APSC 100 Sample Midterm
Name: _____________________________________ Student Number: _______________________
Signature: __________________________________ Class Section: _____
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Test ID: 224254 (enter this number on your computer scorecard)
INSTRUCTIONS
Fill out your multiple choice computer
scorecard with the following information:
 Your name written on the top
 Your student number written in the boxes
below “Student ID Number” AND filled out
using the numbered bubbles
 Your Test ID number (found above) written in
the boxes below “Test ID” AND filled out
using the numbered bubbles.
established herein. Should dishonest behaviour
be observed by the examiner(s) or invigilator(s),
pleas of accident or forgetfulness shall not be
received.
 Examination candidates suspected of any of the
following, or any other similar practices, may be
immediately dismissed from the examination by
the examiner/invigilator, and may be subject to
disciplinary action:
i.
There are three parts to this exam:
ii.



iii.
Part 1: multiple choice (20 marks)
Part 2: short answer (15 marks)
Part 3: written answer (15 marks)
Answer Part 1 in pencil on your multiple choice
computer score card.
You are permitted to have a pencil, pen, eraser,
and ruler for this exam. No other aids or
devices are permitted.
READ AND OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING RULES
 Each examination candidate must be prepared to
produce, upon the request of the invigilator or
examiner, his or her UBC card for identification.
 Examination candidates are not permitted to ask
questions of the examiners or invigilators, except
in cases of supposed errors or ambiguities in
examination questions, illegible or missing
material, or the like.
 Examination candidates must conduct themselves
honestly and in accordance with the rules
iv.
v.
speaking or communicating with other
examination candidates;
purposely exposing written papers to the
view of other examination candidates or
imaging devices;
purposely viewing the written papers of
other examination candidates;
using or having visible at the place of
writing any books, papers or other
memory aid devices; and,
using or operating electronic devices
including but not limited to telephones,
calculators, computers, or similar
devices. Electronic devices must be
completely powered down if present at
the place of writing.
 Examination candidates must not destroy or
damage any examination material, must hand in
all examination papers, and must not take any
examination material from the examination room.
 Examination candidates must follow any
additional examination rules or directions
communicated
by
the
examiner(s)
or
invigilator(s).
CANDIDATES MUST IMMEDIATELY STOP WRITING
WHEN THE INVIGILATOR ANNOUNCES THE EXAM IS
OVER.
Part 1 – Multiple Choice [20 questions, 20 marks]
Answer all 20 questions. Choose the best response – a given question may have more than one choice that
is correct, but marks will only be given for the best answer.
Questions 1 to 5 use the following common set of answer choices.
a) Study and clarify problem
b) Generate potential solutions
c) Identify most promising solution
d) Develop and test solution
e) Implement solution
1. In which stage would you expect use Screening?
2. In which stage would C-sketch most likely be used?
3. In which stage would the target design specifications most likely first appear?
4. Artistic sketches of a possible new product are made to gather stakeholder input on the product’s
appearance and features. Which stage does this prototype work most likely correspond to?
5. In which stage would you expect to see Ranking used?
6. From the APSC 100 design process model, which element is missing from the list above?
a) Plan
b) Imagine
c) Iteration
d) Consultation
e) Communication
7. A team has determined that one of their design concepts does not satisfy one requirement. Of the
following, which is the LEAST appropriate next step for the team?
a) Advance the concept
b) Try to modify this concept to satisfy the requirements
c) Check if combining this concept with others makes it work
d) Look for positive features in this concept that can be used
e) Eliminate the concept
8. Which of the following describes the terms of the APSC 100 prototype classification system?
a) Early-stage vs late-stage
b) Exploration vs refinement
c) Exploration vs refinement and focused vs comprehensive
d) Physical vs virtual and focused vs comprehensive
e) Physical vs virtual and exploration vs refinement
9. Which of the following best defines validation?
a) Confirming the final design satisfies all requirements
b) Confirming the final design satisfies the target design specifications
c) Confirming the target design specifications are achievable in practice
d) Confirming the target design specifications are based on the right evaluation criteria
e) Confirming the target design specifications correctly describe the stakeholder needs
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10. Select the best choices to fill in the blanks:
The costs incurred in the design process are primarily due to the _____________ stage(s) while the
costs committed are primarily determined in the ___________ stage(s).
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
generate potential solutions
implement solution
consultation
early
late
identify most promising solution
generate potential solutions
build
late
early
11. In the Cardboard Chair project, teams who used tape to assemble their chair received a score of
0/10 in this criteria, while teams that used no tape received 10/10. Which of the following best
describes the target design specifications represented here?
a) There are negotiable and non-negotiable evaluation criteria
b) There is a requirement (but no evaluation criterion)
c) There is an evaluation criterion (but no requirement)
d) There is a requirement and an evaluation criterion
e) The use of tape is not related to the target design specifications
12. Which of the following does NOT describe target design specifications?
a) The stakeholder wants and wishes converted into quantifiable or testable parameters
b) A precise description of what the final design has to be or do
c) Developed from the needs
d) The geometric, performance and other parameters for a product, found in the owner’s manual
e) The collection of requirements and evaluation criteria
13. Which of the following is NOT one of the guidelines for concept generation?
a) Avoid anchoring
b) Focus on quality not quantity
c) Work independently and as a team
d) Resist the temptation to start developing an idea
e) Welcome unconventional and irregular ideas
14. Which of the following best describes who a stakeholder is in a design project?
a) Anyone who stands to benefit from the project
b) Anyone who could be negatively impacted by the project
c) Anyone who can affect or is affected by the project
d) Anyone with detailed knowledge of the project
e) All of the above
15. Why should the proponent of a large, publicly financed infrastructure project engage with
stakeholders?
