Back to Engineering Design Process
by Don Rhine
One again, this is a relatively simple task, but very important!
First of all, wait at least a day or two after the brainstorming session before you tackle this step. After thinking about the nice list of possibilities, reconvene your team and discuss the various options. Ask people to clarify ideas a bit, and add some details to their initial ideas.
How can you narrow down the list of solutions in a rational way? There are many methods you could use. Here's one possibility...
- Briefly discuss the pro's and con's of each idea as stated above
- List all the ideas on the board (or wiki)
- Give everyone on the team a number of "votes" (maybe three or four each)
- Go to the board an put your initials (vote) next to your favorite ideas (everyone can do this at once!)
- You may want to agree ahead of time if you allow one person to cast more than one vote for the same idea, whether or not people should vote for their own ideas, etc.
- Count up the votes.
Hopefully you end up with some clear "best alternatives." Your goal should be to narrow the field down to 3 to 5 ideas (I strongly suggest 3).
Tasks to complete to finish Step 4:
- Create a wiki page listing your best alternatives. Describe each alternative using one or two paragraphs (Due Feb 29)
- Research each of these alternatives (Due Mar 20)
- Expect to spend ~8 hours fleshing out each alternative
- Figure out a way to divide this task, but to give feedback to each other along the way
- Develop a "marketing drawing" for the concept (neatly by pencil is ok)
- Develop more detailed drawings that shoe the major components
- Develop a list of major parts required
- Part name
- Quantity
- Vendor
- Price
- Lump together minor miscellaneous items (e.g., connecting hardware)
- Develop a rough cost estimate
- You need to include electronics in the project - research possible solutions (look for pre-existing design that you can adapt, etc)
- Develop a list of pros and cons for each alternative
- Make a PowerPoint (or Wiki) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Presentation (Week of March 24)
- Goal is to present your research and preliminary design work to external reviewer and get feedback & approval to move on (and spend $$)
- Plan on 6 minute presentation + 5 minute of tough questions!
- What format should you use?? Let's discuss in class!
- What handouts/supplemental materials should you provide? Let's discuss in class!
- You will present as a group, and should PRACTICE beforehand.
...back to Step 3 or on to Step 5...
