How do you ensure that engineering practices in your team adhere to industry and company standards?

Sample answer to the question

To ensure engineering practices adhere to industry and company standards, I make sure my team is always up to date with the latest guidelines. I often hold weekly meetings to discuss any updates in standards and how they apply to our work. Additionally, I've set up checklists for project milestones to verify compliance, and I encourage my team to take training courses to stay informed on best practices. During the last project I managed, I made sure everyone was aware of the relevant ISO standards by organizing a workshop, which really helped us streamline our process and avoid any compliance issues.

A more solid answer

As an Engineering Manager, I prioritize adhering to industry and company standards by embedding these practices into our daily routines. For instance, I created a comprehensive onboarding program which includes thorough training on the necessary standards, like ISO and IEEE, and how they align with our company's protocols. I also implemented a peer review process whereby team members are responsible for checking each other's work against our checklist of standards before submitting it for final review. Moreover, I organize monthly workshops focused on areas where we need improvement or updates on standards. When we faced a complex compliance challenge on a time-sensitive project, I leveraged my technical background to identify potential issues early and guide the team towards a solution that not only met, but exceeded the standards required.

Why this is a more solid answer:

The solid answer goes into greater detail on how the candidate ensures standards are met by describing specific programs and processes they've established, like a comprehensive onboarding program and peer reviews. It better highlights the candidate's leadership in fostering continuous learning through monthly workshops and their problem-solving capabilities in addressing compliance challenges. It shows an understanding of project management and technical background used to successfully navigate and exceed standards. Still, the answer could be improved by providing insight into how these practices are maintained in an agile environment and how they contribute to on-time and within budget delivery.

An exceptional answer

My approach to maintaining engineering standards starts with an integrated training regimen for all team members, encompassing both industry best practices and our unique company protocols. I've leveraged my extensive technical knowledge to tailor this training, making sure it's comprehensive and accessible. To reinforce this, I've established a 'standards steward' role within the team whose duty includes staying abreast of all updates to standards, briefing the team, and ensuring we have a clear strategy for implementation. This role rotates quarterly to spread expertise. We also utilize agile ceremonies, such as sprint retrospectives, to continuously evaluate our adherence to standards and make immediate improvements. On a recent project, our agile approach enabled us to identify a deviation from the safety standards early in development. By promptly addressing it through a cross-functional problem-solving session, we stayed on schedule without compromising safety or budget. Throughout, I mentor junior engineers and advocate for cross-departmental sessions to broaden our collective understanding of quality benchmarks and drive innovation within our compliance frameworks.

Why this is an exceptional answer:

This exceptional answer provides a comprehensive strategy for ensuring engineering practices meet standards, inclusive of unique initiatives such as the 'standards steward' role and the integration of standards into agile methodologies. It showcases the candidate's ability to structure training, facilitate intra-team expertise development, and apply agile practices to ensure continuous compliance. Providing a specific example where agile methodologies prevented a standards deviation shows their capability to manage projects within an agile framework effectively. It reflects their leadership and organizational skills, as well as their dedication to mentoring and professional development, all key aspects of the Engineering Manager role described in the job description.

How to prepare for this question

Review the latest engineering standards in your field and think of ways you've applied them to real-world projects. Be prepared to discuss specific situations where you've ensured adherence to standards.
Reflect on how you structured team collaboration and workflows to emphasize the importance of standards. Consider discussing any training or mentorship initiatives you have led or participated in.
Consider how your personal technical skills and project management experience have contributed to maintaining standards in past projects. Be ready to explain how this will apply to potential future scenarios in the role for which you are interviewing.
You should have clear examples of how you've motivated your team to prioritize and continuously improve standard compliances, such as through rewards, recognition, or professional development opportunities.
Prepare to discuss how you've integrated standard adherence into an agile environment, ensuring quality and compliance while keeping up with the fast-paced nature of the work.

What interviewers are evaluating

Knowledge of industry standards
Ability to train and motivate the team
Implementing compliance checklists
Professional development of team members