Discussion: View Thread

Expand all | Collapse all

What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

  • 1.  What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 10-28-2021 08:02 AM
    Apart from webmail (Outlook) and communication tools (MS Teams, Zoom, Slack), what is the one tool that you desperately need to do your job? Or maybe the one tool that makes you known as a "guru" in your firm?
    For me, I can't do my modeling work properly without R programming software. I use it all the time for many automation tasks: data cleanup, preprocessing model inputs, result visualization, making GIS maps, building interactive dashboard, etc. Using R for my day-to-day work has been paying dividends as it has saved us and clients so much time and money.

    ------------------------------
    Tung Nguyen, PhD, Water Resources Modeler
    Jacobs
    Sacramento, CA
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 10-31-2021 09:25 AM

    Dear Tung, it is a very interesting topic. I imagine that the answer sometimes depends on a specific area. In my case:

    Programming: Matlab (but I noticed that several friends are encouraging me to learn Python, it is free. Several applications are being developed in this language).

    Modelling (structural): SAP2000, ETABS.

    Notes: Notepad++ (it includes options to visualize certain symbols in several programming languages, but it is a Notepad), Evernote

    References: Zotero (it is free until 200 Mb of storage. I have a subscription, and I save a lot of time and money, citing).

    Prowritingaid and Grammarly: for non-native English speakers, those are great tools.

    PDF X-Change Editor: Great tool to visualize, edit and comment PDF's

    ilovepdf: a free tool on the internet to handle PDF's (i.e. divide pages).

    Regards,
    AG



    ------------------------------
    Andres Guzman Ing., M.ASCE
    Associate Professor
    UNIVERSIDAD DEL NORTE
    Barranquilla
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 11-08-2021 07:21 AM
    Thanks for sharing Andres! 
    I also use several programs that you list (Notepad++, Zotero, PDF X-Change). How do you like Prowritingaid and Grammarly? I am considering paying for it too

    ------------------------------
    Tung Nguyen, PhD, Water Resources Modeler
    Jacobs
    Sacramento, CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 11-08-2021 08:57 PM
    Dear  Tung, I use both in different ways. Grammarly is a great tool to polish the message and assess the "emotion" expressed in each communication. On the other hand, ProWritingAid is a more professional tool but too comprehensive and sometimes could be overwhelming. It is important to configure the latter, so it checks just what you want. Nevertheless, both are great tools worthy of paying.
    Regards,
    AG

    ------------------------------
    Andres Guzman Ing., M.ASCE
    Associate Professor
    UNIVERSIDAD DEL NORTE
    Barranquilla
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 12-23-2021 09:42 AM
    Hi Andres,

    Thanks for sharing! That's a very nice list but for the editing and doing mark ups on PDF's I still prefer using Bluebeam over PDF X-change. I was once a PDF X-change user and someone introduced me the power of Bluebeam! :) And for the notes, I use OneNote instead of notepad. Hope you can explore those softwares/apps! :)

    Regards,
    Marvin

    ------------------------------
    Marvin Mangabat M.ASCE
    Structural Engineer
    San Juan City
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 12-23-2021 10:50 AM
    Dear Marvin, thank you for your recommendations!

    I suggest PDF X-change because several cool tools are still available for the free version (like typewriting machine, to insert text on PDF's, for free, without watermarks). Notepad++ is very useful for deleting any formatting options of text when copying and pasting information. Also, it is very suitable for coding. I use Evernote to keep my project notes and Google tasks for my daily tasks. BTW, I used OneNote for remote classes and share notes with my students.

    Regards,

    AG

    ------------------------------
    Andres Guzman Ing., M.ASCE
    Associate Professor
    UNIVERSIDAD DEL NORTE
    Barranquilla
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 11-01-2021 09:47 AM
    Filemaker Pro. A data base program that helps my 70 year old mind remember contacts, invoices (I am self employed), and equipment lists.  I have used it for the past 25 years and would be lost without it. It is actually a combination of WORD, EXCEL and Photo. (It can do calculations, spell check and carry photos)

    A relatively inexpensive program that works on Mac and PC. I am up to almost 4000 entries in my Contacts data base. Names, phone numbers, pictures, dates, addresses, photos.

