Engineering Design Process

Engineering Design Process

Middle School

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Learning Objectives

• Define the engineering design process and understand why it is used.

• Identify and describe the six main steps of the engineering design process.

• Explain why criteria, constraints, and iteration are important in engineering design.

• Understand how prototyping and feedback help in creating and improving a solution.

Key Vocabulary

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Criteria

The requirements that a design needs to do in order to be successful.

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Constraints

Limitations on a design like available materials, cost of materials, or available time.

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Prototype

An operating version or a rough draft of a solution to a problem.

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Feedback

Information about the good things and bad things of a design solution.

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Iterate

To repeat an already completed task to incorporate new information and improve a design.

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Step 1: Define Problem and Goal

• First, identify the problem you are trying to solve and your goal.

• Criteria are the requirements for the design to be successful.

• Constraints are limitations that make designing a solution challenging.

• These can include limits on time, materials, and cost.

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Multiple Choice

When defining a problem in the engineering design process, what are the essential things you must identify?

• The goal, team members, and tools

• The solution, prototype, and feedback

• The need, criteria, and constraints

• The materials, cost, and time

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Steps 2 & 3: Develop, Choose, and Build

Develop Solutions

• In this step, you will brainstorm and come up with many different ideas.

• You should gather information by researching what solutions to the problem already exist.

• Talk to people who could benefit from your solution to understand their needs.

Choose & Build

• After brainstorming, you need to select the most promising solution from all your ideas.

• Consider limitations like available time, money, materials, and the tools you will need.

• Build a prototype, which is an operating version or draft of your chosen solution.

Multiple Choice

After brainstorming many ideas, what should you do next before building a prototype?

• Choose the idea that looks the coolest

• Select the most promising solution by considering time, money, materials, and tools

• Build all ideas at once

• Skip directly to testing

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Steps 4, 5, & 6: Test, Iterate, and Communicate

• Test your prototype to see how well it works and functions.

• ​Gather feedback on the good and bad parts of your design.

• The process is iterative, meaning you repeat steps to improve your design.

• Communicate your solution by sharing your results and work with other people.

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Multiple Choice

The engineering design process is described as 'iterative' because it involves:

• Repeating steps to modify and improve the design based on feedback

• Defining the problem and never changing it

• Building only one prototype that is perfect the first time

• Communicating the final solution to a wide audience

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Common Misconceptions about Engineering Design

Misconception	Correction
The process is a rigid, step-by-step list that must be followed in order.	The process is flexible and iterative. You often have to revisit previous steps.
The first idea for a solution is always the best one to use.	Brainstorming many solutions leads to more creative and effective final designs.
A prototype needs to be a perfect, final version of the product.	A prototype is a rough draft for testing ideas and is expected to have flaws.

Multiple Choice

How do criteria and constraints affect the design of a solution?

• They are both just suggestions and do not have a real impact on the design.

• Criteria are requirements the design must meet, while constraints are limitations that challenge the design.

• Criteria describe what the design cannot do, and constraints describe what it must do.

• Constraints are the requirements a design must meet, while criteria are limitations.

Multiple Choice

Why is it important to gather feedback after testing a prototype?

• To choose a new problem to solve.

• To immediately start selling the prototype to customers.

• To understand the pros and cons of the design and know what to improve.

• To prove that the design is perfect and needs no changes.

Multiple Choice

A team designs a new backpack, but their prototype tears when filled with books. This violates one of their key criteria. Based on the engineering design process, what is their most logical next step?

• Communicate the failed solution to the public immediately.

• Abandon the project because the first prototype failed.

• Iterate on the design by choosing stronger materials and then build and test a new prototype.

• Redefine the initial problem and goals to ignore the tearing issue.

Multiple Choice

If you invented a new type of compost bin for small apartments, how could you best use the 'Communicate Your Solution' step to help others and encourage further innovation?

• Keep the design a complete secret to ensure no one else can copy it.

• Create a report with your design details and share it online for others to learn from and improve.

• Build and sell the bins without sharing any information on how they are made.

• Only tell your close friends and family about the invention.

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Summary

• The Engineering Design Process is a method for solving problems.

• Always define the problem, its criteria, and constraints before starting.

• Brainstorm ideas, research, and then build a testable prototype.

• Improve your design by repeating steps and then communicate your final solution.

Poll

On a scale of 1-4, how confident are you about the concepts covered in today's review?

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• 4