Engineering Project

The Engineering Design Process - The engineering design process is a series of steps
that engineers follow to come up with a solution to a problem. Many times the solution involves
designing a product (like a machine or computer code) that meets certain criteria and/or
accomplishes a certain task.
o This process is different from the Steps of the Scientific Method, which you may be more
familiar with. If your project involves making observations and doing experiments, you
should probably follow the Scientific Method. If your project involves designing, building,
and testing something, you should probably follow the Engineering Design Process
The steps of the engineering design process are to:
o Define the Problem
o Do Background Research
o Specify Requirements
o Brainstorm Solutions
o Choose the Best Solution
o Do Development Work
o Build a Prototype
o Test and Redesign

Engineers do not always follow the engineering design process steps in order, one after another. It is very
common to design something, test it, find a problem, and then go back to an earlier step to make a
modification or change to your design. This way of working is called iteration, and it is likely that your
process will do the same!

Six Steps to the Engineering and Design Process

1. Ask
What is the problem?
What do you already know about this problem?
What are the limits or controls of the task?

Finding an Idea for Your Engineering Project

You know that you want to do an engineering design project, but how do you come up with an idea or find
a problem to solve? How do you uncover a new problem that no one has tried to solve yet? Or how do
you pick and choose, from all of the products, systems, and environments already out there, one that you
might want to improve? This process of uncovering a problem, or identifying the need for change or
improvement to an existing solution, is called need finding.
One really great way to start the need-finding process is to make a "bug list." Think about all of the things
that bug you or bug other people around you. Write them down. They may seem like small and silly
problems, but they can spark ideas for a project or lead to larger problems that you may not have noticed
otherwise.

Here are some examples of things you might find on someone's bug list:

Uncomfortable airplane seats

When one light on a string of Christmas lights goes out
How quickly chewing gum loses flavor
Moving (packing boxes, cleaning, unpacking, etc.)
Public restrooms without toilet paper
Long lines at amusement parks
When food gets stuck in vending machines
Dog or cat hair that gets stuck on clothing
Sharing armrests with strangers at the movies
Wasting water in the shower
Losing one earring
Draining tuna fish cans

Challenge yourself to come up with as many bugs as you can. They don't all have to be things that bother
you; think about other people and the problems that they face as well. You will be surprised at the number
of bugs you can identify in the world around you. Start this list in your design notebook, and spend a few
days recording your ideas.

Notice that there are two different types of potential project ideas that you have come up with on your bug
list. First, there are the unsolved problems that don't currently have a solution. Second, there are poorly
solved problems that have solutions, but the solutions are not entirely successful.

Unsolved Problems

One problem identified in the bug list is the issue of food getting stuck in a vending machine. There is
currently no solution for this problem. If you put your money in the machine, select the food that you want,
and then, the food gets stuck before it can drop to where you can reach ityou are out of luck. You might
try shaking or kicking the machine, but those are not designed solutions to the problem. In cases of
unsolved problems, your engineering project would be to attempt to solve the problem. For this example,
possible project ideas might be to design a product that can be used to remove stuck foods from vending
machines or a new vending machine that makes it impossible for food to get stuck.

Poorly Solved Problems

An example of a poorly solved problem from the bug list is the issue of cat or dog hair getting stuck on
clothing. There is currently a solution to this problemthe lint brush. However, many people still complain
about annoying pet hair on their clothes. Clearly, the lint brush is not the perfect solution. In cases of
poorly solved problems, your engineering project would be to improve the existing solution or to replace
the existing solution with something more successful. For the pet hair example, possible project ideas
might be to make the lint brush more effective at removing hair from clothing or to design something
better than the lint brush for the same purpose.

Whether you want to choose an unsolved problem or a poorly solved problem for your engineering
project, there are plenty of problems out there! Keep in mind that the problems already exist; you just
need to identify them and their users. Also, doing an engineering design project doesn't always mean
inventing something brand newit often involves bettering the projects of those before you.

Getting Started Engineers solve problems by creating new products, systems, or environments.
Before creating something, it is very important to define the problem. Otherwise, you might build
something only to find that it does not meet the original goal! Be sure to include all of this information in
your journal as you work.