a) So that stakeholders / the public are able to voice their concerns and give advice regarding the
proposed project
b) In order to give the project’s proponent a chance to win over public opinion
c) To obtain advice from experts within the public as to how the project should proceed
d) To stimulate healthy debate in local communities as to the necessity of large infrastructure project
e) To be transparent in terms of where money is being spent and how decisions are being made
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16. What is the most common mistake made by engineers when considering project stakeholders?
a) Too many stakeholder workshops are convened
b) Only some stakeholders are invited to engagement workshops
c) During stakeholder workshops, engineers only pay attention to those stakeholders who agree with
the engineers’ opinions
d) Engineers assume that they know the view of stakeholder groups
e) Engineers tend to identify the wrong stakeholders
17. Four of the following statements describe the C-sketch process. Which statement does NOT
describe C-sketch?
a) Each team member prepares a sketch of a solution to a problem
b) The sketches should be picture-based, and not contain writing
c) After a set amount of time, all sketches are passed to the next team member
d) The next person adds to the sketch, but does not remove anything from the page
e) The process continues for a set number of rounds
18. Which of the following best describes sustainability?
a) Ensuring the environment is considered during decision making
b) Ensuring the wellbeing of both people and ecosystems
c) Ensuring the rate of natural resource consumption is less than or equal to the rate of replenishment
d) Ensuring the human-built world integrates responsibly with the natural world
e) Ensuring the planet is left in a better place than where we found it
19. What is the major source of the carbon footprint of the Site C project?
a) Crew transportation and heavy machinery operation
b) Blasting and temporary dam construction
c) Concrete and reinforced steel used in construction of main dam structure
d) Materials used in manufacture of turbines, pipes, power houses and transmission lines
e) Flooding of reservoir and vegetation decay
20. Which of the following best describes the function of the penstocks in a hydroelectric dam?
a) Restrict the flow of water exiting the reservoir
b) Deliver water from a reservoir to the turbine
c) Convert kinetic energy of the water into rotational energy of the shaft
d) Convert rotational energy of the shaft into electrical energy
e) Reduce the exit speed of the water after it leaves the turbine
Part 2 – Short‐Answer Questions (15 marks)
Answer all 5 questions in the spaces provided. Each question is worth 3 marks. The size of the answer
boxes should guide you to how detailed your response should be.
21. Briefly describe how iteration is used in the design process.
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22. Match the engineering discipline to each description below; choose from Chemical and Biological
(CHBE), Civil (CIVL), Engineering Physics (ENPH), Integrated (IGEN), and Mechanical
(MECH). A given discipline may appear more than once or not at all.
Integrated discipline combining
Grew from the need to be able to fill
engineering fundamentals with science
multiple roles and communicate
and math
across disciplines
Involved in almost every industry:
robots, biomedical devices, cars,
planes, ships, building systems…
Includes sub-disciplines of
hydrotechnical, materials engineering,
and transportation engineering
Focuses on mathematics and the
intersection of physical, chemical, and
biological sciences
Deals with the design, construction,
and maintenance of the natural and
built environment
23. Describe (i) what is meant by “fixation” in the context of engineering design, (ii) whether it is
good or bad, and (iii) one way it can be encouraged (if good) or avoided (if bad).
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
# of concepts
24. In class, a graphic similar to the one below was presented. It represented of the number of
concepts generated as a function time in a design project.
b
b
c
a
time
a) Why is the curve zero and unchanging in region a?
b) Why does the curve drop and then rise again at the two locations marked b?
c) What is the expected value at c? Why?
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25. A team is designing a small, portable projector that works with a smartphone. The device will
allow users to project what is shown on their screen onto any flat surface, such as a wall. Classify
each of the following potential prototypes using the terminology from class.
A full-size foam model of the expected weight
of the final device is used to gauge user
impressions of size, look, and feel
To test compatibility, different phones are
connected to a computer and the projector is
simulated on the computer screen by software
A near-complete device is sent out for testing
to a group of 20 potential users to get final
feedback before going into production
Part 3 – Written‐Answer Questions (15 marks)
Consider the scenario below and answer all of the following questions in the spaces provided. Marks for
each question are noted.
Hypothetical scenario: imagine UBC is proposing to ban the travel by personal motorized vehicles (i.e.
vehicles owned by individuals for personal use) onto campus. This is being done in order to encourage
more trips by transit, bike, and foot. Non-personal motorized vehicles – such as emergency vehicles,
delivery vehicles, and UBC-owned vehicles – will still be allowed onto campus. This proposal would
require the redesign of the campus infrastructure to promote more transit, bike, and pedestrian travel.
For this scenario, consider “UBC” to mean the institution, which is a collection of groups and units such as
the Registrar’s Office, the Library, the Bookstore, Food Services, and so on.
26. UBC is a key stakeholder in this scenario – who are other key stakeholders? Apply systems and
sustainability thinking to identify SIX additional stakeholders. For full marks, give a diverse list
of key stakeholders. (3 marks)
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27. Considering the new infrastructure to support a motorized-vehicle-free campus, what are three
of the needs in this scenario that you can imagine would apply to UBC (again, considering UBC
as the institution)? Choose one need that relates to each pillar of sustainability, and indicate the
pillar in your answer. (4 marks)
Need1:
Need 2:
Need 3:
28. Translate your needs above into target design specifications. You may have multiple
specifications, and different types of specifications, stemming from one need. (4 marks)
Need 1:
Need 2:
Need 3:
29. Describe, in general terms, how target design specifications, similar to the ones you listed above,
are used in the “Identify Most Promising Solution” stage of the design process. (4 marks)
End.
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