IEEE GlobalSpec’s fourth annual research survey gleaned insightful perspectives from 2,236 engineers and technical professionals across the globe. The survey touches upon the pace of engineering, available resources, and competition. Patrick D. Mahoney, President, and CEO of IEEE GlobalSpec, further explains the report and how you can apply it to your marketing strategy
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The mind of the engineer is typically a technical place, one that marketers can find tough to crack. The IEEE GlobalSpec Pulse of Engineering Survey is designed to gather measurable and actionable insight from engineers on what they think about their industries and work environments. Marketers focused on targeting this audience can use these insights to better acknowledge the challenges and everyday realities that face modern engineers in this continually evolving industry. The participants in this study hail from a variety of backgrounds and career specializations, including engineering/tech design, communications, and aerospace, among many others. For the first time this year, we also chose to include exclusive analysis on two key segments of the engineering workforce: millennials and technical professionals in the electronics industry.
The Pressure Is On
While inquisitive and dedicated to problem-solving, engineers are usually pressed for time and forced to multitask. They must absorb vast quantities of information as quickly as possible to choose the best products for the project at hand.
According to our research, 55% of engineers say the pace of engineering is increasing; 53% are required to do more with less, and 40% say that pressure to meet deadlines is putting product quality/rework at risk. The majority also say that designs are becoming more sophisticated and that design cycles are shrinking, while time-to-market pressures are increasing. To help alleviate these pressures, 44% of companies have increased design involvement from external partners and vendors.
Armed with this knowledge, marketers should focus on providing the most relevant content that helps technical professionals produce results faster. Additionally, companies will also want to showcase any value-added services they offer that can alleviate the pressures of an engineer’s day to day job.
The Millennial Mindset
The term “millennial” has become practically synonymous with discussions of technology and its rapid, seamless infiltration into our everyday lives. For marketers, millennials continue to play a crucial role in the pace of any industry. It is essential for B2B and industrial marketers to appreciate the millennial mindset to produce better-targeted marketing materials. First and foremost, there are clear differences in the way younger versus older engineers pursue the information they need to do their job.
Millennials are information hungry. Concerning information access, 24% of surveyed millennials say they are more likely to use video for educational purposes compared to a much smaller 14% of veteran engineers. Also, while the majority (53%) of all engineers are willing to register on a website for access to specific documents, only 44% of millennials indicated such willingness. Younger engineers tend to believe all content should be free and openly accessible (52%). Due to the unlimited amounts of information, they are used to having at their fingertips, this is to be expected.
Marketers must objectively assess their efforts when pursuing the millennial mindset. A static digital presence it is not enough. While equally interested in a wealth of information to do their jobs in the best way possible, this audience also wants the option to receive this information in a variety of formats and media channels. Incorporating more video and visuals like infographics and utilizing social media are effective ways to engage this group.
The demands on engineers and technical professionals show no signs of decreasing. A better understanding and analysis of mindsets across the demographic spectrum of engineers is key to fostering an organization’s vision of focusing on relevant, quality, and authoritative solutions that create community, learning, and business opportunities for engineers and their manufacturing suppliers.