[egroat]

So I've spent the last few months trawling through camera datasheets, evaluating OCR solutions, and building and comparing custom image transformations so that we can have a good idea of the quality and limitations of the ANPR solution we intend to deploy.

As of today only the framework of the final solution has been written, and we are finally interviewing for developers to write up the system for production (I will manage them, but am moving on to our radio code now).

Is what I've been doing engineering? If I was doing the final writing myself is it ?

[mannykannot]

To me, what you have been doing is engineering, regardless of who writes the code. If a group of people were to start writing the code without doing the preparatory analysis that you describe, and instead tried to get to a solution by test-and-fix / trial-and-error, that would not be engineering.

[walshemj]

exactly when I worked on the Management system for the core UK SMDS network we spent 9 months designing the system and built the first version of the product in 12 weeks.