The Engineering Design Process •
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A series of steps that engineers use to guide them as they solve problems The process is cyclical and may begin at, and return to any step Key themes are teamwork and design A seamless blend of creativity and utility Doing something and learning something in such a way that the doing and learning cannot really be separated Steps That Engineering Teams Use Ask: What is the problem? What do we want to accomplish? What is the goal? What are the constraints or limitations? What have others done? Imagine: Brainstorm ideas. Be creative. Build on ideas of others. Explore, compare, and analyze many possible solutions. Choose the best idea. Plan: Draw a diagram of your idea. What materials or tools are needed? How will you test it to make sure it works? Create: Follow the plan. Build a prototype and test it against your design objectives. Analyze what works, what doesn’t, and what could be improved. Improve: Modify your design to make it better. Make revisions. Draw new designs. Test it out!