GE 121 – Engineering Design Engineering Design GE121 Introduction to Engineering Design (continued) Lecture 2

GE 121 – Engineering Design Assumptions Behind the Engineering Design Definition  Design is a thoughtful process that can be understood  There are tools that can help us support decision making / design management  Tools add to and support the creative process  We cannot deduce form (shape, geometry) from function (what artifact is required to do)  Design Specifications help guide us to form, and are a result of a process. Client Objectives  Means  Functions  Metrics

GE 121 – Engineering Design Assumptions Behind the Engineering Design Definition (cont’d)  Fabrication Specifications (set of plans to fabricate object / artifact) enable fabrication independent of designer’s involvement.  Newer design methodologies integrate fabricators/manufacturers into the design process (will be discussed later)  Communication is a key issue in design  Some Design Languages Spoken or written Numbers / Equations Rules Charts or Pictures

GE 121 – Engineering Design More On Design / Engineering Design  Design has been going on for a very, very long time  People have been talking and writing about design for a long time, but not nearly as long as design has been going on  Why design is hard  Suggestions that design is like learning to dance or ride a bike

GE 121 – Engineering Design Evolution of Design Practice / Thinking  Flint knife  Designing and Making inextricably linked  Must have put thought into process  Trial and error  Great Pyramids, Mayan Temples, Great Wall of China  Must have been designed  No ‘Paper Trail’  Modern Design  Fabricator typically NOT the designer  ‘Craft’ typically fabricated by designer

GE 121 – Engineering Design Evolution of Engineering Design  Engineers produce Fabrication Specifications  Separates Designing from Making  Typically blueprints, circuit diagrams, flow charts  May not capture design intent – Hyatt Regency walkway (Kansas City) 114 people died Could not be fabricated as designed (threaded rod not available on required length) Like two people hanging on a rope, versus one person hanging onto another person’s foot

GE 121 – Engineering Design Evolution of Engineering Design (cont’d) Fig. 1.4 p10

GE 121 – Engineering Design Evolution of Engineering Design (cont’d)  New Idea is Concurrent Engineering  Specialists from manufacturing / purchase / support / use / maintenance (essentially product life cycle) all considered/consulted throughout the design process  Communication of design intent is extremely important, right through to fabrication and life cycle

GE 121 – Engineering Design A Systems-Oriented Definition of Design  Herbert Simon, a founding father of design theory – Definition  As an activity, design is intended to produce an artifice in terms of its organization and functioning – its interface between inner and outer environments  Designers are expected to:  Describe the shape and configuration of a device/process/product (organization)  How that device/process/product does what it is intended to do (function)  How the device/process/product (inner environment) works (interfaces) within its operating (outer) environment

GE 121 – Engineering Design Engineering Design Addresses Hard Problems  Design Problems are Ill-Structured  Cannot normally be found by applying mathematical formulas or algorithms in a routine or structured way  Design Problems are Open-Ended  Usually have several acceptable solutions  Problem is generally not finding one exact solution, but having too many solutions from which to choose

GE 121 – Engineering Design Learning Design By Doing  Learning by Doing  Studio aspect like riding a bike, throwing a ball, painting or dancing – watch what I do, then try to do it yourself  Use drills and exercises – that’s what we are trying to do in this course, and other design courses that will follow  Rely on coaching – we will try to help you through the process  Pay attention wherever you can to skilled practitioners – we have Engineers in Residence to help us out

GE 121 – Engineering Design Managing Engineering Design  Good Design doesn’t just happen  Management achieves organizational goals by planning, organizing, leading and controlling  Planning – the process of setting goals and deciding best how to achieve them  Organizing – the process of allocating and arranging human and non-human resources so that plans can be carried out successfully  Leading – ongoing activity of exerting influence and using power to motivate others to work toward reaching organizational goals  Controlling – process of monitoring and regulating the organization’s progress toward achieving goals

GE 121 – Engineering Design Activity  Take a few minutes to get a copy of your Project Proposal ready  We will provide more details in the next section to help you refine it Note: Epsilon Lab (2A23) is reserved for our use during class and lab times.