Planning Guide

ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS

DEVELOPED BY: GREG STRIMEL FOR THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFF ICE OF STEM IN IT IAT IVES

What problem are we solving?

DEFINE A PROBLEM

Most Problems are ill-defined, so the fi rst step is to create a concise problem statement to guide the process of creating a viable solution What is the problem that you are trying to solve? Why is it a problem?, who does it effect?, when does it

occur? When does it happen? A problem statement does not imply a solution

Example Problem Statement: While participating in athletic events on turf fields during

hot weather, cleats tend to absorb the heat which makes feet burn and uncomfortable.

Example Design Brief: Create a product or process to decrease the temperature in

feet while playing on turf during hot weather.

Now that you have a problem defined, you can start brainstorming ideas to research for solutions

Mind-Mapping is a great technique for coming up with as many ideas related to your problem.

Work towards quantityNever criticize anyone’s ideaEncourage Wild Ideas

Hot Turf

ShoeField

Heat Diffusio

n

BRAINSTORMING

Use the items from your Mind-Map to begin your research.

What have others done?What do you need to know?

science, math concepts Look on-line

As you look at what others

have done – do you have any

more ideas?

Cite your sources!

Google is not a source! It is a search engine.

RESEARCH & GENERATE IDEAS

Now that you know the Problem and some information, it is time to look at what the requirements are.

Criteria are the the things that your solution must do

Constraints are the limitations that are applied to your design

This will include what resources are needed: People, Time, Materials, Tools, Capitol, Energy, and

Knowledge

IDENTIFY CRITERIA & CONTRAINTS

Review the Problem StatementReview your brainstormingReview your research.Review the criteria & constraintsCreate at least three sketches of possible

solutions to your problem.These sketches should include annotations

EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES

Review the Problem StatementReview your brainstormingReview your research.Review the criteria & constraintsCreate at least three sketches of possible

solutions to your problem.These sketches should include annotations

EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES

Use a Decision Matrix to determine which of your possible solution ideas meet the criteria and constraints the best.

This is a Table Criteria along the top Possible solutions along the left side Use your ideas to complete this table.

Idea Total

123

SELECT AN APPROACH

Idea Performance Durability Comfort Competitive Cost

Safe Materials

Light weight Total

123

•Analyze each idea based on the criteria

• 4 = meets it perfectly• 3 = is close but not perfect• 2 = just a little bit• 1 = it is a stretch 0

= does not meet the criteria

• YES = 1• NO = 0• Total up the results.

SELECT AN APPROACH

Idea Performance Durability Comfort Competitive Cost

Safe Materials

Light weight Total

1 4 3 4 Yes =1 Yes= 1 3

2 3 4 4 Yes =1 Yes = 1 2

3 4 2 3 No =0 Yes = 1 3

•Analyze each idea based on the criteria• 4 = meets it perfectly• 3 = is close but not perfect• 2 = just a little bit• 1 = it is a stretch to say it comes close• 0 = does not meet the criteria• YES = 1• NO = 0

•Total up the results.

Idea Performance Durability Comfort Competitive Cost

Safe Materials

Light weight Total

123

This is a sample of how it should work

In the event of a tie – give weight to the “more important” criteria

SELECT AN APPROACH

Idea Performance Durability Comfort Competitive Cost

Safe Materials

Light weight Total

1 4 3 4 Yes =1 Yes= 1 3 162 3 4 4 Yes =1 Yes = 1 2 153 4 2 3 No =0 Yes = 1 3 13

SELECT AN APPROACH

Explanatory WritingCreate an explanation on why the selected design is

the best solution to the problem.This explanatory writing must be based on logic,

facts, and data. Your explanation must be well written and make use

of the references from your research

You will need to create a Multi-view drawing of your best solution.

Make sure that you include dimensions and other important information.

Some solutions may be complex and need many drawings to build from.

What you design here is what you will build and ultimately test.

DEVELOP A DESIGN PROPOSAL

Once you have made your proposal for a solution based off of your research, you can begin to build a model or prototype to test.

Model: A visual, mathematical, or three-dimensional

representation in detail of an object or design, often smaller than the original. A model is often used to test ideas, make changes to a design, and to learn more about what would happen to a similar, real object.

Prototype: A full-scale working model used to test a

design concept by making actual observations and necessary adjustments.

DON’T FORGET TO TAKE PICTURES AND VIDEOS

MAKE A MODEL OR PROTOTYPE

You will need to create a test for your solution. Some projects may be destroyed after testing, so

you might want to come up with non-destructive tests.

Create a table to record your test results.

TEST & EVALUATE

As you test your solution, you will make changes based on the results of the test.

Take pictures or videos of these changes.

REDESIGN

This is your final solution to the design. Take a picture of the final solution. Video testing the final solution

CREATE IT

An engineer must be able to communicate his or her work.

You can be the most brilliant engineer but if you can successfully communicate your ideas with others, then your ideas are useless.

Create an argument on why your design is the best solution to the problem or why it is not.

This argument must be based on logic, facts, and data. A valid argument also provides the facts and data for the

opposing argument. Your argument must be well

written and make use of the references from your researchand testing results.

COMMUNICATE RESULTS

EVALUATE YOUR PROCESS