| General Overview |
| It is designed as a comprehensive problem,
(the instruction from “Engineering Design Graphics: AutoCAD 2007” by J.H. Earle, 2008)
It is selected from the reference [2]
During the first course week - The design team will be formed by 4 or 6 members.
- One of the team members will be selected as a team leader.
- The team activity schedule will be prepared.
- The course instructor will be informed about your team, the leader, and the team activity schedule.
- Otherwise, the design teams will be organized by the course instructor.
- Progress reports will be submitted and presented during the 7th & 11th course weeks
- Final design project will be submitted during the 13th course week and presented during the last course week (14th course week)
For details please see the presentation Design Problems
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| Desing Proposals |
Proposals establish the need for projects and are necessary to obtain authorization of funds and support to pursue them. Proposals outline data, costs, specifications, time schedules, personnel requirements, completion dates, and similar information. The project's purpose is stated with emphasis on its benefits to the client.
Proposals should reflect the interests and language of the readers. For instance, investors are interested in profits and returns, whereas engineers are more concerned with function and feasibility. Elements of a proposals are:Proposals should reflect the interests and language of the readers. For instance, investors are interested in profits and returns, whereas engineers are more concerned with function and feasibility.
Elements of a Proposals
Statements of the Problem Identification of the problem and its purpose
Method of Approach An outline of procedures for attacking the problem.
Personnel Needs and Facilities Iternization of requriments for equipment, space, and personnel.
Time Schedule Estimation of completion dates for each phase of the project.
Budjet Itemization of the funds required for each phase of the project.
Summary A review of the important points.
from “Engineering Design Graphics: AutoCAD 2007” by J.H. Earle, 2008
For more details please see Design Proposal
For Design Proposal Outline please see Design Proposal Outline
For Gantt Chart details please see Gantt Chart
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| Team Meetings |
Team meetings will play an important role not only in your work in design project but in your professional career as well. In Design Project, class periods don’t give you enough time to work on your project, so your team should meet at least once a week outside of class to plan tasks, analyze information, write reports, and practice presentations. In addition, your team will have formal meetings with faculty to discuss team progress.
from “Engineering Design Graphics: AutoCAD 2007” by J.H. Earle, 2008
and "Engineering Design and Communication: Principles and Practice" (2010 edition)
For more details please see Team Meetings
Meeting MinutesTemplate *.doc file Meeting Minutes Temp
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| Progress Reports |
Progress reports are periodic summaries of the status of a project. They are brief and may take the form of a letter or memo. They generally review progress and project the outlook for further progress, including the need for increases or decreases in expenditures or time.
A progress report concisely summarizes the current project status (including key design decisions), significant research and test findings, and next steps. It is intended to be read quickly, so the body of the report should be written concisely. Use short paragraphs, headings, subheadings, and bullet lists to make the report easily readable.
A progress report may be either an internal report addressed to the course instructors. In the first half of the project time, you will write internal progress reports addressed to your instructors. Progress reports are important because they - help you prepare for your team meetings with instructors
- allow your instructors to see how your project is shaping up, to troubleshoot problems, and to help you fix these problems
- give your team the opportunity to synthesize its research and see what else there is to do
- document your design process as part of the team’s project notebook.
Key parts of a progress report and their purposes
When organizing your report, make sure that you do the following
- Begin with a brief summary of the key decisions and findings of the last few weeks.
- Explain the project status, right after the introduction.
- Support decisions with significant findings from research and designing.
- Conclude the body of the report with a discussion of the research and design you will conduct in the upcoming few weeks.
- Cite sources in a References page.
- Include supplemental material in one or more appendices.
from “Engineering Design Graphics: AutoCAD 2007” by J.H. Earle, 2008
and "Engineering Design and Communication: Principles and Practice" (2010 edition)
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| Final Reports |
The most comprehensive type of reports are final reports that summarizes the completion of the project. Typically, they contain the following sectionsProject identification - Method and approach
- Body
- Findings and solution
- Conclusions and recommendations
Some reports present the conclusions at the beginning and others at the end. The order of presentation will wary with the requirements of your instructor or employer.
Report format
The usual sequence of a report is as follows
1. Cover
The report is inserted in a binder, with its title and author labeled on the cover.
2. Letter of transmittal (optional)
A letter to the recipient inserted at the front of the report describing the report's contents.
3. Title page
A page giving the title of the report, the name of the person or team who prepared it, and the date.
