Designing Executive‐Development Programs for Engineering Managers

Abstract

Engineering executives and human‐resource professionals in engineering organizations face an exciting and somewhat overwhelming task when considering how to go about designing and developing a comprehensive executive‐development program. This paper describes the successful efforts of the author and his colleagues to design and develop two such programs while working with two state departments of transportation in the Western United States. It highlights several essential steps to design such programs, identifies key content areas found to be successful, and reports on both anticipated and unanticipated program outcomes. Suggestions for those who may be facing a similar task are offered.