• It is necessary to have work performed by employing theoretical and applied methods so as to assimilate information on mathematical and natural sciences.
• It is necessary to employ rationally the information gathered.
• The objective is to develop methods by using such information for the utilization of materials and forces in ways other than found in their original state in nature.
• It is essential that findings attained by the use of such methods convey benefit to mankind.
• It is required to have the developed methods economically viable.

Having ascribed the requisite attributes for implementation, loyalty to the application process and identification of moral values, we may commence on the ultimate definition of  “good engineering” practices.

The Institute of Electricity, Electronics and Computer Engineering (IEEE) in USA, before granting membership to candidate engineers, requires their undertaking certain ethical rules to be observed in the execution of their profession. Those rules are:

• to accept responsibility in making engineering decisions consistent with the safety, health and welfare of the public, and to disclose promptly factors that might endanger the public or the environment;
• to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever possible, and to disclose them to affected parties when they do exist;
• to be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data;
• to reject bribery in all its forms;
• to improve the understanding of technology, its appropriate application, and potential consequences;
• to maintain and improve our technical competence and to undertake technological tasks for others only if qualified by training or experience, or after full disclosure of pertinent limitations;
• to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of technical work, to acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit properly the contributions of others;
• to treat fairly all persons regardless of such factors as race, religion, gender, disability, age, or national origin;
• to avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment by false or malicious action;
• to assist colleagues and co-workers in their professional development and to support them in following this code of ethics.

Approved by the IEEE Board of Directors August 1990
The idea that constitutes the foundation of good engineering is good science. In fact, there is no conflict of concepts between good science and good engineering. What is scientifically good is also good for engineering. No example can be cited in the history of science where a scientifically sound idea has failed in engineering practice.

Good science reveals itself in the disclosure of the secrets of nature, and in turn, those revelations are used in resolving engineering problems. Science and engineering may be developed through empiricism. New discoveries generally originate from empiricism and experimentation.

Standards that are nothing more than good engineering practices put in writing regulate the concept of “good engineering”. Certain standards may not always represent the good engineering practice in its entirety. It should also be kept in mind that what is mandatory at all times is not the standards, but good engineering rules.

Good engineering practices, just like the doctrinal precedents in law, are capable of setting the foundations of an unshakable case through the good offices of arbitration boards or expertise teams, and may be also cited by commercial organizations, chambers of engineers and quoted in technical agreements.

Now that we have touched upon theory and basics of the subject, let’s turn to its implementation in everyday life. Good engineering is initiated by a good description of anticipated problems/requirements. This is half of the entire work. Identification, analysis and solution of the problems and have those expressed in the best possible manner in writing are elements that help the realization of good engineering practices.

As the subject here is engineering practice, it would be negligent to pass without a word of analysis on the human factor executing that practice, namely the engineer.

Engineers and engineering profession have always been controversial subjects, and will continue to be so. Therefore, both positive and negative sides of the person and the profession have to be discussed. This subject has always been vehemently debated in the lift industry. There will always be engineers in the lift industry who perform engineering profession well or poorly, even if under the responsibility of others, but also who show an allergic reaction to the word “engineer”, and actually identify themselves as craftsmen.

When you ask such a person what an engineer is, his response would be, “a person we have to keep on the payroll so as to build lifts, but other than that, has no contribution to the firm”.  In view of the realities we have to acknowledge in life, this definition may well be correct.

There are, in literature, other definitions of engineering put forth by thinkers,academicians and other professionals. Some such definitions regard engineering as an craft, and others as a profession.

In the western world that regards engineering as a profession, there is an acceptance of two types of engineers. One type are those who have received a “diploma” at the end of formal engineering training, and the latter are self-taught, “risen from the ranks” engineers, who, after demonstrating certain abilities and skills, have had themselves registered as members in the chambers of engineers.

There is a valid approach in the West that strives to gather the ‘de facto” engineers under a certain roof discipline, and have their shortcomings eliminated so as to prevent their indulging in dangerous ventures. It could be said that this tendency is among the unwritten prerequisites of compliance with EU regulations. The most significant difference that poses a basic obstacle for conformity of Turkey with such guidelines in Europe lies in the fact that while compulsory primary education until the last few years in Turkey had been 5 years, the vast majority of European population, having received a formal basic education ranging between 8 to 11 years, are taught basic physics, chemistry, biology and particularly mathematics way beyond the four calculations and simple ratio.

In conclusion, under the light of above explanations, good engineering practice may be defined in following terms: “Good engineering practices are engineering works performed in conformance with rules based on demonstrated basic scientific facts or experiences that, as a result, create products that would not be detrimental to mankind.”                       

When conformity with the definition of engineering quoted in the beginning of this article and basic principles and ethical rules origination from that definition are attained, engineering practices will be “good” whether we like it or not. 
     
references :
1- ABET 1982  www.abet.org
2- IEEE Code of Ethics, Approved by the IEEE Board of Directors, August 1990. http://www.ieee.org/portal/index.jsp? 

(*) First published in Asansör Dünyası magazine May 2004 issue.                       

• when calling the elevator pressing both buttons (up and down) instead of pressing the button indicating the desired direction.

• stepping in the elevator which is going to the opposite direction, ignoring the direction indicator placed in the car indicating the direction the elevator is heading.

• ignoring proper way of standing in an elevator car... People step in elevators and plant themselves near the door taking up other passenger’ space and block the control board obstructing efficient use of the control board.  Such wrong attitudes hinder efficient use of elevators.

Elevator-related factors; elevator makers can eliminate such factors by taking certain measures: 

• All elevators open up to the same hall which should be controlled as one group.  For instance, if two separate group of controllers command four elevators placed side by side and open up to same hall, users press both buttons calling elevators in both groups and consequently, one group of elevators ends up coming to the floor unnecessarily.