4. Table of contents
The major headings in the report and their page numbers.
5. Table of illustrations (optional)
A list of the illustrations in the report.
6. Problem identification
Actual heading should be appropriate to the report rather than this general term. An explanation of the importance of and need for a solution to the problem by outlining background information on the problem.
7. Method
Actual heading should be appropriate to the report rather than this general term. A coverage of the methods used in solving the problem.
8. Body
Actual heading should be appropriate to the report rather than this general term. This main section describes the data collected, analyses made, and the steps taken to solve the problem. Subheadings emphasize various sections.
9. Findings
Actual heading should be appropriate to the report rather than this general term. Findings should relate to the data described in the preceding section.
10. Conclusions
The culmination of the findings and presentation of the solution.
11. Bibliography
References - books, magazines, brochures, standards, patents, web pages, interviews -used in the preparation of the report listed alphabetically by author.
12. Appendix
Information (such as assembly drawing and manufacturing drawings, sketches, raw data, brochures, and letters) that supplements (often in more detail) the main sections of the reports.
from “Engineering Design Graphics: AutoCAD 2007” by J.H. Earle, 2008
For Final Report Outline please see Final Report Outline
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| Oral Presentations |
| Final oral presentations generally follow this order - Introduction
- Agenda
- Explanation of problem
- Overview of solution
- Features
- Summary
- Recommendations
- Conclusion
- Q & A
Sometimes the problem is explained in the introduction and thus precedes the agenda. If the content of your presentation does not lend itself to this outline, talk to your instructors about alternative ways of organizing it. This same advice applies to all the examples in this chapter. Do not use the sample slides and other examples as templates.
Instead, adapt them to your content, audience, and purpose.Time yourselves to ensure that the presentation is no more than 30 minutes, with the last 10 devoted to questions and answers. Rehearse at least twice, once in front of your class and instructors, and, if possible, video your practice presentation so that you can review it later.
from “Engineering Design Graphics: AutoCAD 2007” by J.H. Earle, 2008
and "Engineering Design and Communication: Principles and Practice" (2010 edition)
For more details please see Oral Presentations
For Oral Presentations Outline please see Oral Presentations Outline
Evaluation Form (*.doc) file for Grading Oral Reports Oral Report
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| Poster Presentations |
Poster quickly illustrates the essence of your design and its benefits. It contains less text than the posters used at most science fairs or professional science and engineering conferences because it is meant to be viewed in a large room with dozens of visitors circulating rather quickly among the offerings. Your accompanying two-to-five-minute presentation provides further details about the design, so the viewer has little time to read your poster.
Designing the Poster
Decide as a team the main message of your poster: the problem and your solution. Boil those down to two sentences: one that defines the problem users have, and the other that highlights what you have designed—your design’s approach to solving the problem. Now decide what content the poster needs in order to communicate this message. Then consider secondary information.
from “Engineering Design Graphics: AutoCAD 2007” by J.H. Earle, 2008 and "Engineering Design and Communication: Principles and Practice" (2010 edition)
For more details please see Poster Presentations
For poster presentantions outline please see Poster Presentations Outline
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| Presentation & Critique |
A successful presentation
The objective of a presenter is to obtain customers, funding, resources, or endorsements, whereas the objectives of the audience is to improve prifts and find solutions to their problems. Knowing this is the fundamental rule of salesmanship. When a designer is introducing a new product or concept, the representation must address the needs of the potential buyer.
When seeking acceptance for a new design concept or product, find out in advance what the needs of the customer are and focus on those points during your presentation. Talk to your audiance about their needs, not yours, to be most effective. A successful presentation will likely result in a positive decision enabling you to move to the implementation stage of the design process.
Critique
When your team gives a presentation to the class, both your design recommendations and the skill of your presentation will be evaluated and critiqued. The form is typical of the evaluation form that may be used for your critique. It can also be used as a guide in preparing the presentation. The names of the team members are listed at the top of the sheet. As a group, your team must agree on the percentage contribution of each member to the project prior to presentation. The sum of the percentage contribution of all team members must equal 100 percent. The F-factor for each member is the number of members (N) times the contribution of each C. The chart in the appendix illustrates how an individual's contribution to the project is translated into his or her individual grade by using the F-factor.
from “Engineering Design Graphics: AutoCAD 2007” by J.H. Earle, 2008
Evaluation form for grading oral reports Oral Report
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