A taxonomy of common engineering activities and competencies

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we address the lack of a unified approach to understanding engineering practice by developing and presenting a taxonomy of common engineering activities. The taxonomy consists of 86 common engineering activities linked to 17 engineering competencies and the 11 International Engineering Alliance graduate attributes. The list of activities was developed using a six-step process, including multiple systematic literature searches and surveying engineers. The taxonomy provides a critical foundation for better understanding what engineers do, particularly in the Australian and New Zealand context. The taxonomy has potential utility in both engineering practice research and engineering education curriculum reform.

KEYWORDS:

• Skills
• work
• framework
• attributes

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge Sabbia Tilli and Melinda Kreth who provided further details of the surveys used in their research. We acknowledge the in-kind support of the BeLongEng Project’s peak-body supporters during the progress of this research paper; the Australian Council of Engineering Deans, ACE New Zealand, Engineers Australia, Engineering New Zealand | Te Ao Rangahau, Engineers Without Borders Australia, IEEE Australia, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (Australia and New Zealand), the Minerals Council of Australia, the New Zealand Council of Engineering Deans, and Vocational Engineering Education New Zealand.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/22054952.2023.2214454.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Enda Crossin

Enda Crossin is an Associate Professor and is the Director of the Engineering Management Programmes at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He holds a PhD from The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Jessica I. Richards

Jessica Richards is a graduate of the Master of Science programme in psychology from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

Sarah Dart

Sarah Dart is Strategic Lead for Learning & Teaching Development, Impact and Recognition within QUT’s Academy of Learning and Teaching (QALT) and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering at QUT, Brisbane, Australia. She holds a PhD from QUT, Brisbane, Australia.

Katharina Naswall

Katharina Näswall is a Professor in psychology at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. She holds a PhD from Stockholm University.