The Engineering Design Process What is the

Transcript:The Engineering Design Process What is the:
The Engineering Design Process What is the Engineering Design Process? The Engineering Design Process (EDP) is a systematic method for solving technological problems Different from the Scientific Method (a systematic method for answering questions) Consists of six steps: Identify and state the problem List criteria and constraints Brainstorm solutions Select the best solution Develop/construct the solution Test and refine the solution Step 1: Identify the Problem What is a technological problem? A problem is an individual or societal need Technology is the purposeful modification of the environment to solve a problem A technological problem is a problem that may be solved through the development or improvement of technology The first step in the EDP is to identify the technological problem Write a problem statement for the current design challenge: A one or two sentence statement that answers the following: What is the problem? What will solving it accomplish Step 2: Criteria and Constraints What are criteria? Criteria = a set of standards that determines whether a solution is successful or not Usually a list of things the solution must accomplish Examples: The solution must be able to carry a payload of 1 kg while airborne for 15 feet The solution must be able to turn on a pump when the water level drops below 6 inches What is a constraint? Constraint = limitations on the solution Examples: The solution must cost no more than $500 to produce The solution must not exceed 18 inches in length, width, or height Write a list of criteria and a list of constraints for this design challenge Many criteria and constraints are given in the Rubric See if you can identify any others that aren’t listed in the Rubric Step 3: Brainstorming What is brainstorming? Brainstorming = writing down a list of possible solutions as quickly as possible The goal is to list many general ideas Don’t worry about details at this stage Don’t worry about whether each solution is ultimately workable More ideas increases your chances of success Brainstorm a list of possible solutions You should list a minimum of 5 different ideas The more ideas, the better! Step 4: Selecting a Solution How do you select a solution? List the positive and negative points of each idea from your brainstorming list Consider the criteria and constraints you listed Eliminate ideas that don’t meet the criteria or constraints Eliminate solutions that have few