On a Client-Centered, Sophomore Design Course Sequence

Often engineering design instruction based on real-world, client-based projects is relegated to a final year capstone course. Our engineering program, however, emphasizes these real-world, client-based design experiences, and places them throughout our six-course engineering design sequence. Our six-course design sequence begins with a two-course sophomore design sequence that is meant to enable mastery through both directed and non-directed learning and exploration of the design process and design tools. At the sophomore level, we aim to provide students with the foundational knowledge necessary to tackle problem-based learning modules throughout our engineering program. To that end, students work in both small (4-5) and large (10-11) teams to complete a year-long design project. The course project is woven with instruction in design theory and methodology; sustainable engineering design concepts; individual cognitive processes, thinking, and communication skills; decision making; sustainable (environmental, social, economic, and technical) design practices; problem solving; engineering design software; and project management. Students’ overarching task during the first semester is to follow the design process to generate numerous conceptual designs viable to meet the specific user needs. During the second semester, students work to reiterate on the conceptual phase of the design process before prototyping, testing, and refining a design for the client. The project culminates with the students demonstrating their final product to the client, the client’s family, the University, and the local community. Knowing that they will have this public demonstration day seems to motivate the students to succeed. Our engineering program is currently in its fourth year, and the sophomore engineering design sequence is currently in its third run. In this paper, we will reflect on the lessons learned as we have taught these two courses. A mixed-methods approach, which includes surveys and questionnaires, was used to collect data related to project learning goals, program learning outcomes (which map to ABET a-k criteria), student performance evaluations, and project evaluations. We present the assessment data we have used to inform our course sequence iterations and support the lessons we have learned. We believe that providing these experiences early and often not only challenges students on multiple dimensions, but also exposes them, and consequently better prepares them, for their eventual role as a practicing engineer. Our goal in this paper is to present our model for integrating real-world, client-based projects into the sophomore year. We do not mean to present our approach as an all or nothing model, but instead, we aim to report on our approach to teaching design as a collection of elements where one or more may be appropriate for another institution.