The document discusses engineering design and project planning. It provides steps for solving engineering problems: defining the problem, analyzing needs, generating potential solutions, evaluating solutions, and making a decision. It notes any solution involves tradeoffs. An example is provided of evaluating computer brands for a client. The document also outlines steps for project planning: defining the project goals, setting specific objectives and requirements, identifying tasks, and using a project plan to manage tasks in an organized way. An example project is given to design a temperature measuring device.

1. ENGINEERING DESIGN

2. How to satisfy the needs?

3. Creative Design

4. Problem-solving Steps

5. Example
• Suppose that the owner of a local metal-working shop has
asked you for your advice on buying a computer. You
would begin by asking questions to determine what he
wants a computer to do. Does he want a computer to
simplify his job scheduling and inventory management so
that he has more free time to plan his future business?
• Does he want to put all of his accounting on a computer so
that he can have quick monthly reports? Has a friend told
him that a computer will help business, and that
“everybody needs a computer to be competitive”?

6. • What you are doing in asking these questions is analyzing
the situation and defining the problem. Remember, if you
do not grasp the problem, then any solution will do.
• By the time you understand the problem and its cause, you
are also likely to have some ideas on solutions.
• Make a list of possible solutions, select one, and evaluate
its effectiveness.
• What consequences would you expect from this solution?
• Any decision - both have favorable and unfavorable
consequences.
• Any decision, however, involves compromise.

7. • For example, if you were to select Brand-X
computer to solve an accounting problem,
you might find these consequences:
1. Computer hardware price reasonable.
2. Software price not too high.
3. This computer model might be discontinued
soon.
4. Software might do for the company now, but
might not do for a growing business.

8. • After comparing various computer brands, you
may find two equally satisfactory choices.
• What do you do? How do you quantify your
preference for the color of Brand-X, or the shape
of Brand-Y?
• The final decision often depends on a feeling or
preference, an intangible that you cannot define.

9. PROJECT PLANNING
• A project is a single job that can be accomplished
within a specified time and within a certain
budget.
• How this project actually gets done depends on
your project plan.
• The project plan outlines the various needs and
reduces them to a set of specifications.
• It also helps you to identify and schedule the
various tasks.

10. • Project planning means that:
1. you have an orderly way of conceptualizing
the confusing array of information.
2. it means that you have an orderly way of
completing the project.
• The project plan is the management tool that
helps you do your job.

12. • The first step in Figure 1.4 is to define the
project.
• This is a statement of the goals you are
trying to accomplish and is based on your
understanding of the customer needs. These
goals are an overall big picture describing
your project.

13. • For example, suppose the customer needs a
device that automatically measures
temperature.
• Thus, you might write your project
definition:
My project is to design, build, and test a meter
that I can use to measure and record air
temperature.

14. • Next step, you set your objectives.
• Your objectives should be specific measurable
outcomes of your work. This is where you get into
details about the performance of the device you
are designing.
• The objectives are stated in several dimensions:
required performance, time to complete, and total
cost.

15. Ex. Of Objectives
• By the end of this month, my meter will be completely built
and tested. It will perform to these specifications:
• Temperature range -40 to + 1000C
• Accurate to within 10C
• Display either Fahrenheit or Celsius temperature
• Display minimum and maximum temperatures during last 24 hours
• Calculate and display 24-hour average temperature
• Calculate and display daily heating degree days
In addition to these performance requirements, the meter will be
portable and capable of battery operation. Parts for the prototype
will cost less than $150.