Engineering Log Books

Engineering Log Books are standard in industry, and are required for Capstone Design. As engineers and creative thinkers, you should also keep a separate logbook for your own ideas, inventions, prototypes, etc. A well-kept logbook could be the difference between a steady job and retiring early on easy street.

What is a log book and why keep one?

A log book is a physical book where you capture your ideas that arise during your engineering research and design work. It doesn't matter if the ideas result in a commercial product or they are just thoughts and musings about how to do something differently, or make something better. Think of it as an engineering brain dump. It may not be pretty, but it has all the meat.

A log book can be used for several purposes. It is a documentation trail for you to recall what design decisions you made, why you made them, and when. It can also be used to prove inventorship of a new idea, including who conceived the idea, the research/due diligence behind the idea, and \how to reduce the idea to practice. Log books often end up at the patent attorney's office to establish the date that the idea was conceived, so never throw them away!

What goes in a log book?

Nearly anything related to the project. If you're not sure, put it in. Ask.

Concept drawings

During the Concept Generation phase of the design cycle, you are brainstorming how to translate your customer needs and requirements into an engineering design. These brainstorming sessions and drawings should be captured in your log book. Make sure all drawings, no matter how partial or "bad" are included. These initial drawings are by hand and can be freehand. You don't have to be an artist - you just have to get the idea across. You DON'T need to use a software drawing package - do it by hand first.

In addition to each drawing, write down what the concept does, what requirements it satisfies, and anything about why it is unique. Why did you think of it? (Write at least a paragraph, but write enough to fully document the concept idea so that someone reading your log book later can understand the key concept(s) you identified.)

Block diagrams of how something works

Document document document! During the architecture and design phases, you will generate several block diagrams. Put them here, with descriptions on what each does and WHY. This is a key phase when new ideas are born and must be captured!

Hand drawings/Photographs/Plots

Any other visual aids that you think help explain your ideas, or document results. Sign all separate pages and secure them to the log page using glue or staples. An engineering log book can never be too long. However, most are too short.

Calculations and Design Tradeoffs

Any calculations, equations, math, etc. you explore, include it. Also include all design tradeoffs you explore ("Design attributes") such as cost, usability, maintainability, manufacturability, etc.

Results of Tests and Experiments

As a designer, you are always performing tests whether you realize it or not. During the design analysis stage, you are "testing" ideas and materials for their usefulness in meeting the requirements - document the results. You also perform more formal testing on the design components and the final design.

Every time you perform some sort of test, open your log book, note the date, time, test to perform, and describe the test (If it is documented in a test plan, put that reference). Then describe how you do the test, and the results (document actual numbers, don't just say "successful" or "failed". Also document any discussion, surprising/unexpected results (these could lead to IP!), and what you might do next.

Aha's

Any time you find yourself saying, "Aha!" or "Maybe I thought of a different way to do this" or "This is a great idea!" or "I couldn't find anything else like this on the internet/searching the US Patent Office/etc."

Three big words - WRITE IT DOWN! You never know.

WHY you make certain design decisions.

At many times during the R&D process, you will reevaluate your design decisions, large and small. When you do, document the changes you made, and WHY you made them.

Reduction to Practice

Sometimes the patentable element is not the original idea, but how you figure out how to MAKE or MANUFACTURE the idea. Therefore, you must capture ideas related to how the idea would work in the real world. Discuss its operation and structure.

Administrative detail related to design

When you have a design meeting, take your log book and document decisions made during the meeting. This is more than just, "We had a meeting to discuss how to configure the beam fastener;" it includes the meat of the discussion itself. What ideas were proposed? What were pros and cons? Which did you decide?

Searches and Research - Literature, Patent, Journal, Product, etc.

You must include information on any other ideas/products/patents that are related to your idea. This help you ensure you are not doing something that has already been done, and that you are not going to accidentally infringe on someone else's existing patent. In addition, if you do apply for a patent on your work, this helps the patent attorney know where to perform the necessary background searches and can make your application a little less expensive.

Log Books Rules

Remember - your log book is a LEGAL DOCUMENT!

All entries must be in ink.
Date each entry and indicate the project name.
Entries are chronological.
Don't tear out pages.
Don't use white-out. If something is incorrect, cross it out and indicate why it was crossed out. Date and sign. It should still be readable so don't scribble to obscurity.
Don't leave blank pages. Use a diagonal line to indicate a page (or part of a page) was left blank on purpose.
Sign and date your log book regularly, and especially on pages you think contain potential IP.
Have a witness sign and date your logbook on critical pages, indicating "Read and understood." They are signing to indicate that they understand what you have written - it does not mean that they are also an inventor (although they could be, in which case the idea had better be in their log book as well).
Label everything - figures, pictures, drawings, equations, etc.
Include enough information that someone else can duplicate your work.
Never let anyone else write in your log book (except for the witness signature).
Write legibly. You don't need to use block lettering or anything, but make sure someone else can actually read it!
NEVER THROW A LOG BOOK AWAY!

What kind of book can I use?

Your company will likely give you an official log book that they have either designed or approved. It will have a place on the cover for your name and project information. The pages are permanently secured with a binding, and each has a permanent page number. Some have a spiral, but the pages are permanently numbered. Along the bottom, some log books have a line for your signature and date, as well as a line for a witness to sign and date. The rationalization for this is that permanent, numbered pages are harder to fake, and therefore are a more reliable record of the actual work.

For Capstone, buy the inexpensive black/white composition book with string binding. No loose-leaf binders.

Common problems with log books

Most log books I see are incomplete in some manner. Here are some common problems.

Information not captured. If your final log book used 10 pages, you didn't use it correctly.
Missing explanations of WHY something was documented. For example, a drawing appears with no text to describe it.
Missing conclusions. Many concepts presented but the logic the engineer used to select the best concept is missing.
Unnecessary information included. For example, entries that indicate an unrelated homework was completed, such as the ethics homework that is unrelated to your design project.
Administrative information. Your log book isn't your daily planner or calendar. Don't just write down WHEN you had team meetings - include the meat!

Some Q&As

Q. What if I make a drawing on a separate piece of paper. Do I redraw it for the log book?
A. If possible, keep the original somewhere safe and redraw the concept in your log book. Otherwise, photocopy it and permanently secure the copy in your logbook (paste or staple), and indicate where the original is kept (make a back pocket in the log book). Sign and have a witness sign that the original and copy are the same.

Q. How long should my log book be for Capstone?
A. Content is more important than page count. But if you document all your concepts, have weekly team meetings, and document your own research between meetings, you can easily reach 40 pages. There is no upper limit - if you need a second log book, get one.

Q. Who owns the log book?
A. The logbook you use at work belongs to your company, and you must surrender it when you leave the company. Any logbooks you keep outside of work or ideas unrelated to work are your own. As a side note, however, many companies make you sign an intellectual property agreement that says anything you invent on your own time they get rights of first refusal. Therefore, how you approach documenting outside IP is another can of worms.