The DOE (design of experiment) for my primary project over the next 7 weeks is finally complete. It was a fantastic learning experience because, unlike a lab or experiment at school, there was no pre-written procedure that I had to follow; I had to create it on my own. Training on solder paste dispensing/printing, pick-n-placing computer chips, and the reflow ovens was a core part of my first 3 weeks. I learned what tests needed to be run, and how to do them. I was also given the types of solder pastes that were to be tested. All of a sudden, I, as the writer, had to decide how the data was going to be structured, what the time schedule for testing was gong to be, as well as all the other key components to making sure the experiment was a success. Bringing all these aspects together in a concise, understandable way is crucial to an effective DOE.
That’s where drafting comes in. Going back and looking at my first draft now ... Wow! Glad I didn’t submit it. It’s a sloppy, muffled, incoherent jumble of words and tables with some things that are just flat out missing. Thankfully, I decided to email it to a fellow intern and a co-worker to ask what he thought should be changed/added. After thinking over his advice, and my own changes that I wanted to make, I made a second draft. Better, but still not great. Rinse and repeat. After the 4th go around, the DOE felt complete. The contrast between the final product and the first attempt is staggering. Taking a step back, asking for another opinion, and then making necessary changes can turn just about anything from good to great.
Thanks for reading,
JJ