A. Define the Problem: Finding an idea for your engineering project requires you to identify the
needs of yourself, another person, or a group of people. The act of looking at the world
around you to identify these needs is called need finding.
B. To help you find an idea for your engineering project:
a. Create a list of all the things that annoy or bother the people around you. Record this
bug list in your Journal.
b. Mind Map possible design problems, ideas, or areas of interest to you.
C. Once you have found an idea for your engineering project, describe the problem by writing
a problem statement. Your problem statement must answer three questions:
a. What is the problem or need?
b. Who has the problem or need?
c. Why is it important to solve?
D. The format for writing a problem statement uses your answers to the questions and follows
these guidelines:
a. Who need(s) what because why.
b. _____ need(s) _________ because ________.

2. Imagine
What are some solutions to the problem?
Research to find out current possible solutions to the problem.
Brainstorm new solutions to the problem.
Choose a way to solve the problem.

Background research is especially important for engineering design projects, because you can learn from
the experience of others rather than blunder around and repeat their mistakes. To make a background
research plan a roadmap of the research questions you need to answer -- follow these steps:

1. Identify questions to ask about your target user or customer.

 2. Identify questions to ask about the products that already exist to solve the problem you defined or
a problem that is very similar.
3. Plan to research how your product will work and how to make it.
4. Network with other people with more experience than yourself: your mentors, parents, and
teachers. Ask them: "What should I study to better understand my engineering project?" and
"What area of science covers my project?" Better yet, ask even more specific questions.

The Focus of Your Background Research

For an engineering design project, you should do background research in two major areas:

Users or customers
Existing solutions

Users or Customers

Research your target user or customer. Everything humans design is ultimately for the use of
another human. (Think about it even products designed for animals or plants are first
purchased by another human!) Your choice of target user will sometimes have a big impact on
your design requirements. For example, if you design something for a toddler, you need to make
sure that there are no small parts that could be swallowed. Some customers are more sensitive to
the cost than others, and so forth. You might describe your target user in any number of ways.
Here are some examples:
o Age (old, young, infant)
o Gender
o Occupation
o Hobby interests
o Amateur or professional
o Whether users have disabilities and require accommodations
o Size
o First-time user or experienced user

Existing Solutions

Research the products that already exist to solve the problem you defined or a problem
that is very similar. No one wants to go to all the trouble of designing something they think is
new, only to find that several people have already done it. That would be depressing! So, you
want to investigate what's already out there. Only then can you be sure that you're making
something that more effectively fills a need. And keep in mind that what is "better" depends on
your requirements. You might want to build something that's been around for hundreds of years,
but do it with recycled materials from around the house. The device might be old, but the
construction materials new (or used!).
Research how your product will work and how to make it. When it comes time to build their
solution, savvy designers also want to use their research to help them find the best materials and
 way to do things, rather than starting from scratch. Background research is also important to help
you understand the science or theory behind your solution. If you are entering a science fair,
judges like to see that you understand why your product works the way it does and what causes it
to perform better than other products.

How to Conduct the Research

Engineers are lucky, because there are three ways to do research regarding users and existing solutions:

Observe users first-hand, either as they use a similar product or solution or in the environment in
which they encounter the problem.
Examine and analyze similar products and solutions. Looking at similar products is super
important. Other engineers spent a lot of time designing them, so you might as well learn
everything you can from their work. And it is fun! You might even want to take similar products
apart! (Ask first!)
Conduct library and Internet research.

Making a Background Research Plan: How to Know What Information to Look

For

When you or your parents are driving a car, there are two ways to find your destination: drive around
randomly until you finally stumble upon what you're looking for OR use a GPS or look at a map before
you start. Finding information for your background research is similar. Since libraries and the Internet both
contain millions of pages of information and facts, you might never find what you're looking for unless you
start with a map! To avoid getting lost, you need a background research plan.

Target Users

To help clarify the definition of your target user, you'll want to ask questions like this:

Who needs _________?

Who wants _________?
Who buys _________?
What does my target user [a child, an elderly person, etc.] need or want in a _________?
How much would my target user be willing to pay for a _________?
What size should I make _________ for my target user?

