The Design Process - An Overview

Skip Yarn, Oakland Mills High School

Experiences

1. Define a Problem

2. Brainstorm

3. Research and Generate Ideas

4. Identify Criteria and Specify Constraints

5. Explore Possibilities

6. Select an Approach

7. Develop a Design Proposal

8. Make a Model or Prototype

9. Test and Evaluate the Design using Specifications

10. Refine the Design

11. Create or Make Solution

12. Communicate Processes and Results

Example Design Process

– ITEA Standards for Technological Literacy

Explanation

1 Define the

problem

2 Brainstorm

3 Research and

generate ideas

4 Identify criteria

5 Explore

possibiliti

es

6 Select an

approach

7 Develop a

design proposa

l

8 Make a model or

prototype9 Test a

nd evaluate

10 Redesign

11 Create or make it

12 Communicate

Our Problem Solving Process

Drop an egg from 30 feet to the ground without breaking it.

Build a wind powered car that travels the farthest.

Create a top that spins the longest.

Design and build the most efficient bridge.

Explanation

2. Brainstorming.• Create a list of ideas• Sketch simple concept pictures• Work towards quanity• Never criticize anyone’s idea• Use “Mind Mapping”

Mind Mapping

Major Idea

Major Idea

Major Idea

Major Idea

Major Idea

Main Idea

Brainstorming Techniques

Explanation

•Make at least three different sketches

Explanation

3. Research and generate ideas“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel”• What have others done?• What do you need to know?

– science, math concepts– Look on-line

• As you look at what others have done – do you have any more ideas?

Cite your sources!

Google is not a source! It is a search engine.

Explanation

4. Identify criteria and specify constraints• Now that you know the Problem and some information, it is

time to look at what the requirements are.• This will include:

– People, Time, Materials, Tools, Cost and other factors

•This is an individual or group project.•You will have three days to build your design.•You may use any found material.•The container must be 8” x 8” x 8”.•Hold a Large Egg (teacher supplied day of testing).•Must be able to touch the egg from each side.•The lightest design that keeps the egg from cracking will earn 100 points•If the egg cracks, you will earn 70 points max.•Drop from 3rd floor to Commons.

Explanation

6. Select an approach-• Use a Decision Matrix.• This is a Table

– Criteria along the top– Possible solutions along the left side– Use your ideas to complete this table.

Idea Total

123

Explanation

Idea Size 8x8x8

Materials I can get

Holds Egg

Touch Egg from all sides

Keep Egg from cracking

Light weight

Total

123

•Analyze each idea based on the criteria• 4 = meets it perfectly• 3 = is close but not perfect• 2 = just a little bit• 1 = it is a stretch to say it comes close• 0 = does not meet the criteria• YES = 1• NO = 0

•Total up the results.

Explanation

Idea Size 8x8x8

Materials I can get

Holds Egg

Touch Egg from all sides

Keep Egg from cracking

Light weight

Total

1 4 3 4 Yes =1 Yes= 1 3

2 3 4 4 Yes =1 Yes = 1 2

3 4 2 3 No =0 Yes = 1 3

•Analyze each idea based on the criteria• 4 = meets it perfectly• 3 = is close but not perfect• 2 = just a little bit• 1 = it is a stretch to say it comes close• 0 = does not meet the criteria• YES = 1• NO = 0

•Total up the results.

Idea Size 8x8x8

Materials I can get

Holds Egg

Touch Egg from all sides

Keep Egg from cracking

Light weight

Total

123

Idea Size 8x8x8

Materials I can get

Holds Egg

Touch Egg from all sides

Keep Egg from cracking

Light weight

Total

1 4 3 4 Yes =1 Yes= 1 3 162 3 4 4 Yes =1 Yes = 1 2 153 4 2 3 No =0 Yes = 1 3 13

This is a sample of how it should work

In the event of a tie – give weight to the “more important” criteria

Explanation

•Create an argument on why your design is the best solution to the problem or why it is not. •This argument must be based on logic, facts, and data. •A valid argument also provides the facts and data for the opposing argument. •Your argument must be well written and make use of the references from your research

Idea Size 8x8x8

Materials I can get

Holds Egg

Touch Egg from all sides

Keep Egg from cracking

Light weight

Total

1 4 3 4 Yes =1 Yes= 1 3 162 3 4 4 Yes =1 Yes = 1 2 153 4 2 3 No =0 Yes = 1 3 13

Explanation

7. Develop a design proposal• You will need to create a Multi-view

drawing of your best solution.

• Make sure that you include dimensions and other important information.

• Some solutions may be complex and need many drawings to build from.

• What you design here is what you will build and ultimately test.

Explanation

8. Make a model or prototype. • Once you have made your initial solution, take a

picture of it.

Explanation

9. Test and evaluate the design. • You will need to create a test for your solution.• Some projects may be destroyed after testing,

so you might want to come up with non-destructive tests.

• Create a table to record your test results.

10. Redesign. • As you test your solution, you will make changes

based on the results of the test.• Take pictures of these changes.

Explanation

11. Create or make it.• This is your final solution to the design.• Take a picture of the final solution.• Video you testing the final solution

12. Communicate processes or results

• Explain what you did during this project• Imagine that you have 2 minutes to tell the class

what you did and how you solved the problem.• Or explain why your solution did not solve the

problem.

Elaboration

 Problem Statement:            The products that we buy in the store are packaged in many unique ways to insure that they arrive at the specified location without being damaged.    Design Brief:             Design and construct a package that will protect a raw egg from being damaged when dropped from a height of 30 feet.

Elaboration

•This is an individual project.•You will have three days to build your design.•You may use any found material.•The container must be 8” x 8” x 8”.•Hold a Large Egg (teacher supplied day of testing).•Must be able to touch the egg from each side.•The lightest design that keeps the egg from cracking will earn 100 points.•If the egg cracks, you will earn 70 points max.•Drop from 3rd floor to Commons.

Part of this grade will be based on competition.•100 pts for the lightest solution that keeps the Egg from cracking•98 pts for the second, 96 for the third… and so on.•In the event of a tie – the mean score will be given•70 pts will be awarded for solutions that meet all of the criteria, but let the Egg crack or break.

Evaluation