Introduction to Engineering Design William Oakes, P.E.

Learning Objectives At the end of this session, you will be able to: Describe design List at least three steps in the EPICS design process Identify resources to help with design Describe how users are important to the design process

Design is… One of the activities of engineering. Design Development Research Test Analysis Production Sales Technical Support Other Source: Oakes, Leone, and Gunn (2004). Engineering Your Future. Okemos, MI: Great Lakes Press.

Many definitions of design… Design is art Design as problem solving Design activity as applying scientific knowledge Design is a social process in which individual object worlds interact, and design parameters are negotiated. Source: Dr. Robin Adams ENE 696G course notes

Crismond (2007) draws from many sources in his definition of design as “’goal-directed problem-solving activity’ (Archer, 1965) that initiates change in human-made things (Jones, 1992), and involves optimizing parameters (Matchett, 1968) and the balancing of trade-offs (AAAS, 2001) to meet targeted users needs (Gregory, 1966).” Source: Crismond, D. (2007). Contrasting strategies of beginning and informed designers: One representation of learning progressions in engineering design.

=====> The Design Process Design is done by many disciplines Few Specifications Many Specifications   Design Process Infinite Variety of Designs Most -----Least Influential Choices One Design =====> Design is done by many disciplines

Many formal models for the design process ME uses Ullman’s Model for Design The Mechanical Design Process, McGraw Hill, 1997, 2003 6 steps Engineering Your Future 10 steps Different Companies use different models They use a process EPICS teaches a model that fits our community-based design

Multiple Valid Solutions Examples: Cars Cell phones Computers

Good/Bad Design - Activity Think of 1 thing you think was well-designed. Think of 1 thing you think was poorly designed. For each item: Item Why you think it was well/poorly designed What did the designer understand/not understand in the design that made it good/bad.

Good/Bad Design Activity, cont Get in groups of 3 or 4 Talk about your answers Pick one or two things from the group to present: Item Why you think it was well/poorly designed What did the designer understand/not understand in the design that made it good/bad.

EPICS Balance Service Learning Service-learning is a balance of the learning of design and the service we contribute the communities through completed designs and support Service To our partners, meeting needs in the community Learning Becoming good designers, professionals & active citizens Complimentary goals that enhance each other

From IDEO HCD Toolkit What do people desire? What is technically and organizationally feasible? What can be financially viable?

EPICS Design Process Six Phases Problem Identification Specification Development Conceptual Design Detailed Design Production Service/Maintenance Redesign or retirement

The EPICS Design Cycle Problem Identification Specification Development Detailed Design Production Service Maintenance Redesign Retirement Problem Identification Conceptual Design Disposal

Human-centered Design: Basic Principles Early focus on users Designing for and with users Empirical measurement and evaluation Iteration See Gould and Lewis 15

Human Centered Design Formal/Informal Interviews Persona Scenarios Focus groups– interviews with multiple people Persona Prototypical user, described in detail Scenarios “before and after” stories of your persona using your product Focus on the user’s need and how their life might be improved Role-playing: put yourself in the user’s shoes, chair, and/or space Empathic modeling: Simulating the sensory/motor/cognitive constraints

Human-Centered Design Interactions with Stakeholders Prototypes/communications at all stages

EPICS Design Process Six Phases Problem Identification Specification Development Conceptual Design Detailed Design Production Service/Maintenance Redesign or retirement

Project Identification Phase: Goal is to identify a specific, compelling need to be addressed Common tasks Conduct needs assessment (if need not already defined) Identify stakeholders (customer, users, person maintaining project, etc.) Define basic stakeholder requirements (objectives or goals of projects and constraints) What will be the deliverable? Determine time constraints of the project How long will it take? Gate 1: Continue if have identified appropriate EPICS project that meets a compelling need

Example….Project Identification Phase One of the deliverables is the Project Charter Description – Describe and summarize what you or your team will be doing. E.g., What is the problem that you will be solving and for whom? Objectives- List the project objectives. E.g., Why are you doing the project (i.e., what is the motivation or desired need for the project?)

Project Charter, continued Outcomes or deliverables E.g., What are going to be the project results? Duration E.g., When will the project be started, and when will it meet the objectives and deliver the outcomes? Community Partners E.g., With whom are you serving on this project? Stakeholders E.g., Who will be affected by your project other than your customer?

Specification Development Phase: Goal is to understand “what” is needed by understanding the context, stakeholders, requirements of the project, and why current solutions don’t meet need, and to develop measurable criteria in which design concepts can be evaluated. Understand and describe context (current situation and environment) Create stakeholder profiles Create mock-ups and simple prototypes: quick, low-cost, multiple cycles incorporating feedback Develop a task analysis and define how users will interact with project (user scenarios) Compare to benchmark products (prior art) Develop customer specifications and evaluation criteria; get project partner approval   Gate 2: Continue if project partner and advisor agree that have identified the “right” need, and if no existing commercial products meet design specifications.

Specification Phase Tasks: Basic functional decomposition User interaction – crude prototypes as communication devices Benchmark research Customer specifications development Develop Design Specifications - MEASURABLE

Specification Development Deliverables- Project Specification Document Measureable specifications Mock-ups or rough prototypes to help narrow the specifications Interacting with the community partner User-centered, human-centered

How will you know if you achieved it? Spec or Requirement Origin How will you know if you achieved it? Completed? 1. Sound audible in classroom Project Partner Requirement Test in classroom 1.1 Sound range between 15 dB and 85 dB Project Partner Requirement of audible sound 1.2 Variable output 2. Project should be educational Pre-, post-test? Interview students?

