07/HVB/JM

R.C.G. Williams, Ph.D., B.Sc. (Eng.),

Chairman,

Electronics Divisional Board,

Field Plot,

The Flower Walk,

GUILDFORD,

Surrey.

9th March 1964.

Dear Dr. Williams,

I have given some thought to a request you made at an Electronics Divisional Board meeting two or three months ago, that we should think up some means of putting the I.E.E. more firmly on the Electronics map. The proposals about the Professional Groups, Student and Graduate membership etc. will, I think, help but I feel something of more direct use and interest to the outsider is needed. For what it is worth, I suggest "The Design of Electronic Equipment" might be a suitable theme with which to achieve our purpose.

We have rather had the march stolen on us over Electronics Research but I think there is still an opportunity to get in on Electronics Design.

There has been, as you no doubt know, a good deal of interest stirred up on mechanical design by the Fielden Report. Design is, I think, coming more to the public eye as one of the vital links between Research and Production, the phase where we as a nation are supposed to be failing. As far as I know, there has been very little thought devoted to the design of electronic equipment. If we leave our design philosophy to be determined by the non-electronic side of industry, we shall probably end up with a climate and recommendations as unsuitable to us as are those promulgated by the Council on Technician Engineers.

.../I