Attention to details - for a consulting engineer

Why attention to detail is important

As engineers, we must take attention to detail very seriously for these reasons:

• Every single detail in the work that we do is important. Even a 1% error could cause a disastrous outcome in our line of work
• Errors cause abortive work. We have to redo work, which is a waste of time, money and effort, including wasted effort by you, which is not a pleasant thing when you are working hard and long hours
• Errors could lead to poor end products, in the case of buildings consulting engineers, poorly coordinated, designed and built buildings
• Errors expose your firm to financial and legal risks, and could also lead to safety risks. Your firm could be made to make monetary compensations, or face legal prosecution if an error leads to injury or death. And with injury and death, those involved will have to live with the fact that they have caused it

What can you do to improve your attention to detail?

The good news is attention to detail is a skill, so even if you were not born with this ability, you could develop it with intentional effort and discipline. Like all skills, it will seem hard at first, but with time you will get better at it, and soon it will become second nature.

Here are a few things you can do to develop and improve this skill:

• Develop consciousness that attention to detail is imperative to your work - it all starts with the mind
• Be organised and work systematically. Develop a working system that suits you and develop the discipline to stick with this system
• Avoid distraction and be present. Avoid listening to music with lyrics. Put your phone away. If your firm uses WhatsApp for communication, use the desktop app, but put all other chat groups on silent except for work-related groups. Be present and focus on the task at hand
• Take regular breaks. A 5-minute break every 30 minutes can do wonders. Leave your desk and move around. You can install apps to help remind you to take breaks
• Take written notes, make lists for everything. Do not assume you will remember. Always have a notebook, virtual or physical, or use app like ClickUp, Monday or Asana
• Repeat instructions given to you, asking the person who instructed to confirm if you have correctly understood the instructions. This helps you ensure that you have understood the instructions correctly
• Know what a particular piece of work's intended outcome is and consider the items that might have to be redone, as our work can be an iterative process. Ask if you are not sure. Then, plan your work to ease any reworking and to deliver the intended outcome. Only start working after you have done this, do not rush head-on without planning.
• Break your work into smaller pieces if this helps you focus better
• Focus on quality, not quantity or speed. If you are doing something for the first time, focus on getting it right within a reasonable time frame rather than rushing the work through. And consciously develop the ability to undertake quality work with speed - this is a matter of conscious decision and discipline
• Have your lists and notes with you as you work, cross things off as you complete each item
• When updating comments on deliverables - cross off comments as you attend to them, use a highlighter or a tick sign
• Always check your finished work. Review it and go through your list (or the comments if you are attending to comments). Do this at least twice
• For deliverables - branding consistency and presentation of content is just as important as the content itself. Check that these are correct and align with your firm’s branding guidelines

One of the most valuable skills for a consulting engineer is to be able to see the big picture and yet have a keen eye for details.

To those giving instructions and assigning tasks

Do not assume that they have understood it right, especially if you know they have a tendency to misinterpret or if it is someone just starting out or new to the firm. Remember to ask them to repeat their understanding of what they have been asked to do and that they know what the intended outcome is and, if applicable, how work should be structured to allow rework for things that might change

Periodically review as required, rather than leaving it to the end. Ask yourself at which stages should you undertake periodic reviews.

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