design

• Engineering Design Process


  Turning science into useable systems
• Engineering Design Process

  • Minimize impact on the environment
  • Easy to construct and maintain
  • Within client's budget
  • Function well for the user
• Engineering Design Process


  1. Problem Definition

  2. Research

  3. Idea Generation

  4. Decision Making

  5. Development

  6. Investigation

  7. Communicate Results
• Problem Statement

  Solution-independent statement of the client's need. Should address the Who, What, When, Where, Why, of the problem in 1-2 sentences.
• Things to avoid in your problem statement:
• Target Specifications (Target Specs)

  What your solution needs to be or do. Consists of a METRIC and a VALUE. Confirms project "success" – does the solution work?
• Note: Target specs BEFORE testing, Tech specs AFTER testing.
• Good Target Specs


  • Complete
  • Solution-independent
  • Measurable
• Good Target Spec Example

  • Liquid remains above 60C over 6 hours in closed container.
• Bad Target Spec Example


  • The product should be light and portable
• Example (Context): 4 in 5 people experience low back pain sometime in their lives
• Intra-abdominal pressure
• • WHO
  • WHY
  • WHAT
  • WHERE
  • WHEN
• Research


  1. Gathering Information

  2. Ask questions

  3. Consider sources
• Brainstorming


  1. Thinking Outside the Box

  2. Getting Started
• Brainstorming


  A process designed to obtain the maximum number of ideas relating to a specific area of interest.
• 5 Rules of Brainstorming
• The engineering design process is an iterative framework for solving complicated, constrained problems.
• Problem definition arguably most important piece of the process
• Quantity > Quality in the brainstorming process
• 5 Rules of brainstorming

  1. Postpone and withhold judgment2. Encourage wild and exaggerated ideas3. Quantity > quality4. Build on others’ ideas5. Every person and every idea has equal worth