OVERVIEW

Soft Skills teaching unit (30 hours of lectures, case study analysis, and exercises on international scientific literature) integrated the solid technical and scientific preparation of the Master's Degree in Electronic Engineering with non-technical skills (NTS) . In the contemporary industrial and technological context, hardware/software design, complex systems development, and operational safety management require not only analytical and computational skills, but also mastery of cognitive, relational, and organizational processes.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching unit aims to develop in electronic engineering students a critical awareness of the human and organizational factors that influence the success of technological projects, providing essential methodological and behavioral skills for operating and leading highly complex contexts.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Knowledge and understanding ( Knowledge and understanding )

Understand the fundamental theoretical models relating to human cognitive processes (situational awareness, decision making , stress and fatigue management) applied to organizational and industrial contexts.

Understand the dynamics of interpersonal communication, teamwork and leadership , distinguishing between task - oriented and people - oriented components .

Recognize the mechanisms underlying human error ( Human Factors ) and the risk factors related to fatigue and high uncertainty operating conditions in complex systems.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding ( Applying knowledge and understanding )

Apply decision-making process analysis methodologies both in strategic/managerial level choices and in front-line problem resolution during the development, testing, and validation phases of electronic systems.

Structure transparent and effective communication flows within work teams, transposing requirements and technical contents in ways that are clear for stakeholders and professionals with different backgrounds.

Adopt coordination and information sharing techniques to prevent and resolve interpersonal and operational conflicts during engineering project management.

3. Making judgments ( Making judgments )

Develop metacognitive processes (“thinking about how we think”) by identifying biases and cognitive conditioning that can alter risk assessment in the design and management of safety-critical systems .

Critically assess high-stress and high-uncertainty situations , promptly identifying declining situational awareness in the team to prevent the triggering of systemic errors or operational oversights.

Analyze case studies and project experiences , integrating a focus on technical efficiency with organizational sustainability and people's well-being.

4. Communication skills​

Distinguish and manage the different levels of communication (content and relationship), reducing ambiguity and improving the efficiency of technical exchanges.

Exercise an adaptive and assertive leadership style , capable of motivating the work group, ensuring mutual support and guiding the team towards organizational resilience even in emergency conditions or sudden changes in specifications.

Clearly present and argue technical decisions, risk mitigation strategies, and organizational assessments to both technical and managerial stakeholders.

5. Learning skills

Independently consult, interpret, and synthesize recent scientific articles from international journals in the field of human and organizational sciences applied to engineering.

Self-assess your cognitive and emotional performance , identifying signs of fatigue, and applying basic stress management techniques to maintain ongoing learning and professional performance over time.

Develop an attitude towards continuous improvement ( continuous learning ) in the management of relational skills and in the processes of adapting to technological and organizational evolutions.

PREREQUISITES

Basic notions of corporate structure and interpersonal communication, applied to the teaching unit topics.

TEACHING METHODS

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• Lectures with interactive discussion
• Class discussions
• Guided study of the textbook
• Guided practical exercises
• Role-playing activities
• Group work
• Simulations
• Peer learning
• Case studies
• Individual reflection

Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) who wish to benefit from examination accommodations are invited to upload their certification in advance through the University's Online Services and to submit the accommodation request form at least seven days before the examination date. The request will be automatically forwarded to the teacher and to the School/Area Disability and SLD Coordinator.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Developing Situational Awareness in Complex Systems
  • Ability to monitor, interpret, and anticipate changes in the operating environment during the testing, simulation, validation, and maintenance phases of electronic and embedded architectures.
  • Mitigate the risk of information overload and improve responsiveness to anomalous system behavior.
• Application of Critical Decision Making and Metacognition
  • Develop the ability to make decisions both at a strategic level (project management) and in emergencies/front-line situations, analyzing one's thought processes ( thinking about how we think ) to identify cognitive biases .
  • Rigorous risk assessment and reduction of decision-making errors in the selection of components, topologies, and system requirements.
• Communicative Effectiveness in the Multidisciplinary Interface
  • Master the relational and content dimensions of communication to interact effectively with diverse professional figures (e.g., software developers, production specialists, customers, and managers).
  • Ability to draft clear technical documentation, convey requirements unambiguously, and conduct effective technical negotiations.
• Teamwork Management and Conflict Resolution in Project Groups
  • Master the dynamics of coordination, mutual support, and information sharing within engineering design teams.
  • Recognize and promptly resolve interpersonal or resource conflicts, ensuring deadlines are met and workflow continuity is maintained.
• Exercising Leadership Under Uncertainty
  • Balancing the focus on technical objectives ( task- oriented ) with people-oriented management ( people- oriented ), to lead work groups during crisis phases, specification changes or sudden failures .
  • Promoting organizational resilience and the ability to maintain strategic direction in highly variable technological scenarios.
• Stress Management, Fatigue, and Human Error Prevention
  • Understand the impact of physiological and psychological factors on engineers' cognitive performance by applying basic self-control and workload management techniques.
  • Designing sustainable work rhythms and drastically reducing the likelihood of oversights ( active failures ) and design defects due to accumulated fatigue.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Flin , R., & O'Connor, P. (2017). Safety at the sharp end: a guide to non-technical skills . CRC Press.

Teaching materials provided in the classroom by the teacher.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classes will begin according to the academic calendar approved by the Degree Program.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

For attending students

PARTIAL PART 1 (in progress) : oral exam (max 11 points): identification, within a story, of positive and negative examples of cognitive NTS exercises (module 1). Duration: 30 minutes of text analysis + 5 minutes of oral presentation.

PARTIAL N.2 in progress : written exam (max 11 points): case analysis focusing on social NTS (module 2). Duration: 30 minutes.

PARTIAL EXAM N.3 final : written exam (max 11 points): 11 quizzes with 4 answer choices (module 3, stress and fatigue), each correct answer worth 1 point, with no penalty for errors. Duration: 15 minutes.

For non-attending students

Single written test (duration 40')

• 24 quizzes covering modules 1-2-3, with 4 answer choices. Each correct answer is worth 1 point, with no penalty for errors.
• An open question (related to one of the teaching unit modules): 0 to 8 points

For Erasmus

Single written test (duration 60')

• 8 open questions, from 0 to 4 points each

FOR ALL EXAM METHODS: In the event of an overall score higher than 30/30, honors will be awarded.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For attending students, learning is assessed through three tests, each assessed out of thirtieths (maximum 11 points per test), the overall score of which determines the final grade.

• First ongoing exam (oral) : analysis of a story, identifying positive and negative examples of cognitive Non-Technical Skills (NTS). The exam assesses the ability to recognize and interpret cognitive NTS, applying theoretical concepts to a concrete case, as well as presentation and argumentation skills.
• Second written exam : case analysis with particular reference to social NTS. The exam assesses the student's ability to analyze a situation, identify the interpersonal skills involved, and justify their conclusions.
• Third final exam (written) : 11 multiple-choice questions related to the module on stress and fatigue. The exam tests knowledge and understanding of the module's main theoretical content. Each correct answer is worth 1 point; there is no penalty for incorrect answers.

For non-attending students  the exam consists of a single written test composed of:

• 24 multiple-choice questions relating to all modules of the teaching unit (1 point for each correct answer, with no penalties for incorrect answers);
• an open question, scored up to a maximum of 8 points, aimed at ascertaining the ability to critically apply the teaching unit contents and to argue the answers.

For Erasmus students, the exam consists of a single written test lasting 60 minutes, made up of 8 open-ended questions (up to 4 points each), aimed at assessing knowledge of the teaching unit content, the ability to apply the concepts and clarity of presentation.

The overall assessment takes into account the correctness of the answers, the ability to apply theoretical concepts to concrete situations, the appropriateness of the disciplinary language, and the ability to analyze and argue.