Resources for teaching "Engineer Mindset"?
Posted by motorleagueuk-prod@reddit | linuxadmin | View on Reddit | 11 comments
I have a new starter at work, and I need to try and fast track them as much as I can from a 1st/2nd line background to more of an Engineer mindset. Things like:
- Critical Thinking Processes
- Independent Investigative Troubleshooting
- Root Cause Analysis
- General Thoroughness
I appreciate to a degree some of this only comes from hard earned experience, but can anybody suggest me any online resources that might be helpful to give them to help them adopt/progress to a more 3rd line mindset?
Thanks in advance.
megasxl264@reddit
Helpdesk or more preferably a technician role where they have no script and are forced to work in the field with little support.
Otherwise good luck, it’s not really something to teach because there’s no golden way to do any as it’s more experience based.
TheProverbialI@reddit
The manifesto of done. Also, just getting them to poke around systems. Tell them to check out a specific system for a day, then at the end of the day quiz them on it. Settings, architecture, specific details, anything. Then do it again the next day. Give them small broken things and tell them to propose a fix. Make them make a business case for it.
abotelho-cbn@reddit
A degree in computer engineering.
Extreme-Ad-7047@reddit
I recommend reading this book:
Debugging: The 9 Indispensable Rules for Finding Even the Most Elusive Software and Hardware Problems
motorleagueuk-prod@reddit (OP)
Thank you, I will check that out!
Hotshot55@reddit
In my experience, it's impossible to teach these things.
motorleagueuk-prod@reddit (OP)
They're definitely teachable, nobody fell out of the womb a fully formed computer engineer. I was over 10 years into my career in IT before I wound up in an environment where I was able to learn these things, before that I had just never been properly exposed to the concepts.
I think many particularly tiered IT environment by their nature limit the full exposure 1st and 2nd line techs get, the problem is often lack of opportunity as opposed to lack of aptitude.
Hotshot55@reddit
You can apply all these skills at any level to be honest. The issue is that you're trying to change the way people think which isn't going to work unless they're already on board with it. I've spent countless hours trying to teach others how to do these exact things and it never really goes anywhere.
motorleagueuk-prod@reddit (OP)
I'm really not, and the person concerned is very keen to learn, there's no issue there. I'm simply asking for some recommendations for articles or training resources, that's it.
bush_nugget@reddit
If they didn't show aptitude for these things in the interview (or the interview didn't try to assess these), I think you're setting them up for failure. The skills you mention aren't restricted to one facet of life for people who possess them. You are essentially trying to fast track neurodivergence.
motorleagueuk-prod@reddit (OP)
I'm not setting them up for failure (quite the opposite in fact), I'm simply trying to find them some helpful teaching resources to read on the softer skills involved in being a computer engineer. "Fast track" may not have been the best choice of words.
Somebody has to have written up some solid basic guidelines on on the slightly softer skills involved. If I had enough time it's something could write myself, but I'm sure somebody else out there must have already done a better job than I could, I've just not been able to find it yet. The one example that did spring to mind after posting was Google's Site Reliability Engineer book, that's sort of an example of the sort of thing I'm looking for, maybe just geared towards slightly more entry level.
As for neurodivergence... I'm confused as to where that enters the picture, especially as somebody with ADHD myself? I'm sure neurotypical and neurodiverse people are equally able to learn these skills.