Conduct Functional Decomposition Brainstorm several possible solutions Conceptual Design Phase: Goal is to expand the design space to include as many solutions as possible. Evaluate different approaches and selecting “best” one to move forward. Exploring “how”. Conduct Functional Decomposition Brainstorm several possible solutions Create prototypes of multiple concepts, get feedback from users, refine specifications Evaluate feasibility of potential solutions (proof-of-concept prototypes); select one to move forward Interaction with users   Gate 3: Continue if project partner and advisor agree that solution space has been appropriately explored and the best solution has been chosen.

Take functional decomposition and brainstorm on each of the functions How can we ______ ? Capture the best of each idea Rebuild the system as combinations

Conceptual Design Deliverables- Project Conceptual Design Report Systems level design Details need to be designed Sketch/mock-up/prototype demonstrates concept

Detailed Design Phase: Goal is to design working prototype which meets functional specifications. Common tasks Design/analysis/evaluation of project, sub-modules and/or components (freeze interfaces) Complete DFMEA analysis of project Prototyping of project, sub-modules and/or components Field test prototype/usability testing Gate 4: Continue if can demonstrate feasibility of solution (is there a working prototype?). Project Partner and advisor approval required.

Detailed Design Deliverables Project Detailed Design Report Full details of all parts Dimensions, sizes, all details Documentation of all parts Full prototype version of project

Delivery Phase Tasks: Goal is to refine detailed design so as to produce a product that is ready to be delivered! In addition, the goal is to develop user manuals and training materials. Common tasks: Complete project Complete user manuals/training material Complete usability and reliability testing Complete delivery review Gate 5: Continue if Project Partner, Advisor and EPICS Admin agree that project is ready for delivery!

Service/Maintenance Phase Tasks Common tasks: Evaluate performance of fielded project Determine what resources are necessary to support and maintain the project Gate 6: Project Partner and Advisor approve continued fielding of project. If not, retire or redesign.

Retirement or Redesign Fielded projects are evaluated with partners for repair, retirement or redesign

The EPICS Design Cycle Problem Identification Specification Development Detailed Design Production Service Maintenance Redesign Retirement Problem Identification Conceptual Design Disposal

Iterations in the Design Process Specification Development Detailed Design Production Service Maintenance Redesign Retirement Problem Identification Conceptual Design Disposal

Iteration and Test Back to previous phase Go to next phase Generate Ideas Define Measurable Specifications Implement Test Generate Ideas Define Measurable Specifications Implement Test (Users)

Iteration and testing Document Why advanced Why interated Prob ID Spec Dev Con Des Det Des Prod Main and serv. Document Why advanced Why interated

Human-Centered Design Tests are often done with stakeholders during the design process

Curriculum Diagram Figure 1 (DRAFT skeleton): EPICS Design Model Exit 1: Problem Identification Rd. Exit 2: Specification Development Ave Road Exit 4: Detailed Design St. Exit 7: Retirement Rd.

Seeking and Selecting Diverge Seek Possibilities Problem Identification Converge Narrow Choices Diverge Seek Possibilities Specification Development Converge Narrow Choices Diverge Seek Possibilities Conceptual Design Converge Narrow Choices Each phase of the design process requires creative solutions and has a divergent component where ideas are sought and a convergent component where options are selected

Why is design difficult? Engages different types of thinking Requires designers to manage so many ideas and aspects Addresses different types of problems

Good design… Good designs involve diverse perspectives and expertise IDEO – industry leader in design and innovation Design thinking is a crucial business asset—one that can, indeed, move a company forward and improve the bottom line. To optimize this impact, (we) advise thoughtfully structuring the innovation process. They stress working on projects that improve people’s lives.. - Ryan Jacoby and Diego Rodriguez, Innovation, Growth, and Getting to Where You Want to Go, Design Management Review Vol. 18 No. 1

Human Centered Design Formal/Informal Interviews Persona Scenarios Focus groups– interviews with multiple people Persona Prototypical user, described in detail Scenarios “before and after” stories of your persona using your product Focus on the user’s need and how their life might be improved Role-playing: put yourself in the user’s shoes, chair, and/or space Empathic modeling: Simulating the sensory/motor/cognitive constraints

Caution! These tools should not replace getting feedback and information from the users and stakeholders themselves! Just because you have “pretended” to have a disability or in a certain situation, doesn’t mean you understand what it really like for those users and stakeholders.

Prototypes Prototyping….rough, quick, very iterative IDEO working with Gyrus ACMI to design new apparatus for operating on delicate nasal tissues Prototype: whiteboard marker, 35 mm film canister and clothespin Mouse for Apple Prototype: roller ball from tube of Ban Roll-on deodorant to the base of plastic butter dish

Personas Fictional character with all the characteristics of the user Created after the field research (observations, interviews) Members of the primary stakeholders (users) Depicts the "typical" or "average" individual in the primary stakeholder group Include a name and picture, demographics, roles and responsibilities, goals and tasks, motivations and needs, environment and context, and a quote that can represent the character's personality.

Personas May be several personas for the same group to reflect diversity of that group Secondary personas, their needs should be met and problems solved if possible. Create a common shared understanding of the user group Prioritize the design considerations by providing a context of the user needs Provide a human face and existence to a diverse user group

Your Design Projects Problem Identification Specification Development Using personas and role playing Specification Development List of specifications, early prototypes Conceptual Design Early prototype and proof of concept Detailed Design Production Service/Maintenance Redesign or retirement