Similar Products

Then, ask questions to help you understand products or programs that fill similar needs to the need you
identified:

What products fill a similar need?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of products that fill a similar need?
 What are the key, must-have features of products that fill a similar need?
Why did the engineers that built these products design them the way they did?
How can I measure my design's improvement over existing designs?

*** Be sure to write all the information you find during your background research plan in
your journal so you can use it to write your research report in your notebook.

3.Plan
Draw a diagram of your design product
List the supplies you will need to create or build it
Who will help you with this design product?
List the steps you will take to create or build your design product.
(Be specific and give details!)

Why Create Multiple Solutions?

When solving a design problem, there are always many possible good solutions. If you focus on just one
before looking at the alternatives, it is almost certain that you are overlooking a better solution. Good
designers try to generate as many possible solutions as they can before choosing one that they feel is the
best. Even "wild and crazy" design ideas that you end up rejecting might have some pieces that can make
other designs better. Dont settle for your first idea! Be sure to include ALL diagrams and
drawings of possible solutions in your journal!

Universal Design Criteria

Some criteria apply to virtually every design. Good designers consider them in every solution that
they choose to implement.
Robustness. A robust design is unlikely to fail, even when used in conditions more severe than it
was designed for. It is sturdy or resilient, perhaps bending, but not breaking in hard use.
Aesthetics. If everything else is equal, people prefer a solution that is tasteful and pleasing to
look at.
Cost. What will it cost? Can the target user afford the solution? Do you have enough money to
build your prototype?
Resources. Do you have all the materials and equipment you need for your engineering project,
or will you be able to obtain them quickly and at a very low cost?
Time. Do you have enough time to complete your design and make it before the due date? Allow
time for doing additional research and fixing problems. It is very rare for everything to work
correctly the first time.
Skill Required. Do you have the skills to build and implement your solution, or can you learn
them in the time available?
Safety. Is your solution safe to build, use, store, and dispose of?
4.Create
Follow your plan.
Collaborate with the people who are helping you.
Work steadily and manage your time.
Test your design.

Prototyping

A prototype is an operating version of a solution. Often a designer makes a prototype with different
materials than the final version, and generally it is not as polished.

Prototypes are a key step in the development of a final solution, allowing the designer to test how the
solution will work and even show the solution to users for feedback. Occasionally, designers will prototype
pieces of the final solution very early in the design process. Sometimes designers will make several
prototypes during the development of a solution.

Prototypes can help you to develop the structure, function, and appearance of your solution.

Prototyping Physical Structures, Objects, and Mechanical Designs

Readily Available Materials

Cardboard, paper, poster board, mat board, and Foam-coreTM are excellent modeling materials for
prototypes. You can cut them easily with the proper knife, and you can assemble them with a variety of
tapes and glues. You can find these materials at an art supply store. Plastic sheet and wood are also
good modeling materials. Have parents help when using sharp objects!!

Found objects like plastic bottles, straws, aluminum cans, and other things lying around the house can
often fill a need in your prototyping.

Testing

When it comes to testing, you will definitely want to test your prototype yourself, but you may want to
have some target users test your product as well. Record all outcomes of the testing process in your
journal and be sure to note possible changes you might make to your product to improve it. Your target
users may make suggestions for improvements so be sure to record this information in your journal as
well. If possible, take photographs or video of the testing process.
 5. Improve
Learn from your mistakes.
Make your design even better.
Test it again.
Re-design again!

Redesign

After you have tested your design, you will use your findings to complete a redesign of your solution if you
have time. Use the findings from testing to:

Fix any problems that occurred, and

Further polish aspects of the design that were even more successful than you originally thought.

To make these changes, ask yourself the three important questions below:

1. Is your user able to overcome the problem by using or interacting with your solution?
2. Does the user ever need to ask you any questions when using or interacting with your solution?
3. Does the user interact with your solution exactly the way that you intended for them to?

Once you have made changes to your design, go back and test again with your users. See if the
improvements and changes you made negatively or positively affected your solution. Ask yourself the
same three questions again, and then repeat the redesign again. Repeat this test and redesign process
as many times as you can to make your final solution as successful as possible. It may seem like you are
doing the same thing over and over again, but with each test and redesign, you are greatly improving
your project! Record all redesign information in your journal.

