1. Writing a Design Brief
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2. Presentation Name
Course Name
Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name
Writing a Design Brief
People are constantly surrounded by objects that compete for their attention.
What were the designers thinking when they created these objects? What purposes do their creations serve, and what problems do they address?
One way to define the problem is through the use of a design brief.
This concise document (no more than one page) identifies the client, clearly states his/her problem or need, details the degree to which the engineer will carry out the solution, and lists the rules and limits within which the engineer must perform.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

3. contains cartoon images
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #1:
What are the features of the product?
made from plastic
contains cartoon images
movable
multi-colored
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

4. Musical tones Question #1: What are the features of the product?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #1:
What are the features of the product?
Musical
tones
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

5. sequential alphabet wheel
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #1:
What are the features of the product?
sequential alphabet wheel
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

6. simple shapes wheel Question #1: What are the features of the product?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #1:
What are the features of the product?
simple shapes wheel
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

7. numbers Question #1: What are the features of the product?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #1:
What are the features of the product?
numbers
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

8. castors Question #1: What are the features of the product?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #1:
What are the features of the product?
castors
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

9. foldable rear legs Question #1: What are the features of the product?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #1:
What are the features of the product?
foldable rear legs
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

10. grab bar Question #1: What are the features of the product?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #1:
What are the features of the product?
grab bar
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

11. Question #2: What purpose does the product serve?
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

12. Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #2:
What purpose does the product serve?
An infant might use the toy as a learning/play center. The product also appears to convert into a walker, and might be used to help a toddler balance upright as he/she begins to walk. Therefore, the product may be a combination play center/walker.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

13. Question #3: Children need to prepare for school.
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #3:
What issues might the product address?
Children need to prepare for school.
Parents need toys to keep their children occupied.
Children quickly outgrow their toys.
Children need toys to help them develop their cognitive abilities and fine motor skills.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

14. Question #4: What might the design brief look like?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #4:
What might the design brief look like?
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

15. Client / End User / Target Consumer Problem Statement Design Statement
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #4:
What might the design brief look like?
Client / End User / Target Consumer
Problem Statement
Design Statement
Constraints
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

16. Client / End User / Target Consumer Problem Statement Design Statement
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #4:
What might the design brief look like?
Client / End User / Target Consumer
Problem Statement
Design Statement
Constraints
The design brief serves as an agreement between the client and the engineer.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

17. Who was the target consumer?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Who might the client be?
A large toy manufacturer, such as Playskool™, Fisher Price™, LeapFrog™, etc.
Who was the target consumer?
Obviously, a child is the end user, but a person (parent, family member, or family friend) considering the purchase of an educational toy for an infant or toddler would be the target consumer.
The client is usually a person, company, organization, or target consumer group whose problem or need requires the talents of an engineer/designer to develop a physical solution (electrical, mechanical, structural, software, etc.).
The designer is the creative problem-solver. Engineers are only one type of designer. They perform engineering design—the application of math, science, and engineering principles to the creation and development of systems components and processes.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

18. The Client Writing a Design Brief Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
The Client
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Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

19. Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Target Consumer
Often the target consumer and the client are one in the same. Since it is very difficult to know who the actual designer was, that portion has been omitted for this example.
Note:
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

20. Client / End User / Target Consumer Problem Statement Design Statement
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #4:
What might the design brief look like?
Client / End User / Target Consumer
Problem Statement
Design Statement
Constraints
The problem statement clearly and concisely identifies the problem.
**A problem statement must never imply or state a solution. The solution is not the problem.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

21. What could the problem statement have looked like?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
What could the problem statement have looked like?
Most parents expect their children to be able to walk, talk, sing, count, and recite the alphabet before entering elementary school. A growing expectation is that infants and toddlers will develop cognitive abilities and fine motor skills during the first three years of life.
The problem statement clearly and concisely identifies the problem.
**A problem statement must never imply or state a solution. The solution is not the problem.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

22. Problem Statement Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Problem Statement
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

23. Client / End User / Target Consumer Problem Statement Design Statement
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #4:
What might the design brief look like?
Client / End User / Target Consumer
Problem Statement
Design Statement
Constraints
The design statement challenges the engineer to take action to address the need and to solve the problem.
It must specify the degree to which the engineer will carry out the solution.
The design statement may also contain an underlying theme or very important constraint.
A good design statement should not unintentionally bias the engineer’s creative thought process by using terminology that suggests an already existing solution.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

24. What could the design statement have looked like?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
What could the design statement have looked like?
Design, market, test, and mass produce a multifunction educational toy that is an infant activity center and a toddler walking aid.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

25. Design Statement Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Design Statement
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

26. Client / End User / Target Consumer Problem Statement Design Statement
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Question #4:
What might the design brief look like?
Client / End User / Target Consumer
Problem Statement
Design Statement
Constraints
Giving an engineer an unlimited amount of time and money to complete a job is impractical. Limitations must be imposed.
Constraints can be thought of as guidelines that must be followed or rules that must not be broken.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

27. What might the constraints have been?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
What might the constraints have been?
Easy to assemble
Visually stimulating to a child
Contains multiple shapes, numbers, and letters
Plays music
Complies with all applicable health and safety codes
Easy to clean
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

28. What might the constraints have been?
Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
What might the constraints have been?
Easy to configure to infant or toddler mode
Weighs less than 4 lb
Retail price less than $20
Parts are primarily injection moldings
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006

29. Writing a Design Brief
Introduction to Engineering Design
Unit 3 – Lesson 3.4 – Product Improvement By Design
Constraints
Often, new constraints are discovered that were not obvious in the beginning stages of the design process.
Because constraints are given in list form, they may be added as the design process plays itself out.
© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Project Lead The Way®
Copyright 2006