1. Writing a Problem Statement

2. Writing a Problem Statement
Why write a problem statement?
What makes a good problem statement?
Problem statement examples

3. Why write a problem statement?
Prototypes
Engineering Design and Development
Lesson 4.1 Plan for the Prototype
Why write a problem statement?
Focus effort
Provide a measure of success
A clear description of the problem will allow you to focus your efforts and help you avoid wasting time working on a design that does not address the issue at hand. A clear problems statement will also provide information that defines a successful solution so that you have enough information to determine if a design actually solves the problem.

4. What Makes a Good Problem Statement?
Writing a Problem Statement
Engineering Design and Development
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.1 – Identify a Valid Problem
What Makes a Good Problem Statement?
Concise
Leaves room for multiple solutions
Does not imply a solution
Specific enough to be solvable in the given time frame and with available resources
Answers the questions:
Who has the problem?
What exactly is the problem?
Where does the problem exist?
When has it happened and for how long?
How prevalent is the problem (statistics)?
Is the problem valid? (Who says there is a problem?)

5. Problem Statement Example 1
Writing a Problem Statement
Engineering Design and Development
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.1 – Identify a Valid Problem
Problem Statement Example 1
Lots of people go fishing for red
fish and do not catch anything.
There aren’t as many red fish as there used to be.
Game fishermen fishing in the lower Laguna Madre of Texas reported between a decrease of 20% in red drum (i.e., sciaenops ocellatus). This loss can be attributed to premature death due to mouth infections caused when undersized fish are caught and released.
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
How Many?

6. Problem Statement Example 2
Writing a Problem Statement
Engineering Design and Development
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.1 – Identify a Valid Problem
Problem Statement Example 2
Car accidents are occurring because the intersection needs to be redesigned.
What are some issues with this problem statement?
Only cars or all vehicles?
Are vehicles hitting vehicles? Other objects? Pedestrians?
What is the current design of the intersection?
Does the intersection really need to be redesigned, or could the solution involve the lights, speed limits, lane configurations, traffic violation enforcement, etc.? .
Revise the problem statement

7. Writing a Problem Statement
Why write a problem statement?
What makes a good problem statement?
Problem statement examples

8. Image Resources
iStockphoto. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from