Lecture 1

Question 1

What is design?

Answer 1

An implicit part of the engineering profession
• Founded on solid understanding of both
mathematics and science
• Culmination of an engineering undergraduate
education
• A way of thinking

Question 2

What are the steps of design?

Answer 2

1. Identify the need
2. Define problem
3. Search
4. Constraints
5. Criteria
6. Alternative
   solutions
7. Analysis
8. Decision
9. Specification
10. Communicate

Question 3

Explain identification of need.

Answer 3

Design problems come from “need”
• Need: A lack of something that we consider
essential or desirable
• Necessity is the Mother of Invention
• Need is often identified by someone other than an
Engineer
• Questions: Can we? Should we? Is there a market?

Question 4

Explain problem definition.

Answer 4

• Start with as broad a definition as possible
• Ask the “right” questions
• Ensure that you understand the need
• Be careful about jumping to conclusions
• Engineer often has to help Client with this step …
what is the “real” problem?

Question 5

Explain information search.

Answer 5

Much of your productive professional time will be
spent locating, applying and transferring
information
• What sources of information can be brought to
bear on the problem?
• Must consider information “quality” … is it reliable?

Question 6

What is a constraint?

Answer 6

Constraints: Physical and practical limitations
• Also called “boundary conditions”
 Examples:
• Government regulations
• Physical laws and properties
• Size and weight restrictions

Question 7

What does criteria mean?

Answer 7

Criteria: Parameters that define the desirable
characteristics
• What would you like it to be?
• Can be established from experience, research,
market studies, customer preferences

Question 8

Explain what an alternative solution is?

Answer 8

• Very important step … perhaps the most exciting
aspect of design
• Creativity is an essential aspect of the development
of alternative solutions
• Creativity (defn.): To cause to come into existence

Question 9

Explain the analysis of the design process?

Answer 9

• Provides the background to an informed decision
• Involves the use of mathematics and engineering
principles to determine the performance of a
solution
• Based on physical laws, mathematical models,
economic principles, “common” sense
• Highly quantitative
• The main strength of an engineering graduate

Question 10

Explain how the decision is made in the design process.

Answer 10

• The “art” of choosing
• Involves tradeoffs and unknowns
• Methods: Instinct, probability, statistics,
optimization, utility theory
• May be multi-step (e.g., first-round cut of “weak”
alternatives … if not already done)
• Narrowing down the list
• Can be facilitated with a decision matrix

Question 11

What does specification mean?

Answer 11

• Use of words and graphics to explain the selected
alternative
• Requires sufficient detail that the selected
alternative can be constructed exactly as intended
• Common “documents”: Engineering design notes,
working drawings, contract specifications

Question 12

Explain the last step of the design process.

Answer 12

Selling the design: Application of oral and written
communication
• “Audience” is often non-technical: Government
officials, proponents and opponents, managers,
general public