 The most common problem is full elevators stopping at floors and opening their doors.  This is both time consuming and annoying. Elevator cars are equipped with precise load weighing devices to eliminate this problem but unfortunately in practice these devices do not work.  The reason why they do not work is linked to user-related factors mentioned above.  For instance, a car riding 13 passengers may look full, though it has less then 1000 kg of load and people waiting at floors may be apprehensive to step in.  At this point, dimensions of standard elevator cars have to be questioned.  EN 81 specifies that minimum and maximum area of an elevator car riding 13 passengers should be 2.15 m2 and 2.40 m2 respectively.  Minimum area allowed by the standard can be achieved by using various combinations of width and length.  For instance, it is not rare to come across two elevator cars riding 13 passengers, operating in the same building and installed by the same company, one being 1.35 m x 1.60 m and the other one 1.20 m x 1.80 m.  Is a 2.16 m2 area really big enough for 13 people to stand side by side without feeling boxed in ? And do all possible width-length combinations give areas that result in same quality space ? Or can level of customer satisfaction  achieved by this standard vary depending on cultural habits ?               

Let’s take a look at some of the measurements given by Neufert to make a comparison:

- It is assumed that in waiting lounges of train stations one person is likely to occupy a space as large as 1.10 m x 0.45 m or 0.49 m2.
 
- Width of a closet hangs jackets is 0.60 meters.  Given that we can assume shoulder length of average person is 0.60 meters.  

Even if we assume the width being the average shoulder length 0.60 meter instead of 1.10 meter width accepted for train stations, considering that people carry luggage  etc. there, one person should still occupy 0.60 m x 0.45 m = 0.27 m2 space. 

However, according to elevator standards, this space is specified to be approximately 0.18 m2/ person.

As for passenger elevators, it appears that installing extremely reliable sensors to make sure that the rated load limit is not exceeded is a much better solution as opposed to reducing elevator car space.  As for now, trying to use as much space as possible within the limits seems to be the only option (of course, if you can talk the architect into doing so).  Whenever people become civilized enough to refuse to  step in an elevator car where the sign reads "Maximum 13 people" as the fourteenth person no matter what -even if there is enough room- then elevator rides will be more comfortable.

• The most efficient solution is to specify building traffic correctly and consult with elevator specialists when designing buildings.  However, the results show that architects are not that great when it comes to pinpointing where exactly functional and aesthetic intersect.  Let me elaborate on connections between architectural designs and building traffic...

      Hotels have peak traffic at certain hours of the day.  It is observed that an elevator car lifts off about 350-400 times within one hour during peak traffic times.  This causes to speed motors frequently and controlled motors from time to time to stop functioning due to overheating.  In such cases   Hotel managements have to wait for the machines to cool off; and some courteous managers put up signs reading "the elevator is in maintenance for your safety" (!) on elevator doors on each floor.  The reason why peak traffic occurs is practically because all guests rush to the same floor at the same time.  Once the only restaurant in a hotel is situated on the highest or lowest floor of the building it gets much more complicated to find a solution to the peak traffic problem.  What is being said in this sentence is that the architect, the elevator specialist and the hotel management have to mutually contribute to designing the hotel building.  Even the best treat in the world can not satisfy a guest who waits minutes for the elevator to arrive when hoping to have breakfast.  This example clearly demonstrates that customer satisfaction requires team work. 

• Primary expectation of a customer who has got the chance to get into an elevator car is a comfortable ride that inspires sense of safety.  A comfortable elevator ride requires an elevator car that lands and lifts off softly and moves noise, vibration and swing-free.  Nonetheless, a comfortable ride also embraces the quality of the air in the car.  Today almost all hotels have air conditioning.  Stepping into an elevator car with 40C inside temperature from an air conditioned hall will be the end of a comfortable ride right there.  On the other hand nobody will notice a noise-free ride in an elevator that stops on every floor for the reasons mentioned above.  Although installing air conditioners in elevator cars is a solution which first comes to mind, it is not a practical one.  First and foremost heat inducing factors in elevator cars should be eliminated.  Also forced circulation of the air inside elevator cars should be ensured. Spot lights in elevator cars happen to be the major heat sources.  Number and types of spot lights placed in some elevator cars make it feel like there is an electric heater placed inside.

      Panoramic elevators have heat problem triggered by another heat source.  Especially the ones situated in buildings’ west or south sides are exposed to sunrays for the most part of the day and become unbearably warm.  In Turkey mostly southern and western fronts of the buildings face the sea (for Aegean and Mediterranean regions).  Architects go for the sea-view and consequently we get elevators with a view that happens to be too warm and too bright to read the signs placed inside.          
   

• The idea of being trapped in an elevator car in an unfamiliar building when the time is pressing bothers people.  That’s why it is necessary to install systems preventing elevator cars from stopping between floors mentioned in the new regulations in old hotel elevators as well.  It is as important to let passengers know that elevator is equipped with automatic rescue system and it will be stopped at a floor when certain kind of problems occur (maybe with a sign to be placed in the car) as having the system installed in the elevator.  Because these systems are more important to inspire sense of safety for the passengers rather than to offer solution to a problem which may unlikely arise.

Customer-focused practice promoted by the new quality standard requires following up and measuring to what extent the products and services we provide ensure customer satisfaction and implementing new solutions by taking the feedbacks into account.

Elevators are one of those lucky products that observing and measuring customer satisfaction is rather easier since they are used publicly.  

(*) First published in September 2002 issue of Asansor Dunayası magazine.