Activity 1.2.2 The Design Process
Activity # Title

Introduction

/ It is likely that you will encounter a widerange of design processes regardless of your career path. Engineers use a variety of problem solving methods. Reasons for using a specific methodvary from preference, to addressing a specific problem, to requirements set by a corporateentity. As you use different design processes, you will notice significant similarities.
In this activity, you will consider the design process presented in this class and anticipate the activities that you will undertake and complete as you progress through your design project. Once you have finalized your design and presented your solution, you will reflect on your design process and categorize the specific activities that you completed into one of the design process steps.

Equipment

  • None

Procedure

Before beginning to design your solution forProject 1.2.1 Design Project, consider all of the steps of the design process. Anticipate the activities that your team must complete during each of these steps in order to arrive at the best possible solution. Make a tentative plan that your team should follow based on your knowledge of the design process.

  1. Under each design step in this document, record notes to yourself/team to indicate tasks that should be completed during that step and an explanation as to why each task is important to the process. Or, if applicable, explain why this step might not apply to your team’s process as you work toward a solution.

Be as specific as possible. For instance, when you record your thoughts on the Brainstorming step, indicate the method(s) of brainstorming that you would recommend for this project. How will you record your ideas? How many potential ideas would you consider to be acceptable?

  1. As a group, review the thoughts and recommended activities recorded by each team member. Create a document that reflects a consensus among your group members and presents a plan for your team’s project design process. Your plan should clearly list all tasks and specific details about each task that you will undertake during each step of the design process for Project 1.2.1 Design Project. If your group decides that a step of the design process does not apply for this project, your plan should justify the group’s position.
  2. As you progress through the design process and work toward your final design, refer to your plan and make appropriate adjustments.

Conclusion

  1. Why is the design process important to all types of designers?

A Design Process

  1. Define the Problem
  1. Brainstorm
  1. Research and Generate Ideas
  1. Identify Criteria and Specify Constraints
  1. Explore Possibilities
  1. Select an Approach
  1. Develop a Design Proposal
  1. Make a Model or Prototype
  1. Test and Evaluate the Design Using Specifications
  1. Refine the Design
  1. Create or Make Solution
  1. Communicate Processes and Results

Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Copyright 2011

EDD – Lesson 1.2 – Activity 1.2.2 The Design Process– Page 1