5. Present
Share your design with your family, friends, teacher and
classmates.
Be sure to discuss how your errors led to a better design and
what successes you had.
Let others ask you questions about your design product
 Three Items Necessary for Your Childs
Engineering Project
These 3 items are due on: ________________
1. Journal
A. From the beginning, keep a journal or diary of what you do for this
engineering project. This is like a rough draft of your finished notebook.
Write down everything you do, all findings, information, ideas, sketches and
diagrams of all possible solutions, and research with dates for each entry.
This is a very important part of your project and should have everything you
do from the beginning to the end of your engineering project written in your
own handwriting.
2. The Notebook/Report ( This is your final draft and should be hand written neatly
or typed.)
A. Title and Problem- This is the front cover, it should have the title of the
project on it and the problem you want to solve.
B. Table of Contents- List the things that would be found in the notebook and on
what page. (i.e. Research Report ..page 2)
C. Research Report- Tell what you learned about your problem and possible
solutions before you built your prototype. Use books, magazines, science
book or internet. This report must be written in students own words and
not just copied from the source.
D. Solution based on your research, what solution did you come up with to
solve the problem. Explain it in 1 2 paragraphs and draw a diagram of your
solution.
E. List of Supplies- List all materials used to design your solution.
F. Steps to building your prototype design- Step by step detailed explanation
to building your design project.
G. Testing your design project What you observed. Show your data. This
could be in the form of a graph, chart, table, or diagrams, and should include
a description in words as well, and possibly photographs.
H. Improve/ Redesign and test again Tell what mistakes you made and how
you redesigned or would redesign your project to make it better next time. If
you did redesign it and tested it again, what were the results the second or
third time.
I. Bibliography A list of all the resources you used throughout the project. List
all books, articles, magazines, people you talked to, and websites. (Teachers
will determine how many resources are expected for each grade level.)
3. Display- The visual part of your engineering project. This is the part of the project
that should be done last. You are to present your engineering project including: Title,
Problem , List of Supplies, Steps to building your design project, Labeled Diagram of
the design project, Your Solution described in words in 1 2 paragraphs, Data on
your testing process, and Improvement and Redesign described in words with
diagrams of the redesign. You should also bring in the actual prototype that you
built. The purpose of the display board is to display your engineering project for a
quick glance at the problem and design solution your came up with. Your research
report and bibliography should not be place on your board. No pictures of
 peoples faces should appear on your board! See attached example of a display
board.

SCIENCE and Engineering FAIR TIMELINE

January 6th : Science and Engineering Fair kicks off!! Packets go

home.

January 8th: Parent/student Science and Engineering Fair Information

Meeting 5:30 6:30 pm in the MPR. Science Fair boards will be on sale
at a discounted rate at this meeting for all parents and students who
attend!!

January 6th February 1st : Work on Science and Engineering Fair

Projects at home. Be sure to meet all deadlines set up by your teacher
for your project!

February 5th : Avalon Science and Engineering Fair!! Judging to take

place in the MPR

February 18th: VVUSD Science and Engineering Fair Judging

Important Due Dates Assigned By My Teacher:

Date: What Is Due:

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

Science and Engineering Fair Helpful Websites

These websites are provided to you as resources for ideas and

information on engineering projects. If you have any specific
questions about Avalons Science Fair that cannot be answered
through the information provided, please see your childs teacher.
When searching for information on the internet, please always
search with your child. All of these websites have been checked
by Avalons Technology Department. If you feel any of these
websites are inappropriate, please see your childs teacher.

****Parents- Please note, not all of the projects or ideas listed

here are grade level appropriate for 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th graders!
Your childs teacher has the final decision about whether a topic is
grade level appropriate. Please make sure that your child gets
approval from his or her teacher regarding the topic he or she has
selected BEFORE you begin the research and the project.
1. Science Buddies
http://sciencebuddies.org

2. Engineering for Kids

www.sciencekids.co.nz/engineering

3. Engineering Science Fair Projects

www.education.com/science-fair/engineering

4. For information on how to write a proper Bibliography go to:

http://wwweasybib.com