APSC 100 Notes
The Engineering Design Process
What is the Engineering design process?
The process through which engineering knowledge and skills are applied to solve
real-world, open-ended problems.
Real-world: the problem is meaningful for society and the planet.
Open-ended: includes more than one possible solution.
The engineering process uses a systematic process, having a better chance of
finding a successful solution
APSC 100 Notes 1
, Costs incurred primarily in which stages of the design process?
Early stages
Costs committed primarily in which stages of the design process?
Later stages
What strategies can be most helpful in ensuring a decision made is justifiable?
The decision-maker uses authentic sources to collect data that is needed to make
the decision
What is the Novice approach?
Design is thought of through trial and error.
Not an optimal solution, takes more time, money, and resources
A novice approach tends to have more or less actual costs early in the project than
a formal approach?
More
Define validation
Confirming the target design specifications correctly describe the stakeholder needs
Occurs after target design specifications, but before verification
Define verification
Compare solution to target design specifications
What is a universal design?
Involves creating solutions that are inclusive of as many different people as possible
without requiring modifications or special training. Solutions are easily understood
and used regardless of a person’s age, size, background, abilities, disabilities, etc.
What is a design brief?
Gives background to a project and describes what you are allowed and not allowed
to do in your design
Stage 1: Study and Clarify the Problem
APSC 100 Notes 2
, What describes target design specifications?
A precise description of what the final design has to be or do
The stakeholder needs converted into quantifiable or testable parameters
The collection of requirements and evaluation criteria
Describe who a stakeholder is in a design project.
Anyone who can influence or is influenced by the project
Describe stakeholder needs:
Stakeholder wants or expectations of what the final design should be or do
What the solution has to achieve
Threshold needs (obvious, ex. a phone displaying its battery life)
Expressed needs
Latent needs (extra features they didn't mention, above and beyond)
💡 Stakeholders, even from the same group, may have differing or contradictory
needs
What are the evaluation criteria?
Measures that distinguish between levels of performance or stakeholder satisfaction
Artistic sketches of a possible new product are made to gauge stakeholder reaction
and to determine if a potential market exists. Which stage does this prototype work
most likely correspond to?
Stage 1, study and clarify the problem
What is the most significant error an engineer could make in the design process?
Not speaking to or observing stakeholders
What strategies can be most helpful in ensuring a decision made is defensible?
The decision maker uses a framework and a transparent process in making the
decision
APSC 100 Notes 3
The Engineering Design Process
What is the Engineering design process?
The process through which engineering knowledge and skills are applied to solve
real-world, open-ended problems.
Real-world: the problem is meaningful for society and the planet.
Open-ended: includes more than one possible solution.
The engineering process uses a systematic process, having a better chance of
finding a successful solution
APSC 100 Notes 1
, Costs incurred primarily in which stages of the design process?
Early stages
Costs committed primarily in which stages of the design process?
Later stages
What strategies can be most helpful in ensuring a decision made is justifiable?
The decision-maker uses authentic sources to collect data that is needed to make
the decision
What is the Novice approach?
Design is thought of through trial and error.
Not an optimal solution, takes more time, money, and resources
A novice approach tends to have more or less actual costs early in the project than
a formal approach?
More
Define validation
Confirming the target design specifications correctly describe the stakeholder needs
Occurs after target design specifications, but before verification
Define verification
Compare solution to target design specifications
What is a universal design?
Involves creating solutions that are inclusive of as many different people as possible
without requiring modifications or special training. Solutions are easily understood
and used regardless of a person’s age, size, background, abilities, disabilities, etc.
What is a design brief?
Gives background to a project and describes what you are allowed and not allowed
to do in your design
Stage 1: Study and Clarify the Problem
APSC 100 Notes 2
, What describes target design specifications?
A precise description of what the final design has to be or do
The stakeholder needs converted into quantifiable or testable parameters
The collection of requirements and evaluation criteria
Describe who a stakeholder is in a design project.
Anyone who can influence or is influenced by the project
Describe stakeholder needs:
Stakeholder wants or expectations of what the final design should be or do
What the solution has to achieve
Threshold needs (obvious, ex. a phone displaying its battery life)
Expressed needs
Latent needs (extra features they didn't mention, above and beyond)
💡 Stakeholders, even from the same group, may have differing or contradictory
needs
What are the evaluation criteria?
Measures that distinguish between levels of performance or stakeholder satisfaction
Artistic sketches of a possible new product are made to gauge stakeholder reaction
and to determine if a potential market exists. Which stage does this prototype work
most likely correspond to?
Stage 1, study and clarify the problem
What is the most significant error an engineer could make in the design process?
Not speaking to or observing stakeholders
What strategies can be most helpful in ensuring a decision made is defensible?
The decision maker uses a framework and a transparent process in making the
decision
APSC 100 Notes 3
