1. ECE 2799 Term B2016 Electrical and Computer Engineering Design
Prof. Bitar
users.wpi.edu/~sjbitar

2. ECE 2799 Objectives Understand the Engineering Design Process
Solve a Real Design Problem
Work Effectively in Teams
Communicate Effectively in both Written and Oral Form
Manage Project Scheduling and Finance
Address Ethics, Reliability, Safety and Regulatory Concerns

3. This is Not Like Other Courses!
ECE 2799 is run like a business and not like a typical ECE class
There is a lot of research, writing and thinking required
There is an emphasis on teamwork
Most lectures will be non-technical
There will be a LOT of time required outside the classroom

4. ECE Aspects of Design
ECE 2799 covers ALL aspects of design, including:
Problem Definition
Market Research
Customer Requirements
Product Requirements
Brainstorming
Decision Making
Presentations/Reports
Business / Finance / ROI
Schedule / Quality / Cost Tradeoffs
Corporate Organization
ECE Design Options / Tradeoffs
I/O Specifications
Standards and Regulations
Liability
Ethics
Design for Manufacturability
Schematic Diagrams and PCBs
Intellectual Property
Quality and Reliability
And more…

5. ECE 2799 Personnel & Organizational Chart
Course Coordinator
Prof. Bitar
Tech Support
Mr. Appleyard
Design Engineer
Elizabeth Bliss
Design Engineer
Denver Cohen
Design
Team 1
Design
Team 5
Design
Team 6
Design
Team 10

6. ECE 2799 Website https://my.wpi.edu/webapps/login/
Course Description
Personnel and Contact Information
Syllabus and Course Schedule
Project Guidelines
Project Descriptions and Team Assignments
Technical Resources
Sample Exams and Reports
Academic Honesty Policy

7. Syllabus / Schedule Note Exam Days Note Lab (Design Review) Days
Homework (Weekly Project Reports) Due Dates
Final Design Review Date

8. Grading Policy Exam Component 45% of course grade
3 in-class exams, equal value, individual effort
Project Component 55% of course grade
25% Weekly Team Reports & Final Report
20% Functional Final Project
10% Final Team Presentation (w/ individual evaluations)
NOTE: To pass the course, you must pass BOTH the exam component and the project component !

9. Wednesday Design Reviews Attendance Mandatory!
Design Reviews focus on guiding you through the process and on project management
Your team will report out its progress to the other groups and to your Engineering Manager
You will get feedback on your ideas, your progress, and your presentation skills

10. Doing Your Design You will work in assigned teams of three
Design happens outside scheduled times
Lab notebooks are a MUST
Make use of the Senior Engineering Staff
Plan on spending productive hours per week outside of class working on your design (maybe more toward the end!)

11. What Did Previous Students Say
What Did Previous Students Say? An Anonymous In-Class Survey Conducted by Prof. Bitar Term D07, N=21 (returned responses)
How many hours did you put into ECE 2799 each week, on average?
Less than More than 25
0% % % % %
How much did you personally accomplish in your project design?
Almost nothing 0%
A little %
Quite a lot 79%
Essentially the whole thing 17%
Pick the phrase that best describes your teamwork experience this term
Very negative Somewhat negative Neutral Positive Very positive
2% % % % %

12. What Else Did They Say. An Anonymous In-Class Survey Conducted by Prof
What Else Did They Say? An Anonymous In-Class Survey Conducted by Prof. Bitar Term D07, N=21 (returned responses)
Overall, how much did you learn from this course?
Not as much as other course 5%
Quite a lot 84%
More than any other course I’ve taken 11%
Pick the phrase that best describes your overall satisfaction with this course.
Very unsatisfied Unsatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied
0% % % % %

13. Two Last Questions
If you had this to do over again, what is one thing you would do differently?
Be more engaged/work harder
Focus on teamwork issues
Take a lighter load
Start project work earlier
Have better/more background
Study differently/more for tests
If you could recommend one change for ECE 2799, what would it be?
More emphasis on project, less on the exam …
Less course work or count it for more credit …

14. Important Advice DO NOT take this course if you are not ready for it
Your partners will suffer
You will suffer

15. ECE 2799 Prerequisites
You must have taken and passed at least three of the ECE Basic Core courses:
EE2010 – Intro to ECE
EE2029 – Intro to Digital Circuits and Comp. Eng
EE2019 – Physical Principles of ECE Applications
EE2311 – Continuous Time Signals and Systems
…and at least one Advanced Core course:
EE2112 – Electromagnetic Fields
EE2312 – Discrete Time Signals and Systems
EE2201 – Microelectronic Circuits I
EE2049 – Foundations of Embedded Comp. Systems

16. What Happens Next? Fill out background survey before you leave today.
Teams will be formed by tomorrow.
Design challenge will be presented in Wed’s class.
All meet in AK233 this first Wed!

17. Regarding the Survey… Be honest… Be realistic… Disaster stories…
about the courses you have taken. We form teams based on the information you provide.
Be realistic…
about the level of commitment you are willing and/or able to give to the course.
Disaster stories…
Unfortunately, we have a few…