A common project assignment in engineering courses is a complete design project, from defining the problem through presentation of the design . A complete design project requires students to simultaneously focus on project-management tasks, design-process tasks, and business-related tasks. A complete design project is an authentic task in engineering, yet that can overwhelm students. An alternative is to assign parts or sub-tasks of a complete project to better focus students' attention on particularly difficult sub-tasks.

Ideas for Learning Tasks (i.e., Assignments) that Support Assessment

• • Types of design project

    • • "Clean sheet" design OR redesign

      • Product design AND/OR process design

      • Hardware design AND/OR software design

      • Individual work OR teamwork

  • Possible formats for student work

    • • Design notebook

      • Annotated drawings or computer code

      • Technically-based business communications

      • Technical or scientific report

      • Oral presentation

      • Portfolios, cognitive maps, and free-writing (pdf)

  • Sub-tasks in design (assign one or more of the following)

    • • Define the problem, including gathering information

      • Write specifications and requirements for detailed design

      • Generate alternatives using a process of synthesis & creativity

      • Develop selection criteria

      • Evaluate design alternatives, based on criteria

      • Select a design concept for further development

      • Write a test plan for prototypes

      • Plan the manufacturing process

      • Make dimensioned drawings

      • Select materials

      • Make fully documented calculations, where necessary

      • Make a prototype product or process

      • Present a concept or detailed design to stakeholders

  • Sub-tasks in project work (assign one or more of the following)

    • • Write a plan for the tasks involved in conducting the project

      • Create a schedule with task assignments for the project

      • Make a budget for the project, providing rationale

  • Sub-tasks in the business aspects of design (assign one or more of the following)

    • • Assess market requirements, including key features and target selling price

      • Write a business plan, including initial investment (development costs), pricing, and return on investment

Making Scoring/Grading Useful for Assessment

• • General principles for making scoring/grading useful for assessment (rubrics)

  • Attributes of engineering design that could be used to construct a rubric

  • Attributes of software design that could be used to construct a rubric

  • Attributes of engineering reports that could be used to construct a rubric

  • Example rubrics

    • • For a design project #1

      • For a design project #2