Project 3 – Engineering for People Design Challenge
Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis
Your name
Dimitri Rao
Your group number 13
Multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is a structured decision-making method used
to evaluate and compare multiple alternatives based on a set of criteria. It is commonly
used to make complex decisions where multiple objectives and trade-offs need to be
considered, when there are conflicting objectives, multiple stakeholders with diverse
interests, and limited resources. It provides a systematic and transparent approach to
evaluating and comparing options, making it easier to make informed decisions that
consider a wide range of factors and perspectives.
This tool will help you rank and select the best Design Solution for your Design Challenge
group. This does not mean that there are technically better or worse Design Solutions by
the different members of your group. It simply means that the selected design option is
the one that fits with a larger share of Design Criteria for your group. The output would
likely be different for a different set and different weights of the Design Criteria.
1. Write the initials of each of your group members or the nickname of the Individual
Design Solution.
2. List the Design Criteria for your group and assign weights reflecting their relative
importance. The tally of the weights should be 100%.
3. Score each Individual Design Solution on each criterion – we recommend using a scale
of 1 to 5.
4. Calculate a total score for each alternative by aggregating the scores on the various
Design Criteria, taking into account their weights.
5. Rank the alternatives based on the composite scores.
Initials of group members or Design
Weight
Solution
Design Criteria
(%)
LR
DR
AK
AB
LX
Increase rice production /
30
5
4
5
3
5
greater food security
Reduce flooding
20
4
5
4
5
5
Climate resilient
30
4
4
4
5
4
Sustainable
20
5
4
4
4
4
TOTAL
100%
4.5
4.2
4.3
4.2
4.5
Dimitri Rao – s2526155
Engineering
Principles 1
Project 3 –
Design
Challenge
Individual Design Solu on
Dimitri Rao - Group 13
Dimitri Rao – s2526155
Exclusive Statement
In Pu Ngaol, food produc on is a prominent issue for the locals and must be improved. One of the
main products of food produc on in the village is rice, and rice farming is facing many opposing
factors, the wet season is flooding the fields, and the dry season is drying out the crops. Therefore,
new designs must be put in place to help rice produc on in both seasons to not only feed the village
but also allow farmers to sell excess produce and make more income.
Narra ve Descrip on
Firstly, in the wet season, the rainfall in Cambodia is very heavy with Pu Ngaol receiving around
200mm of rain during the wet season. Therefore, the rice fields are easily flooded, and this damages
the crops and the landscape. The first way to combat this is to redirect rainwater away from the village
and fields. Using concrete gu ers (Figure 2), some of the water could be directed into the Ou Te River
and reduce the flood risk on the rice fields.
However, rain will s ll be a problem, so I propose for the villagers move to terraced farming (Figure 3)
for the rice fields. This means that each small plot of rice is on its own step which is dug out of the
mountain side. This has many benefits, the main ones being erosion control, water control and land
u liza on. Because the soil is no longer at a slope, there is also a lot less soil erosion, so the risk of
land slides is reduced. Pu Ngaol is in a very mountainous area of Cambodia meaning a lot of the land
available to the locals is not accessible to farming. With terraced farming this land will be more u lised,
and the locals can make more rice which can be used for consump on and selling.
When plan ng the rice on the terraced farms, it allows them to make rice paddies (Figure 4). This is
when the rice fields are flooded. This works hand in hand with terraced farming as it already naturally
regulates water meaning the flooded fields will naturally be regulated. Furthermore, the water
protects the crops from weeds and pests improving rice produc on. In the dry season, the flooded
fields will also keep the crops cool and aid in growth. Terraced farming also naturally creates divides
in land so plots can be easily recognisable, and it is clear to every villager which plot is whose and
manging the plots will be easier.
However, the main concern in the dry season is the lack of rain. So, during the wet season, the water
collec on system will store rainwater to be used during the dry season to keep the rice well supplied.
Water will be stored in small reservoirs (Figure 1) and large plas c (Figure 6) tanks that can be buried
as to not damage the walls of the tank. This can be done with the locals transpor ng the water or
using field sprayers to make the process less manual and aid the farmers. Furthermore, some of the
water will be fed through an industrial water filtra on (Figure 5) unit which can be used as drinking
water for the locals.
Overall, these solu ons ensure that rice produc on in Pu Ngaol is improved. The terraced farms and
gu ers reduce flooding of fields and the village, and the paddies help the rice grow in hot weather.
Furthermore, this is sustainable as the only piece of machinery used is the water filtra on unit, the
rest is natural.
Dimitri Rao – s2526155
Diagrams and Photos
Figure 1: Concrete water reservoir that will be located in the fields
Figure 2: Path side gu ers that will lead water into the river
Figure 3: Terraced farms on the side of a mountain
Dimitri Rao – s2526155
Figure 4: Rice paddies: flooded field
Figure 5: Water filtra on unit that will collect some of the water from the gu ers
Figure 6: Plas c water tank that can be buried for protec on
Dimitri Rao – s2526155
Figure 7: Field sprayer that can be carried by one farmer to spray rice
Figure 8: Diagram of Terraced Farming