Engineering Design Process (EDP)

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What is always the first step of the Engineering Design Process (EDP)?

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Answer: Identify the Problem

Another way this is sometimes presented is: Ask

As in, ask questions to define the problem, such as:

"What is the problem or need?," "Who has the problem or need?," "Why is it important to solve?," and "What are the specific parameters or constraints of the problem?"

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What do you do second in the EDP, after you have finished identifying/defining your problem?

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Conduct background research.

This could include interviewing the intended audience, looking up existing products online, going to stores to find existing products, exploring any similar products that exist, looking up patents, etc.

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What do you do third in the EDP, after researching other solutions?

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Brainstorm possible solutions.

This whole phase of the EDP can also be called Imagine, which might include the process of selecting the best idea. But remember, during brainstorming you are not picking the best idea or eliminating bad ideas (only coming up with new ideas).

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After you have completed brainstorming, you should select the best idea. What do you do after you have selected a solution, but before you build your prototype in the EDP?

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Plan

This could include detailed diagrams, 3D models, materials selections, etc. In this step, you are planning specifically how you are going to build your solution that you selected.

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In the EDP, what do you do after you have planned what you are going to build?

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Build

After you plan what you will build, you build it!

This is where you create your first prototype, following your design plans from the planning step.

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In the EDP, what do you do after you have built your prototype.

(Engineering Design Process)

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Test & Improve

Test your prototype to see if it meets your design requirements.

Usually, your requirements won't all be met the first time, so you will want to iterate on the design process to improve your design.

Evaluate the results from testing to see what improvements can be made to your design.

When iterating, you typically will go back to the design step of the EDP before building another prototype.

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What is always the last step of the EDP?

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Communicate your results

After you have finished testing your prototype, you should communicate your results to gather feedback.

If you need to iterate on the design further, you can continue to improve your design, build a new prototype, do additional testing and evaluate further.

When you are completely finished, communicate your results to the broader community.

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What pieces of information should be defined before planning your prototype design in the engineering design process?

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Identify the Problem, Design Specifications, Budget Constraints, Materials Selection

(You will also need to take the actions of researching, brainstorming, and selecting a solution.)

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Design Specifications are...

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Detailed requirements for a design or product to meet its intended purpose.

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Detailed requirements for a design or product to meet its intended purpose are called

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Design Specifications