Which do you like better “Concept Selection” or “Detail Design”? I was once asked this question in one of my job interviews.
To understand this discussion better, we need to define these terms first. Concept Selection is the initial project phase where a list of potential solution are analyzed and compared to each other. This process is multi-criteria analysis. Each potential solution is given a score on each criteria used in the comparison. Examples of criteria may be Initial Cost, Operational Cost, Environmental Impact, Robustness, etc.
On the other hand, detail design phase is the final stage of design. Options has been selected, design criteria has been set, all inputs needed are available. This is the time to combine everything to come up with the final design that is workable and ready for construction.
Not all Engineers could actually do Concept Selection phase of a project. Knowledge and wild imagination are the keys to being successful in this field. This is not the playing field for the faint hearted.
For me, having been involved in both phases, given the preference, I would choose Detailed Design over Concept Selection. However, knowing that I was actually aplying for a Concept Select Stage of a project, I replied to the interviewer that I like Concept Selection better as I could play with more options and recommend whichever is more suitable. The interviewer was happy.