizer/Specializer System consists of a two-part software package and the Master File, a data base on which they operate. Upon acceptance, a program submitted to the Center is processed by the Generalizer into a standard form, consisting of modules, and is stored on the Master File. The modules reflect the machine-dependencies of the program as well as the engineering options it allows and algorithmic methods it may use. The Specializer, using the answers to a questionnaire covering the target computer and engineering options and algorithmic techniques desired, extracts the necessary modules from the Master File and assembles them into an executable program. This prototype system handles FORTRAN programs and is itself written in FORTRAN.

The evolution of Technical Information Processing Systems (TIPS) can be expected to continue in response to the technical, economic, and competitive needs of industry. New TIPS are needed to shorten project schedules, to integrate multi-discipline technological inputs, and to exploit computer hardware and software economically in the design process. Trends in computer software costs and prevailing rates of technological change will have significant effects on future educational needs and career goals. Computer terminals and software education are needed at the high school level, where academic as well as vocational careers are begun. Collegiate education should evolve to center more on the distinct roles that engineers, technicians, and programmers have in the engineering design process. It is increasingly clear that engineers have a special responsibility to communicate to educators a realistic assessment of future career roles in their industry.

This paper presents a progress report on work underway to develop a new code of ethics for ASCE and to obtain the reaction and comment of all interested parties. Indication from the membership of ASCE as to approval of the direction taken by the Subcommittee on Code of Ethics would be much appreciated by the Subcommittee and the Board of Direction, who will ultimately be acting upon this important matter. The start of the present effort to review the ASCE Code of Ethics began with action by the Board of Direction of ASCE to eliminate Article 3 from the Code of Ethics in October, 1971. This resulted from action by the Department of Justice. This was closely followed by the appointment of a Task Committee on Review of Ethical Standards in November, 1971. As a part of its assignment, the Task Committee was directed to examine the Code.

At a time of great moral upheavals, when the political, business, educational and professional leaderships are challenged all the way to the top, it is imperative that the engineering societies make their code of ethics significant, binding, enforceable and enforced. Other engineering societies have recently reassessed their goals and proposed basic changes in their codes of ethics. ASCE encompasses the activity of a group whose influence on society has grown substantially in the last decade and whose image looms large in the eyes of the public. Because of this increased importance, it is essential that the code of ethics of ASCE be revised, after a thorough airing of its articles on the part of ASCE members.

Cooperative education differs from other forms of engineering education in that a third party has been introduced. In addition to students and faculty, we now have employers. From personal encounters with co-op students in the employ of a major consulting firm, four basic conclusions are made; (1) Cooperative engineering students have generally been very satisfactory short-term employees and superior employees after graduation; (2) cooperative education brings together engineers in practice with those in education; (3) the best co-op employment program must often be a compromise between routine duties and more interesting assignments and (4) further improvements in cooperative education could be made through better communications and cooperation among employers, educators, and students.

It is timely to observe that cooperative education is an excellent medium for familiarizing students with the facts of business life. The experience periods provide a unique opportunity to impress young people with the need in the work-a-day world for: (1) Commitment of financial resources; (2) team effort; (3) readiness to be supervised and ability to be a supervisor; (4) selling as well as having ideas; (5) demonstrating that industrial productivity does not just happen, but rather that it is carefully planned by well-educated personnel. Of paramount importance is the fact that cooperative education has as its greatest potential a demonstration of the fact that what really counts in life is not alone the education one possesses but more so what one does with that education. In the final analysis, let it be observed, that of the many merits of cooperative education, the highest of these is the intermeshing of (1) Theory; (2) practice; and (3) economics. The coop student gets to know what it means to earn ones way in engineering practice and his professors cannot ignore that ever-present constraint of economics.

An examination of the history leading up to the development of the Guide, the wording of the Guide, and the reasoning for the wording. The Guide presents methods of selection of contractor to undertake turnkey construction contracts and means of assuring direct contact between the client and the contractor's design engineer.

Should engineering firms, students, and universities devote their resources to cooperative education programs? What makes a good co-op program? It is to the benefit of the sponsors, students, and schools to become involved in cooperative education. However, if a program is poorly run, it is not worth each participant's effort. The program must involve the concepts of coordination between school and work, expansion of knowledge, and application of knowledge to real engineering problems. For a program to succeed, the sponsor, the student, and the school must share a commitment to the goals. A program containing this commitment will yield benefits worth the effort expended on the program.

The Professional Activities Committee (PAC) can be characterized as the conscience of ASCE — it has implied in its charge the responsibility to remind: (1) Civil engineers of their responsibility to their clients and for public welfare and safety; (2) the public of its responsiibility to the profession; and (3) employers of their responsibilities to employees and of employees to their employers.

This program has been developed by the Committee on Public Affairs and Legislation of the Member Activities Division. The primary objective of this community environmental action program is to encourage and assist each engineer to recognize, improve, and fully utilize his capabilities concerning design, legislation, and implementation of community matters controlling our environment. These activities should be developed in the national, section, and at individual levels. Problems should be identified, communities should be called upon to act on them, using the knowledge and active participation of civil engineers. Public information and legislation with the participation of members and ASCE staff are important. Assistance is available from National Headquarters of the Society and from National Committees.

Specific recommendations for eliminating unethical practices include: (1) The Board of Direction, with the assistance of Staff, should assign each of the specific problems to appropriate segments of the Society (Committees, Boards, etc.) for implementation. Follow-up should be made by the Board each six months to see that such implementation is proceeding at an appropriate pace; and (2) this Task Committee report should be reviewed at least annually by the Board to evaluate progress on the Professional Civic Involvement recommendations. The document should be updated periodically to make it a living document.

Engineers have failed to convince others, and themselves, of the importance and value of the service they perform. This must be the first step in justifying an improved economic status for civil engineers. Salary guidelines implementation will also require that engineers, particularly young engineers, refuse to accept permanent employment with organizations that have not adopted the salary guidelines for all job classifications.