In the engineering sector, computer programs are gradually becoming more influential and helpful. Design capabilities have progressed exponentially thanks to these new innovations and, when used correctly, they can help create designs of unparalleled quality.

One thing that must be kept in mind, however, is the danger of becoming too reliant on these new technologies. Although they have modernized the entire AEC industry, the importance of human skill and ingenuity should never be overlooked. As impressive as these programs are, they will never provide a full replacement for genuine engineering expertise.

The way in which computer-assistance technologies should be used is in their very name: as assistance. When used by a skilled professional, computer programs can be hugely beneficial to new projects at all stages. Dependence on this technology, however, could be detrimental and potentially dangerous.

There are three major areas of engineering design in which computer programs have had a major impact.

1. Concept design: when conceptualizing the initial idea, imagination and design are the most important factors. Simply put, the imagination of the engineer will never be replaced by a computer program. However, these programs can aid concept design. An important part of this stage is sizing and calculations. These are areas in which programs can be helpful.
2. Drafting and analysis: This development stage bridges the gap between concept design and the real world. The main purpose of drafting and analysis is to evaluate how realistic the concept is. As it is more computer-based, programs such as structure analysis software can be hugely beneficial.
3. Detailed design: This highly technical stage of development is largely computer-based. As the name suggests, this stage revolves around details and analysis and accuracy is key.

It is clear that the human imagination cannot yet be rivaled by computers, and idea-generation will always need a human touch. Apart from this, however, there are many other elements that necessitate human intervention. Fine-tuning and decision making, for example, cannot be reliant on machines. In the future, technology may be trusted enough to make crucial judgments on important engineering projects but, as it stands, human judgement cannot be rivalled.

Naturally, human error is still a concern. This is one of the reasons why computer programs are here to assist. When errors occur in the writing of these programs or while inputting data, however, the results can be catastrophic. This is why automated checking (the process of comparing input values to previous projects) has become a widely discussed topic in the AEC industry as of late.

As helpful as automated checking systems can be, the reality is that most engineering disasters occur due for unforeseen circumstances and anomalies. Therefore, using previous projects as a point of comparison is never going to prevent flukes and unusual occurrences.

In addition, environmental factors are often overlooked when relying on code. The unforecasted wind instability of Tacoma Narrows is an example of this, as is the unexpected wobble of the Millennium Bridge. These factors could, arguably, only have been foreseen by value judgments made by engineers.

The best engineering judgments must be made in a formulaic way. In the past, the industry has looked toward mathematicians to create structures and formulas to aid engineering design. The original formula for shell structures, for example, was successfully created by expert mathematicians. Finite element analysis now allows these formulas to be carefully analyzed, but human intervention is still crucial to ensure that the output is always sensible.

The partnership between engineers and architects (backed up by computer programs) is the perfect combination to create both practical and innovative designs. Without being able to have creative input, nor being completely reliable, a machine could never achieve this combination alone.