The engineering design cycle- part I

Summary

The lecture explores the multifaceted nature of design, emphasizing its iterative process. It compares design to the story of the blind men and the elephant, where each person's perspective captures only part of a complex whole. Various definitions of design are discussed, highlighting its systematic, decision-making process that optimally converts resources into solutions. The design process is often non-linear, involving multiple steps like research, modeling, implementation, and measurement. Expert designers navigate these stages dynamically, negotiating and improving the design iteratively for better results.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Design is a multifaceted process, similar to how the blind men perceived different parts of the elephant.
• 🎨 Definitions of design vary, but common themes include problem-solving, iterative processes, and meeting human needs.
• 📚 The government of Massachusetts defines design as an iterative process that converts resources into systems or products to meet needs.
• 📖 A key engineering design book defines design as the intelligent generation and evaluation of artifacts to achieve objectives and meet constraints.
• 🏗️ ABET, the accreditation board, defines engineering design as a process involving science, mathematics, and decision-making to meet objectives optimally.
• 🔄 Design is iterative and involves optimizing solutions, meaning some solutions are better than others.
• 🚀 NASA’s design process involves six steps, from stating the problem to presenting results, which is a common structure across design models.
• 💡 Expert designers often jump between different steps of the design cycle, making quicker decisions, while novices tend to follow a more linear path.
• 🛠️ Oklahoma State University’s engineering design cycle involves researching, modeling, implementing, measuring, and communicating.
• 🤝 Negotiation is a critical part of the design process, as different experts focus on various aspects of the cycle and must collaborate to reach the final design.

Q & A

What analogy does the speaker use to explain the complexity of design?

The speaker uses the analogy of blind men describing different parts of an elephant, where each person perceives a different aspect of the whole, to explain that design is multi-faceted and requires understanding various perspectives.

How does the government of Massachusetts define design in education?

The government of Massachusetts defines design as an iterative process that produces plans by which resources are converted into products or systems to meet human needs or solve problems.

What is a key difference between novice and expert designers according to the speaker?

Expert designers tend to jump around different steps of the design process quickly and fluidly, while novice designers are more likely to follow the process in a linear fashion.

What are the fundamental elements of the design process according to the ABET definition?

According to ABET, the fundamental elements of the design process are the establishment of objectives and criteria, synthesis, analysis, construction, testing, and evaluation.

Why is design considered an iterative process?

Design is considered an iterative process because it often requires multiple cycles of development, testing, and refinement to improve the solution and ensure it meets the desired objectives optimally.

What is the danger of viewing design as a strictly linear process?

The danger of viewing design as a strictly linear process is that it oversimplifies the reality, where designers often need to revisit earlier steps, adjust models, and iterate between phases like testing and brainstorming.

How does the design process differ in various representations?

Different representations of the design process, such as those from NASA, web design companies, and textbooks, have varied steps and names, but they share similarities, emphasizing the iterative nature of design and the progression from problem identification to presenting results.

What role does negotiation play in the design process?

Negotiation is a critical part of the design process, especially in collaborative settings where different team members may focus on different aspects (e.g., modeling, testing), requiring them to negotiate the final design decisions.

Why is research an essential step in the design process?

Research is essential because it helps designers understand the problem they are trying to solve, gather information, and address difficulties they may encounter during the design process.

What does the speaker suggest about the importance of multiple iterations in design?

The speaker suggests that good design requires multiple iterations, as each cycle through the design process allows for improvements and exploration of new solutions, ultimately leading to better outcomes.