1. Project Reports: Written and Oral
Jeffrey Donnell
MRDC 3104

2. Limited to 3 pages (plus displays)
Project Report I
Limited to 3 pages (plus displays)
Week of March 1
Problem Statement
Spec. Sheet
Function Tree
Morph Chart / Solution Matrices
Other planning tools

3. Limited to 5 pages (plus displays)
Project Report II
Limited to 5 pages (plus displays)
Week of March 15
Problem Definition
Selected System
Concepts
Concept Evaluation
Concept Selection
Preliminary Results

4. Final Reports Week of April 12
Written Reports:
Less than 10 pages of text
Appendices (as needed)
Figures may be integrated with text
Oral Reports:
10 minutes (maximum) / 11 slides
One Speaker
Clearly labeled figures

5. Things you don’t report
How many meetings you held
Who was in charge of what subsystem
Anything about brainstorming
Design disputes within the group
The long process of tweaking

6. Things you DO report
The objective of the system developed by [your] team
What was constructed
Why the favored design was selected
How it performed
Did it meet expectations?
Evaluation / analysis of performance and of design

7. Information to Include in Final Report
Problem definition
Final Design
Discussion of the design
Specification Sheet
Function Tree
Morph Chart
Management & Planning Tools
House of Quality
Concept alternatives
Concept Evaluation(s)
Performance and Evaluation
(Bill of Materials)
Present these only if they help you account for performance or explain your design!

8. Format for Final Report
Cover sheet
Abstract
Table of Contents
Introduction, with problem statement
Design overview
Subsystem descriptions
Discussion
Planning, concepts, evaluation, results, analysis
Conclusion

9. Introductions in the final report
What functional goal was emphasized?
What challenges had to be addressed?
What solution was developed?

10. Design Introduction: An overview of a complex system
What does the assembled system look like?
Cite an overview drawing here
What objective is it designed to meet?
What are its main components / features?
In what order will those components be described?

11. Component Description: The details of a complex system
Which subsystem / component is this?
Insert illustration
What function or goal does it address?
What are its features?
How does it work?
(as needed)
What problems does it raise?
Repeat until done!

12. Discussion: Justify the system and / or Analyze the result
How was this design selected? / How did it perform?
What Planning Tools were used?
(How were they used?)
What alternatives were developed?
(Display representative concepts)
Why was this design selected for competition?
(Display evaluation materials)
Did the system perform as expected?
(Describe and evaluate performance)

13. Performance analysis Describe competition results
Compare the obtained results to predictions
What could you change to improve performance?
Did you use the right evaluation criteria?
Did you explore enough concept alternatives?
Did you focus on the best way to score points?
Were your specifications right?

14. Closing summary What design was built for competition?
Why was this design pursued for competition?
What result was obtained?
What changes would bring a better result?

15. Information for Final Presentation
Introduction: Identify group, goals and competition score.
Final Design: Present system goals / strategy
Overview of Device: Describe assembled system
Subsystems: Describe the individual tasks
Bill of Materials
Actual Performance
Analysis of performance: What worked, didn’t work, what you would change to improve your score.
Closing Summary

16. An Effective Presentation
Display an overview of the complete system first
Provide Slide Titles or descriptive captions for all figures
Provide labels for all system elements
Labels reflect a consistent level of detail in each drawing
Color is used lightly to distinguish components
effective presentations distinguish and describe system elements

17. The Carnival Project Carnival Goals were: Win at Horseshoes
Knock down the milk bottles
Collect treats

18. The Carnival Arena

19. Carnival Presentation 1 in line drawings
Assembled, integrated system is shown before subsystems are presented
Complete subsystem is shown before its components are presented
Labels call attention to structures that are described.
Please Note:
Scores and analysis have been removed from this student presentation.
Dimensions were not required for Carnival drawings

20. Final Design: A Stationary System
Scissor Arm for Horseshoes
Weight Arm to power scissor arm
Treat Retriever
Double Sweeping Arms for Bowling

21. Sweeping Arms Subsystem Deployed
Pull String
Trigger Mousetrap
Sweeping Arms
Trigger Pin
Sweep Mousetrap

22. Scissor Arm Subsystem Deployed
Horseshoe Mount
Scissor Arm
Pivot arm
Weight
Horseshoe
Bracket
Rod Pull String
Support Rod

23. Catapult Subsystem Deployed
Weight
Launch Tube
Hook for Treats
Pull String
Motor

24. System Fully Deployed

27. Judging Look like a team Demonstrate your system
Prepare a display board
Convey enthusiasm

28. Design Review Presentations (How to Prepare)
Give descriptive titles to your systems and subsystems
Decide how to demonstrate functions without breaking the device
Review the strong points—and weaknesses—of your system

29. Design Review Tips (During the Judging)
State which points your system is designed to collect
State what design / performance qualities will make your system advance to the final round
Show judges what your system does:
Extend drawer slides, Deploy arms, sensors, etc.

30. A typical poster design is presented on the next slide
A typical poster design is presented on the next slide. This is a reasonable starting point for the posters you might prepare for the pre-competition judging.

32. Sample Questions (General)
How many points does a team need in order to advance?
What are the characteristics of a winning system?
Which other team is most likely to win? Why?

33. Sample Questions (Specific)
What makes your system a winner?
What does your system do?
What is unusual about your system?
What could go wrong for your system?

34. System Demonstration State what points you mean to score
Show which subsystems score which points
Describe operation
Explain what you’re most pleased with
Explain what is most likely to go wrong