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
- 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
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