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Industrial and Systems Engineering is a discipline built upon a collection of methodological tools brought together to effect an integrated or "total" approach to problem-solving in engineering and management, with productivity improvement as its overall objective.
The original application of Industrial Engineering at the turn of the century was in manufacturing where the main objective was in achieving maximum productivity through the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of human, machine and equipment. Such a technology-based orientation gradually changed with the development of operations research, cybernetics, modern control theory and computing power. Today, the fields of applications have widened dramatically, ranging from the traditional areas of production engineering, facilities planning and material handling, to the design and optimization of more broadly-defined systems. |
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| Industrial and Systems Engineering is unique among the engineering disciplines in that the application of its techniques is not restricted to technological or industrial problems, although these are the main areas of interest. Furthermore, it is primarily concerned with translating designs into economical products and effective services, rather than with the fundamental mechanics of design. Unlike other engineering disciplines, Industrial and Systems Engineering is defined by the methodological tools used rather than the areas of application. Thus industrial and systems engineers work under a wide variety of job titles.
Industrial and Systems Engineering provides the theoretical and intellectual framework to be focused on whatever area of interest, and incorporates inputs from a variety of disciplines, while maintaining the engineer's familiarity and grasp of physical processes. |
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