The finite element method has become an indispensible tool in structural analysis, and tells an unparalleled success story. With success, however, came criticism, because it was noticeable that knowledge of the method among practitioners did not keep up with success. Reviewing engineers complain that the method is increasingly applied without an understanding of structural behavior.Often a critical evaluation of computed results is missing, and frequently a basic understanding of the limitations and possibilities of the method are nonexistent.