1. Finding Information ME 4054W Spring 2010

2. U NIVERSITY OF M INNESOTA “State of the Art” Review The most effective design teams leverage the existing knowledge base. You don’t want to reinvent the wheel or adopt an antiquated design concept. To that end you should know: – what the current solutions are – industry trends – current industry practice – what and where academic research is Getting up to speed is a critical initial step

3. U NIVERSITY OF M INNESOTA Sources First and foremost, ask your advisor for suggested sources of information and relevant industry organizations Some potential sources include: – Experts Industry Faculty – Vendor catalogs – Industry organizations – Trade magazines – Reference books – Patents The Library is still very relevant. Don’t overlook this resource.

4. U NIVERSITY OF M INNESOTA Fact-Finding Deliverables The results of your research are to be added to your Google website. The best ways of presenting the results are either in a technical report or in a slideshow. – Provide context, not simply raw information – Summarize/highlight important findings – Document sources Information ≠ Knowledge