The Role of Research and Development Foundations of Technology The Role of Research and Development © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology Unit 1 - Lesson 3
Research and development is a problem-solving approach used to prepare a product for the marketplace. The most innovative ideas are often the product of a group of people. People often find it easier to come up with great ideas when they are able to work with a group and collect feedback. Innovation is also a key to a product’s success in the marketplace. Just because a device works, does not mean it functions efficiently or will work for other people. A marketable device needs to be easy to use, priced effectively, and safe for the user. Feedback is essential when creating a marketable product. Product Design Activity
If you could invent something to make your life easier, what would it be? Directions: 1.Answer the background questions to develop an idea for your product design. 2.Sketch your ideas. 3.Develop several questions to help refine your ideas. 4.Share your product idea, sketches, and questions with a partner. 5.Record your partner's feed back in your Engineering Design Journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
Product Design Activity 1.Name of Invention: 2.Problem the Invention Solves: 3.Brief Description of the Invention: 4.How does it make your life easier? 5.Share your ideas with one person in class. Ask him/her 3 questions you feel would improve your product design. Record all feedback in your engineering journal.
The BIG Idea Big Idea: Research and development is a problem- solving approach that allows business and industry to prepare products and systems for the marketplace. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Objectives Students will learn to: 1.Illustrate that research and development is a specific problem-solving approach that is used intensively in business and industry to prepare devices and systems for the marketplace. 2.Demonstrate the use of research and development and other problem-solving approaches to prepare a device and/or system for the marketplace. 3.List examples of inventions and/or innovations that are the result of specific, goal-oriented research. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
The Role of Research and Development Vocabulary Review
Research and Development: a problem-solving approach that allows business and industry to prepare products and systems for the marketplace. Used to develop new products and uncover new scientific and/or technical knowledge. Research: the search for knowledge, which is applied scientifically and systematically to product design and development. All research should be systematic, relevant, and controlled. Research Design: is the process of conducting a research study and analyzing the data for a specific purpose. Data Analysis: the process of collecting, cleaning, and manipulating data to determine useful information, suggest conclusions, and support decisions.
Exploration Assignment © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Exploration Assignment 1.Research to determine whether your idea from the product design activity already exists. 2.If the product exists, students will determine how the design could be innovated to produce a new product. 3.If the product does not exist, students will research safety and affordability for similar/related products. 4.Information will be recorded in the students’ Engineering Design Journals. 5.Once complete, students will break into small groups (2) to share their designs, possible price points, and necessary safety information. Feedback from students will be recorded in their journal to further develop the product. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Research and Development Research and Development (R&D) is a process used by business and industry to yield usable information to improve the company’s operations or to develop products. R&D is used for two purposes: To develop new products To discover new scientific and/or technical knowledge © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Research and Development Product design/development is driven by the “market” or the needs of the intended consumer and is heavily influenced by research and the profit motive. R&D is essential to a company’s success, and the process of R&D is often carried out by engineers (developing new products) or industrial scientists (discovering new scientific/technical knowledge). © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
The Research and Development Process © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology Develop a Problem Statement - Identify the necessary information Design a Process to Conduct Research - Develop questions and a process to collect information Conduct Research Study - D eploy the study, isolate variables Analyze the Data - Determine useful data, highlight trends Make Recommendations for Improvement - Provide results, conclusions, and recommendations
Research Research is the search for knowledge and is applied scientifically and systematically to product design and development. All research should be: Systematic – a planned sequence that leads to logical next steps Relevant – the data collected should be specific and should relate to the process Controlled – all factors should be accounted for © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Research Types of research: Exploratory – used for open-ended problem statements as a way to create familiarity with the subject; questions can be vague Conclusive – used to test a specific idea, to collect specific feedback with a defined purpose; questions are clear and focused © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Research Design Research Design is the process of conducting a research study and analyzing the data for a specific purpose. Design problems are seldom presented in a clearly defined form. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Research Design Research Design is often broken into two categories: Nonexperimental – the degree to which two or more things tend to co-occur; does not demonstrate cause; all variables are not controlled Experimental – the degree to which something always occurs; speaks to cause and effect; all variables are controlled © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Data Analysis Data Analysis is the process of collecting, cleaning, and manipulating data to determine useful information, suggest conclusions, and support decisions. Analyzing data is often done by measuring: Frequency – counts, numbers, percentages Correlations – associations between groups, topics, ideas Exact data – using the exact information collected © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Data Analysis When collecting data remember: Data is collected, it is not information until it is organized in some way and made meaningful. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology
Developing a Design Proposal Activity
Design Proposal Activity Format Title Page: Your name, product name, sketch of invention. Purpose of the Invention: Problem statement (what does the invention solve?), background information related to the problem and product. Overview of Procedure: Determine the steps the company would use to conduct further research and development of a product to prepare it for the marketplace. Project Pricing: Develop an initial price for the product (based on research of related products or data collected from classmates – justify your price point). Summary: One-paragraph summary of information included in the proposal.
