Engineering Design Process

Engineering Design

Process

Class Notes

Example of the Engineering Design Process

Do Now

Answer question #1 prior to the video and #2 and #3 afterwards.
1.

Based on its title, what do you think the “Engineering Design Process” is?

2.

Think back to a problem you’ve had to solve. Using the Engineering Design
Process, what steps could you have taken to better solve your problem??

3.

When in physics do you think it can be used?

What is the Engineering Design Process

A 7-step process to help guide scientists in
solving a particular problem.

1.

Ask a question/identify your problem

What is the Engineering Design Process

A 7-step process to help guide scientists in
solving a particular problem.

1.

Ask a question/identify your problem

2.

Research the problem

What is the Engineering Design Process

A 7-step process to help guide scientists in
solving a particular problem.

1.

Ask a question/identify your problem

2.

Research the problem

3.

Brainstorm possible solutions

What is the Engineering Design Process

A 7-step process to help guide scientists in
solving a particular problem.

1.

Ask a question/identify your problem

2.

Research the problem

3.

Brainstorm possible solutions

4.

Select the best possible solution

What is the Engineering Design Process

A 7-step process to help guide scientists in
solving a particular problem.

1.

Ask a question/identify your problem

2.

Research the problem

3.

Brainstorm possible solutions

4.

Select the best possible solution

5.

Build and design a prototype

What is the Engineering Design Process

A 7-step process to help guide scientists in
solving a particular problem.

1.

Ask a question/identify your problem

2.

Research the problem

3.

Brainstorm possible solutions

4.

Select the best possible solution

5.

Build and design a prototype

6.

Test and evaluate your prototype

What is the Engineering Design Process

A 7-step process to help guide scientists in
solving a particular problem.

1.

Ask a question/identify your problem

2.

Research the problem

3.

Brainstorm possible solutions

4.

Select the best possible solution

5.

Build and design a prototype

6.

Test and evaluate your prototype

7.

Improve and redesign your prototype as
needed

Multiple Choice

Why is the engineering design process so important?

• It creates more work for people to do

• It helps guide teams as they experience different problems

• It helps us meet our daily needs

•  It creates less work for people to do

Multiple Choice

What is the first step of the engineering design process?

• making a prototype

•  research

•  identifying the problem

• communicate

1. Defining the Problem

●Identify what the problem is by asking the following questions:
○What is the problem or need?

○Who has the problem or need?

○Why is it important to solve?

○What are our limitations?

○What is our goal?

●Think who needs what because why

Multiple Choice

After you have identified the problem, what should you do next?

• Research

• Build a prototype

• Communicate your results

• Run a test

2. Research the Problem

●Learn from others’ experiences

●Try to find people with many different experiences

●Some questions you can ask to guide your research are:
○How did they solve this problem?

○What were their results?

○What mistakes, if any, did they make?

3. Brainstorm Possible Solutions

●Come up with any possible solution
○Can be as crazy and elaborate as necessary

○No ideas are bad

●This step helps build team working skills as you
discuss and build upon on other’s ideas

Test Your Knowledge Questions

Which of these best describes the brainstorming stage of the engineering design
process?

a)

identifying a need to be addressed

b)

collecting information from a variety of background sources

c)

using group input to discuss and prepare preliminary designs

d)

gathering feedback about prototypes

Multiple Choice

Which of these best describes the brainstorming stage of the engineering design process?

• identifying a need to be addressed

• collecting information from a variety of background sources

• using group input to discuss and prepare preliminary designs

• gathering feedback about prototypes

4. Select the Best Possible Solution

●As a team, select the best idea to design moving forward

●How do you know the solution is the best? Ask:
○Does is solve the problem?

○What are the risks involved, if any?

○Why and how is this better than the other solutions?

○Does this meet all of the necessary requirements?

Multiple Choice

All of the following should be considered when choosing the best solution o develop, EXCEPT

• Test results

• Aesthetics

• Cost

• Safety

5. Build and Design a Prototype

●Bring your ideas to life by designing a prototype

●This is when you should be creating a sample to test the prototype

●Creativity should be pushed during this step

6. Test and Evaluate your Prototype

●During this step, you will be taking your previously designed prototype and
testing to see if it does its desired function

7. Improve your Prototype as Needed

●Discuss how we can improve upon our previously designed product.

●Use the following questions to guide your thinking:
○Does it work?

○What can be changed?

○Can we do anything to improve the design?

○Does it solve our problem?

Test Your Knowledge Questions

Starbucks decided to design and create a new type of coffee drink. What should
be the first step Starbucks does?

A) Test and evaluate your prototype
B) Brainstorm possible solutions
C) Defining the problem
D) Build and design a prototype

Multiple Choice

Starbucks decided to design and create a new type of coffee drink. What should be the first step Starbucks does?

• Test and evaluate your prototype

• Brainstorm possible solutions

• Defining the problem

• Build and design a prototype

Answer the following questions after
watching the video

1.

Explain how the kids used the Engineering Design Process when making the
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

2.

What steps from the Engineering Design Process did the kids do? Which
steps, if any, did they miss?

Implementing the Engineering Design Process

Put Into Practice

Using the scenario provided, complete the 7 steps of the Engineering Design
Process to work through how you would solve the problem.

A home insulation installation company on Long Island is working on updating
their technology when reinstalling insulation. Their clients biggest complaint is
that during the summer, their homes are extremely hot and in the winter are
freezing, causing the cost of their heating and electricity bills to skyrocket. You
and your team work for an engineering company and are hired to help solve their
problem.

Engineering

Design Process

Definition

Characteristics/7 Steps

Your Own Examples

Non-examples