Time to reflect: a strategy for reducing risk in structural design

There is a strong case for exposing undergraduate students to structural analysis software, argues Jon Carr of The University of Sheffield. While the case for structural design software is less compelling, this also offers potential learning benefits.

Some expertise in the use of technical software, often developed in a final-year project, is a necessary skill for graduates in civil or structural engineering, argues Professor Roger Johnson, although this poses several questions.

This article considers some of the factors affecting choice of structural engineering software.