When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development © 2013 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
When Tests Fail Test Results Not Necessarily a Bad Thing Why? Test Criteria Test Procedure Prototype/Design What Next?
Tests Results Did you obtain the results expected? When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development Lesson 5.2 Test the Prototype Tests Results Did you obtain the results expected? Reliable/Repeatable Accurate Biased If the test data is not accurate, is not reliable, or is biased, it can not be used to validate and verify the design. ©istock.com Once you have conducted the test and recorded the test data, you must analyze the results. Were the results what you expected? Is the data reliable (consistent) and accurate (realistic)? If not, the test results can not be used to validate the design.
Tests Results Does the data validate and verify the design solution? When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development Lesson 5.2 Test the Prototype Tests Results Does the data validate and verify the design solution? Benchmarks ©istock.com If the prototype does not meet specifications, the design does not solve the problem. Do the results of the test indicate that the design complies with the design specifications by meeting the benchmark(s)? Or do the results indicate that the design or the test is flawed?
Not Necessarily a Bad Thing . . . When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development Lesson 5.2 Test the Prototype Not Necessarily a Bad Thing . . . Document EXACTLY what happened. Identify the point of failure. Be meticulous with your observations and notes. Can you duplicate the failure? An apparent failure is not necessarily a bad thing. It can provide you with important information necessary to reject or refine the design. ©istock.com
Why? What was the root cause of the failure? Test Criteria When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development Lesson 5.2 Test the Prototype Why? What was the root cause of the failure? Test Criteria Test Procedure Prototype/Design ©istock.com Evaluate the data in order to determine what failed and why it failed. Was it a poor test design or execution? Did the prototype fail to meet your design requirements? Or, is the design flawed?
When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development Lesson 5.2 Test the Prototype Test Criteria Was the test criteria/benchmark based on the design specifications? Was the test criteria clear and well defined? Does the benchmark provide an adequate measure for successful performance? ©istock.com Consider the failure in terms of the test criteria. Could the reason for the failure be ill-conceived or unclear test criteria?
When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development Lesson 5.2 Test the Prototype Test Procedure Did the procedure appropriately assess the prototype with respect to the criteria? Was the procedure carried out properly? Was the test equipment sufficient to measure the necessary quantity to the appropriate degree? Was the data correctly gathered and recorded? Did an action of the tester have an affect on the results? Are the results biased? ©istock.com
When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development Lesson 5.2 Test the Prototype Prototype/Design Does the Prototype adequately reflect the design documents? Did the prototype perform successfully? Meet the benchmark/specification? What type of failure? Material failure Assembly failure Construction failure If the prototype was not constructed precisely according to the design documents, could the differences be the cause of the failure? If the prototype did not perform successfully, try to assess how close the prototype is to meeting the criteria. If the failure can be traced to poor performance by the prototype, identify exactly what failed. Was it a material failure, an assembly failure, or a construction failure? ©istock.com
REDO REDIRECT What Next? Should you OR When Tests Fail Engineering Design and Development Lesson 5.2 Test the Prototype What Next? Should you REDO OR REDIRECT Get expert advise as to how your should proceed. How can the test and/or prototype be revised or redesigned in order to correct the problem(s) that you have identified? Based on the test results, how would you improve the design of the test criteria, the testing procedure, the prototype or your product design?
When Tests Fail Test Results Not Necessarily a Bad Thing Why? Test Criteria Test Procedure Prototype/Design What Next?