To: Engineering Advisory Council
Multi-Disciplinary Design Implementation Status
From: Durward K. Sobek II
Recap of 2006 Report
Why?
ABET
graduate must show ability to function on multidisciplinary
teams
Engineer of 2020
future engineers (computer scientists?) must embrace
cross-disciplinary fertilization
Duke Outsourcing
Study
engineers (computer scientists?) with strong interpersonal
skills, technical knowledge and ability to communicate
across borders will always be in demand
COE Goals
Date: 5/3/2007
2006-2007 Activities
Date
Existing
program
delivered
inconsistent
results
Activity
Jul 06
Engineering Education Leadership Institute (Chicago)
Marley, Gunnink, Jenkins, Sherick, Plumb, Sobek
Established an implementation plan
Aug 06
Faculty Retreats: Marley & Sobek presented rationale, process, 2 alternatives
Sep 06
Recommendation Formulation:
Fleshed out 2 alternatives
Synthesized feedback
to graduate students well-prepared for professional
practice
Assessment:
Oct 06
COE Curriculum Cmte Recommendation:
Junior-level Design Course
Plumb attended rubric workshop
(Pullman, WA)
Nov. 06
Pilot course approval (ENGR 480)
Developed multidisciplinary teamwork
skills rubric
Dec. 06
Publicity and Recruitment
Piloted rubric in ME, MET, ECE
capstone projects
Jan – May 07
PILOT
Mar 07
ENGR 310 approved for Fall 07 offering
Problem Statement: How can the COE best prepare students for a multidisciplinary world?
Approach: Engineering Design Process
Information Gathering
Literature
Review
Design Objectives
Curricular
Tabulations
Industrial
Partners
Design
Instructors
Build in our graduates the capacity to:
1. View engineering projects from a systems perspective.
2. Recognize and appreciate trade-offs across disciplinary
perspectives.
3. Communicate technical and other trade-offs, and negotiate
satisfactory resolution.
4. Generate creative, integrated and effective solutions
collaboratively.
CO URSE
Pilot Course
Enrollment: 14 Students (ChE, ME, CS, IE).
Topics:
Design process, problem definition, creativity/idea generation, controlled convergence,
teamwork, project planning/tracking.
Project:
Assigned teams. Define own project within “waste stream reduction” theme. Journals.
Design Specifications
Issues
Team projects out of phase with lecture
Start projects earlier; more concrete assignments with higher
expectations
Teams not using project management tools
Require (bi-)weekly deliverables; closer advisement
Non-performance on some teams
Better advisement; more individual accountability
Alternatives
Evaluation &
Convergence
Advisory
Team Input
Broader
Faculty Input
April
2006
Next Steps
Action
Top Alternatives
When
Responsibility
May 07
Sobek
Identify ENGR 310 instructor
ASAP
?
Report pilot results to faculty
Summer 07
?
Fall 2007
?
Pilot course evaluation; revisions
Junior-Level Design Course
Prerequisite to the capstone courses
2 cr. lecture, 1 cr. recitation
Topics: design process, teamwork, project management
Project completed in multidisciplinary teams; skill course
Suite of Design Electives
10-12 design courses, natural groupings of disciplines
E.g., intelligent machines, integrated design-build of
structures
Offered as professional electives initially
Countermeasures
Incorporate ENGR 310 into 2008-2010 catalog; all
programs