Developing a Design Proposal Survey
Create a five to ten question survey based upon your product description. Choose the format and survey platform that is available and best fits your needs. Keep your questions short, with a direct meaning and purpose for response. Allow the reviewer an opportunity to provide feedback to improve your product design.
Developing a Design Proposal Survey Develop a draft of your Design Proposal using the components below. The survey should address the product’s use, establishing an appropriate price and how the product could be improved. Include in the survey a product description from your draft design proposal and any annotated sketches. Have three or four classmates complete the survey. Collect and analyze the feedback provided. Finalize your Design Proposal, citing specific examples of how your product has been improved based on market feedback
Analyze Survey Feedback
In your engineering journal, record the survey responses. Once complete, answer the following questions: Based on the survey feedback, what information did you find the most useful? Based on the survey feedback, what information did you find the least useful? Did you anticipate the responses? Why or why not? Based on the survey feedback, how might your revise your product?
The Final Design Proposal
Your final design proposal needs to include all of the components from step one (title page, purpose, procedure, budget and summary). In addition, your final design proposal should include feedback gathered through face-to-face refinements and the online survey. Cite specific examples of how your product was further developed based on the market research you conducted.
Design Proposal Rubric Category Below Average AverageExcellent Title Page The title page does not include all of the necessary information. The title page includes all of the necessary information. Sketches are detailed and describe the product in detail. The title page includes all of the necessary information. The product title is creative while describing the product. Sketches are detailed and describe the product in detail. Purpose of Invention The purpose of the invention is not clearly stated or does not include all the necessary information. The purpose of the invention includes all necessary background information and the problem the invention is trying to solve. The purpose of the invention includes significant background information related to the invention, and the problem statement is clear with a defined purpose. Overview of Procedure The overview of procedure reflects some of the steps a company would use to conduct further research and development. The overview of procedure reflects Most of the steps a company would use to conduct further research and development. The overview of procedure accurately reflects the steps a company would use to conduct further research and development. Budget The price is inaccurate based on the student’s research or the student did not justify the price using face-to-face and online surveys. The price reflects the student’s research and the cost of related products. The price is justified by students completing both face-to-face and online surveys. The price reflects the student’s research and the cost of related products. It cites similar products and discusses why they would be comparable to their product to justify the price. The price is further justified by students completing both face-to-face and online surveys.
Design Proposal Rubric Category Below Average AverageExcellent Summary The summary does not describe the design proposal or is missing key information in the design proposal. The summary includes all key information in the design proposal, is well structured, and clearly summarizes the design proposal. Developing a Survey The product survey was not designed to collect usable feedback to improve the product. The product survey was clear and collected usable feedback. The product survey featured well-designed questions with a specific purpose. The reviewer had ample opportunities to comment on the product and provide feedback. Usable data was collected. Analyzing Feedback The student did not incorporate usable data into the redesign of the product. The student incorporated usable data into the redesign of the product. The student was able to anticipate recommendations and had a plan to refine the product. The student used the data as a reflection on the product’s evolution. Responses were accurate, with insight in the product’s redesign. The student used feedback to improve the product and was able to anticipate the product’s evolution.
Design Proposal Rubric Category Below Average AverageExcellent Product Development The design proposal lacked description of the product. Answers were not in complete sentences. The product sketch lacked detail. Feedback was not incorporated into the product’s redesign. The design proposal identified how the product will function and the essential use for the product. The product sketch showed the product effectively. Feedback was used in the product’s redesign, and recommendations were cited. The design proposal was detailed and included the essential functions of the product. Comments were in complete sentences and included descriptive adjectives. The product sketch was annotated and showed both product function and purpose behind the product’s design. The design proposal incorporated feedback to improve the product while citing sources.
The Role of Research and Development Selected Response Items
1.Specific, goal-directed research conducted by a company to design new innovations is called _________. a)Engineering design b)Research and development c)Technical know-how d)Technology transfer 2.Research and Development is used for the following purposes: a)To reverse-engineer a product and to develop new products b)To reverse-engineer a product and discover new scientific/technical knowledge c)To develop new products and discover new scientific/technical knowledge d)To develop new products and improve a company’s operations
The Role of Research and Development Brief Constructed Response
Students are expected to respond to one of the questions described below. Students should provide examples to clarify their response. 1.Describe how research and development influence design. Cite specific examples of how research and development influence design problems that are not presented in a clearly defined form. 2.Describe how research and development influences design. Cite specific examples of how research and development have influenced the design of your product.
The Role of Research and Development Brief Constructed Response Rubric
Enrichment Students may conduct a patent search on their design proposal to see if a similar product has been patented. The United States Patent and Trademark Office allow users to search for existing patents / trademarks using a keyword search. Please visit: for more information.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
Warm Up #2 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.What is a survey used for? 2.Explain the purpose of a design proposal.
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Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
Warm Up #3 Questions Directions: In your engineering journal, respond to the writing prompts below. Use complete sentences. 1.In your own words, define Research and Development.
© STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™