Method And Experimental Based Design: An Approach To Freshman And Sophomore Engineering Design Projects

The benefits of group-based design activity in an engineering curriculum may be greatly enriched by careful structuring of design activities into the freshman/sophomore introductory course sequence. Focal points of this approach include: teaching a design methodology, applying that methodology to unique, product development-based problems and guiding students through discovery based experimental work to provide hard data upon which design decisions may be based. Project evaluation is focused primarily on written reports detailing the design process, and oral presentations defending the design decisions, rather than the level of success for a specific design solution. This paper presents the design project activity designed into a freshman/sophomore sequence of courses required of engineering students at The University of Texas at Tyler. The design methodology is outlined, and several projects are detailed. Examples of experimental work, and simplified analytical procedures, are presented, illustrating how project-relevant data are used to support project design decisions. Some innovative student “solutions” are presented, pointing out both strengths and weaknesses of this approach to introductory engineering design education. Rapid prototyping as a strategy to integrate the Product Realization Process into our introductory engineering curriculum is discussed. The next evolution of the course sequence, intended to both streamline and improve the design experience, is also presented.