What is the most annoying question you constantly get asked by non-designers? Here is my candidate for No1: Why are you designing a mobile phone/computer/bicycle light/you name it? It has already been invented.
"Why does it take so long to do that?" Doesn't matter if it's not a skeptical question ... you still are challenged to explain the inner software workings and/or the R&D process to a person without a clue as to the intricacies of either.
"Why does it take so long to do that?" is close second, but my winner is ˝You`re a mechanical engineer?! Can you take a look at my car. Its making this weird sounds and I just dont know what to do...˝ Another one is ˝Why does this cost so much? Make it cheaper but keep the quality and all of the specifications˝.
Can we reverse engineer the market leader's product then improve it? The market leader's R&D budget was ten times our turnover, black mark for laughing out loud!
I thought with this new CAD system it created all the drawings automatically? Oh you've done it like that have you? Why didn't you use the same design as [insert name here of contract from 1985 for which no drawings exist]?
Quite a few have made this point already...I have had relatively intelligent high up individuals tell me that they we sure the CAD software did all the work and were confused by how long it took to design and detail. I then asked when they set down to write a letter on MS word, does it just type out their thoughts on the screen? Of course not... Then , I ask politely, why would you think the CAD tool I'm using simply designs things by itself, with no input from me? Nearly all give me the Blank Look...'nuff said...
To some extent the CAD resellers have to be blamed a little for this. Sometimes, the senior managers will have seen demos from the CAD companies where they auto-create the views on a drawing, then automatically add all the dimensions, automatically add all the bubbles to an assembly drawing, and automatically add a BOM also. Bingo and the job is done. But in real life... But anyway, back to the annoying questions...
