Lesson 5

 Technology is the use of scientific ideas to solve problems and make people’s lives easier.  In this lesson, you will learn about the basic steps of technological design.

 Technological design is a four-step process  Problem identification  Solution design  Implementation  Evaluation

 Once a problem is identified, engineers begin their work of designing a solution to the problem.  An engineer is someone who designs, constructs, and operates new forms of technology.  As solution designs are proposed, they should be compared.  For example, new kind of plane might be faster or faster but smaller or bigger but more cost-efficient.

 Drawings, models, or sketches may be made to illustrate the proposals.  Materials and costs must be considered.  Designs may be modified or discarded after the potential risks or benefits are considered.  So, to get the ball rolling, engineers figure out how the technology will work. Then, they explain the technology using models. They identify the materials, development time, and costs.  They list the benefits and the risks.

 Once a design has been studied and accepted, it is time for implementation.  During this stage, a prototype may be built.  A prototype is a working model of a technology that is being developed.  Performance testing also occurs.  Performance testing is evaluating products in real-world conditions. For example, a plane would be flown in various conditions to see if it meets expectations. If not, it may be redesigned.  The testing may be in actual conditions or computer simulation.

 A completed design must be evaluated to decide if it meets the goals.  This step is similar to the process of analyzing experimental data to decide if a hypothesis is supported.  Questions asked may be-  Does the design work as planned?  How can the success be measured?  Have risks been minimized?  How can the design be improved?

 The process of design never ends. Improvements are constantly being made.  Thank goodness!  Unintended consequences can cause a design to be re-evaluated.

 A research team develops a camera that is small enough to be swallowed. The camera can take images of internal organs.  What questions might have been asked during the development of this camera?  What should be asked once it is in use?  How could it possibly be a risk or have an unintended consequence?

 The challenge-using the technological design process, you will construct a ramp that will cause a marble to hit a target. You must document all the steps in your process- Problem identification  Solution design  Implementation  Evaluation  You need one lead engineer in your group.

 The catches-the ramp must have at least one turn.  Your marble may not fall off the ramp but may exit at the end.  The target will be five inches wide and ten feet away from your starting point.  Ten feet is ten squares on the floor.  If your marble hits the target within three tries, you make a 100. If not, you make a 90.  Your materials:  One half sheet of newspaper only  One marble  Ten inches of masking tape only  One blue classroom chair-everyone will use the same one