ABSTRACT
Dr. George A. Hazelrigg in 1985 wrote a fascinating paper on how engineers solve problems. His illustration focused on the simple task of guessing, or estimating, the numbers of beans in a sealed glass jar. He examines the different engineering methods that could be used. For example, if there is no prize for a good estimate, a person will only guess at the number ofbeans. When a prize is rewarded, however, people will develop methods and models to improve the quality of their guess and thereby increase the probability of winning. "The best guess depends on factors that go beyond traditional engineering analysis to take into account the nature of the prize and the personal preferences of the bean counter" (Hazelrigg, 1985).
