unit 2: the engineering process; lesson 1: what is the design process?

Unit 2 Lesson 1 What Is the Design Process?

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Works of Ingenuity


• Computers and other engineered devices help us solve many problems.

• Engineers use computers and hand-drawn diagrams to plan designs.

• People use products of engineering every day, such as toothbrushes, faucets, cars, and buses.

Works of Ingenuity


• Engineers are problem solvers who invent or improve products that help us meet our needs.

• Engineering is the process of using science and mathematics to find solutions to everyday problems.

• Engineers work in many fields. They can design and test materials, work in factories or on farms, or work in medical laboratories.


The Right Tool for the Right Job


• Technology is any device that people use to meet their needs and solve practical problems.

• Technologies such as tools and machines, medicines, and even weather satellites play an important role in improving lives.


The Right Tool for the Right Job


• Technology changes as people’s knowledge increases and they find better ways to meet their needs.

• For example, over the past 150 years electric washing machines have replaced washboards and hand-cranked washing machines.


The Design Process (Part 1)


• Engineers follow a design process to design new technologies. The process includes a series of steps.

• Engineers identify a need, or problem, and then brainstorm possible solutions.

• Engineers also choose the most practical solution and build a working model, or prototype, to test.



• Engineers keep careful records, such as detailed notes and drawings, throughout the design process.

• These records help engineers remember what they have done and provide information to others working on similar problems.




• These detailed records are also used to build and make changes to the prototype.

• If the prototype doesn’t work, the records help the engineer determine what might work next time.





• Engineers test and improve the prototype based on criteria, or standards that determine how well the design is doing its job.

• They also redesign and modify the design if it does not meet all criteria or is unsafe.

• Engineers then communicate the design results orally and in written reports.



• Materials, cost, production time, and safety are some of the criteria that engineers consider when designing products.

• Thomas Edison tried a thousand times and took two years to develop a longer-lasting light bulb.

• Finding materials that work well affects the design process. When designing the light bulb, Edison had to find materials that can handle heat.

If At First You Don’t Succeed...



• Some technologies are costly to develop. The high cost of building prototypes can affect the cost of the final product.

• Some products, such as cars, can take years to develop because they must undergo safety and environmental testing.

If At First You Don’t Succeed...


unit 2: the engineering process; lesson 1: what is the design process?

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