Run The Engineering Design Process
Use evidence and design criteria to run the engineering design process.
- Criteria and constraints: Design work needs success targets and limits before testing.
- Evidence-based iteration: Changes should trace to data, feedback, or a failed criterion.
Prerequisites are inferred: pending teacher review.
Re-learn the skill with worked practice and clear examples.
Identify which engineering-design stage a team is in from what they are doing.
| Order | Stage |
|---|---|
| 1 | Define the problem |
| 2 | Set criteria and constraints |
| 3 | Brainstorm ideas |
| 4 | Build a prototype |
| 5 | Test the prototype |
| 6 | Iterate (improve and retest) |
A team just finished building their first working model of a pill-bottle alarm and is about to collect timing measurements on it. Using the stage list, which stage are they about to ENTER?
Reviewed| Order | Stage |
|---|---|
| 1 | Define the problem |
| 2 | Set criteria and constraints |
| 3 | Brainstorm ideas |
| 4 | Build a prototype |
| 5 | Test the prototype |
| 6 | Iterate (improve and retest) |
- A.Define the problem
- B.Build a prototype
- C.Brainstorm ideas
- D.Test the prototype
Show the worked solution ▾
Answer: D. Test the prototype
- Step 1: Find what they finished: They finished building the first model, which is stage 4, 'Build a prototype'.
- Step 2: Find what is next: Collecting measurements on the model is testing it, stage 5, 'Test the prototype'.
Why it's right: Collecting measurements on a finished prototype is the Test stage (stage 5), the stage right after Build a prototype.
- A: The problem was already defined back in stage 1.
- B: They just finished the prototype stage; they are leaving it, not entering it.
- C: Brainstorming (stage 3) happened before they built anything.
Aligned to Biotechnology Research and Experiments · reading level ~grade 9
A team has written that a device must cost under $25 and must alert within 10 seconds. They are now sketching eight different ways to build it. Which stage are they in?
Reviewed- A.Brainstorm ideas, since they are generating options
- B.Set criteria and constraints, since they wrote the targets
- C.Define the problem, since they are still exploring
- D.Build a prototype, since sketches are a first model
Show the worked solution ▾
Answer: A. Brainstorm ideas, since they are generating options
- Step 1: Note what is already done: The targets are written, so criteria and constraints are finished.
- Step 2: Name the current action: Producing many possible approaches is the brainstorm stage.
Why it's right: The targets were already written, so that stage is complete. Generating eight possible approaches is brainstorming, which comes next in the list.
- B: Writing the cost and time targets was the previous stage, and it is already finished.
- C: The problem is already defined; that is what let them write targets.
- D: A sketch is an idea on paper, not a working first model.
Aligned to Biotechnology Research and Experiments · reading level ~grade 9
- A student labels each work session by its EDP stage so the team does not skip testing before iterating.
Fill these in as you work through the lesson.
- Define the problem (stage 1: state the need):
- Criteria and constraints (stage 2: targets and limits):
- Prototype (stage 4: first testable model):
- Iterate (stage 6: improve and retest):
The order is: define the problem, set and constraints, brainstorm, build a , test, then .
- Which stage is the team in right now?
- What action tells you the stage?
- After a failed test, which stage comes next?
A team finishes a first model and starts timing it. Name the stage they finished (prototype) and the stage they enter (test).