Although the human–computer interaction (HCI) community
has been active for several years, very little attention has
been devoted to supporting engineers. Engineers are unique computer
users with particular needs. They are familiar with fields such
as applied mathematics, applied sciences, simulation, project
management, technical drawing, and design, as well as engineering
law and economics. The nature of the engineering design process
means that engineers usually operate within changing environments.
Uncertainty relating to incomplete information adds to the
complexity of the process especially since the engineer is legally
responsible for decisions.