- The engineering design process is a series of steps that engineers follow when they are trying to solve a problem and design a solution for something; it is a methodical approach to problem solving. This is similar to the “Scientific Method” which is taught to young scientists. There is no single universally accepted design process. It seems as though most engineers have their own twist for how the process works. The process generally starts with a problem and ends with a solution, but the middle steps can vary.
- One can think of the engineering design process as a recipe for banana bread; it can be made a lot of different ways but it’s usually going to start with bananas and it’s going to end with a loaf of bread. One such “recipe” for the engineering design process will be outlined in this unit; this is not the only correct version of the process, it is just one example. It will provide a good starting point for students to explore the engineering process.
The design process in its simplest terms can be seen as a 3-step loop:
- In this simple design loop an idea is generated (1). This idea is implemented (2). After the idea is implemented, the design group would test the product or evaluate the result of the implementation through testing (3). Typically, during this testing and evaluation, additional ideas are generated, and the process starts over again. This cycle and repetition is why it can be said that design is an iterative process.
- Iteration is the act of repeating something over and over again in order to improve the process and eventually achieve a desired goal
- Obviously this process could go on forever (or until the design group stops thinking of new ideas and stops finding problems with the design). There is a saying sometimes used by veteran engineers: “At some point in every design process someone needs to get rid of the engineer and just build the thing!”
USING THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS:
- As discussed above, there is no single engineering design process. Throughout this course students will use an 11-step design process as they conceptualize, design, and create a robot to compete in head-to-head robotics competition. The process used is seen below.
Step 1 – UNDERSTAND – Define the Problem
Step 2 – EXPLORE – Do Background Research
Step 3 – DEFINE – Determine Solution Specifications
Step 4 – IDEATE – Generate Concept Solutions
Step 5 – PROTOTYPE – Learn How Your Concepts Work
Step 6 – CHOOSE – Determine a Final Concept
Step 7 – REFINE – Do Detailed Design
Step 8 – PRESENT – Get Feedback & Approval
Step 9 – IMPLEMENT – Implement the Detailed Solution
Step 10 – TEST – Does the Solution Work?
Step 11 – ITERATE
STEP 1: UNDERSTAND
- In this step engineers will define the problem they are trying to solve.
- This is the single most important step in the design process. Without fully understanding the problem how can an engineer solve it successfully? This step is often done incorrectly or incompletely and results in a failure of the design. It is important to define the true problem one is solving, not just the symptoms of the problem or the perceived problem.
When trying to define the real problem, remember the elevator riddle, as follows.
- There is a story about a skyscraper which is told to young engineers to emphasize the importance of this step in the design process. The story goes that there was a skyscraper in a major city and the occupants of the building were complaining that the elevator ride times were too long. The owners of the building wanted to fix this, so they put out a call to several local engineering firms asking them for proposals.
- In competitive robotics there are typically numerous problems that need to be solved by the design team. The further designers get in their robot design, the more problems come up (the main problem is often broken down into smaller problems). Early in the robot design the problems may be more “big picture” and later they will become more “detail oriented.”
- Some sample problems a designer may encounter that need to be solved, and questions that need to be answered are below.
What is the most effective strategy for playing the game? How do we win matches?
How can the robot score the most points during the match? How do we score more than our opponents?
How fast does the robot need to move?
How can the robot pick up the game object?
How can the robot pick it up quickly?
How many game objects does the robot need to hold?
- These problems and questions all have many answers; some answers are better than others. How does a designer go about finding the “correct” solution or the “correct” answer? That is where the rest of the process comes into play, but until the correct problem is defined it can never be solved!
STEP 2: EXPLORE
- In this step engineers will do background research on the problem their solving. They will investigate the ways others have tackled similar problems. Engineers will also gather details on the environment they’re dealing with, the situations their solution will be used in, and the ways it will be used.
EXPLORE for Competition Robotics
- Students involved in competition robotics will also need to explore their challenge. They should investigate challenges from the real world similar to the one they are solving. Students can also look to see if any other robotics competitions have utilized similar challenges in the past. This section is all about gathering data from other sources to help student robot designers create a successful solution.
STEP 3: DEFINE
- What are specifications? A specification is defined as an explicit set of requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, or service. In this case, specifications are requirements for the solution of the problem defined in Step 1 of the design process.
Specifications typically come from two places:
1. Design Constraints
2. Functional Requirements
