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Chapter 3

3.1 Design
1932 - ABET design approach established for Engineers Council for Professional
Development (ECPD)
ABET process 2 other benefits:
(1) Serves as a reminder that the things you touch arent the only things that
are designedprocesses are designed as well
(2) Learn more about engineering, how it is taught, and why.

ABET Design Process

Determine Outcomes Required to Achieve Objectives -- generating ideas,

innovating, developing possible solutions, analysis prototyping,
implementation, and testing.

3.2 Defining the Problem or Need

- Problems and needs are best identified and defined with the help of stakeholders;
engineering profession is self-governing.
- ABET focuses on determining the outcomes desired in engineering graduates +
flexibility of determining how to achieve those outcomes and demonstrating how
they have been achieved.
- Problems can be opportunities: (Ex: DumDums dirty flavor mixing = Mystery
flavor)

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3.3 Criteria: Defining what is Important

Must
(Constraints
)

Should
(Criteria)

Commonly called
Constraints
These criteria
cannot be
budged

Valid Criteria:
easily
understandable
and measurable
Criteria must be
easily understood
as better

May be classified
legally ex:
(Regional
California fuel
CAF Standards;
National ANSI;
International
UN)

Preferences/Opt
ions: Different
groups diversify
opinion

1) Must vs. Should in design

2) How do we meet all these criteria?

Criteria:
-

Qualities generally deemed

desirable to help distinguish 1
solution as better than another (ex:
cost)

Helps to provides basic direction as

we consider all possible solutions
Later narrows solution choices

Must identify Criteria before

generating solutions

3.4 Generating Ideas

Brainstorming
Rules:
More is better.
Variety is better.
Do not criticize.

Quantity = Quality
-

More ideas generated = more likely chance that a

good one exists

Ex: Helicopter blades to remove ice from poles from bears

chasing

Approaches
1) While defining criteria first might constrain idea generation, generating
solutions first might cause participants to develop an opinion of a best
solution and then force their criteria choices to fit their preferred idea.
2) The most common approach to solving a problem is to find out if it has
been solved before.
Prior Art: Formal study on the way a problem has been solved before
Biomimetics: Study how problem was solved in nature

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Fewer strong criteria is better, in 10+ criteria, prioritize 2 in decision making

3.5 Comparing Designs and Making Decisions

Eliminate solutions against the criteria rating
Vote to kick out subpar solutions
-

Do not vote for a final solution (Disenfranchises large fraction of voters;

consensus, not compromise)

Pairwise Comparisons:
Pro: compares solutions against each other to knock another out
Con: All criteria have equal weight
Weight Benefit Analysis:
Pro: Considers weight of all Criteria
Con: More complex

3.6 Prototyping and Testing

1) Prototyping

Prototype: Scale of final, model to think

how real will function

2) Design Testing
3) Reevaluation

o
o
o
o

Resource Intensive
Try to reduce design options
Must test to make sure model design works
Iterative

3.7 Sustainability
Sustainability - meeting the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to do the same.
Environmental/Social/Economic

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Recognize relationships between systems and the associated problems and

opportunities

3.8 Working in Teams

Team: Individuals cooperating to accomplish a common goal
Team Topics:
Ground
rules
Decision
making
Communic
ation
Roles

Practice accountability: Evaluate peers, rate their

performance

Participati
on
Values

CATME - Comprehensive Assessment of Team-Member

Effectiveness

Outcomes

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Focus on What Your Teammates Do Rather Than What

You Think of Them

Contributing to the Teams Work

Interacting with Teammates
Keeping the Team on Track
Expecting Quality
Having Relevant Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

3.9 Experimental Design Period Analysis

IV / DV
Control Variable part of the experiment that can vary but is held constant to let
the experimenter observe the influence of the independent variable on the
dependent variable.

Scientific Method

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1. Observation: Observe the problem and note items of interest.

2. Hypothesis: Search for a known explanation of the phenomenon or attempt to
formulate a new explanation.
3. Prediction: Create a model or prediction of behavior based on that hypothesis.
4. Experiment: Test your predictions. If necessary, modify your hypothesis and
retest.

PERIOD Method
P Parameters of interest determined
E Establish the range of parameters
R Repetition of each test specified
I Increments of each parameter specified
O Order to vary the parameters determined
D - Determine number of measurements needed and Do the experiment

3.10 Project Timeline

Responsibility Matrix, Team Dynamics
Does one task depend on the results of another? Then, working backwards from
the project due date, assign each task, decision, or purchase its own due date on
the calendar.
At least once per week team reviews status

Responsibility Matrix

Team Dynamics

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1)
2)
3)
4)

Communication
Trust and respect
Nothing is carved in stone
Have fun!

Chapter 3