    Example. I worked EPCM on a mineral processing plant in Southern Bolivia. We had 500 pieces of equipment on the list. Pumps, crushers, conveyors, float cells, ball mills, tanks, thickeners, filters. With FilemakerPro I had a list of all that had drop down lists.   I had the equipment name, number, purchase order number, who we bought it from, what it costs, where it was located, status (Ordered, shipped, in transit, stored on site, installed). One can input pdf files so maintenance books can be easily retrieved. Data sorting is impressive.
    Monthly reports can list how many pieces have been installed ie 299/500 or $25 million/$75 million.​ And it can be set up so that it is in a different language with a click. ie Spanish in this case.

    I am sure that other major Engineering companies have their own software that does similar- but I am self employed and a one man band and can't afford a massive system.

    BTW the equipment list had a large SAG mill and a ball mill. We ordered 3 drives so we had a backup. They came from Australia and the third one fell off the truck during transport 5 km from site. It had to be shipped to Chile for repair. Then the Chilean Government employees all went on strike and getting it back across the border after repair became a challenge.

    I am a Mining/Civil Engineer and I have no idea what R programming software is or does.

    Richard G. LaPrairie PE
    LMI Engineering
    Reno Nevada

    ------------------------------
    Richard LaPrairie P.E., M.ASCE
    LMI Engineering L.L.C.
    Reno NV
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 11-08-2021 07:21 AM
    I've never heard about Filemaker Pro and had no idea that there is a versatile program like that exists. Is it expensive?
    And sorry to hear about your unwanted experience with repairing equipment. I hope it didn't cost you too much in the end due to delayed repair.
    Cheers

    ------------------------------
    Tung Nguyen, PhD, Water Resources Modeler
    Jacobs
    Sacramento, CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 11-29-2021 03:02 PM
    I must agree 100% that a database solution like yours (Mr. LaPrairie) is invaluable.  Even for specific technical facts.  Over the years I've built a couple of databases where I store all sorts of facts and figures for the various assets I manage (dams, stream gages, power plants) and it's available to other engineers at my company.  Time series data go in there too.  It's better than a printed reference handbook in many ways (though we have one of those too, it is handy to flip through bookmarked pages and faster than mousing around pointing and clicking just to find one key value).

    My most useful tool is my HP 42S calculator.  Well, I have the calculator but haven't replaced the batteries in years.  I use an HP 42S simulator on my phone called Free42.  I simply don't understand how anyone could use a non-RPN calculator with complicated formulas, or, for repeating a calculation several times.  And don't get me started on Excel, a business and financial tool, being used by engineers! Bah.  Water flow weir calculations (like depth flowing over a V notch weir converted to gallons-per-minute) I have programmed, ready for checking the computer's output. I trust my calculator and can do the calculation in reverse as a double-check before hitting "send" on that email with my name at the bottom.  I even use it to do meter to foot conversions (I sometimes forget, is it 3.28 or 3.048?)

    ------------------------------
    Dudley McFadden P.E., D.WRE, M.ASCE
    Principal Civil Engineer
    Roseville CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 12-20-2021 09:17 AM
    RPN --- Yes.

    ------------------------------
    Michael Mills P.E., S.E., M.ASCE
    Structural Engineer
    Tulsa OK
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: What's the one tool you can't live without when doing your day-to-day job?

    Posted 11-29-2021 03:00 PM
    Mr. Nguyen I am glad to hear of the benefits of R for your work.  For my part I've been using Python for those tasks for 20+ years so that's the road I'm on.  R seems pretty capable too.  I have seen engineers