3. Describe engineering process for real-life problem solving?
Life is a result of multiple events & needs.
Engineers design various products to:
1.Satisfy the needs of the customers
2.To solve the common problems that people face.
Hence, it is essential to know the engineering process for solving real-life problems.
The needs of the customer increases as technology advances.
Furthermore different customers have different needs / requirements
Example 1: A lead user, who has significant contact with the product designer, will definitely have needs different from an end user who merely uses/consumes the product.
Example2: requirement of an end user will be: touch screen, light weight etc. But the requirement of a lead user will be: 4-point multitouch screen, DirectX9 rendering-capable GPU etc.
Thus the design process should consider both the users & transform their needs into a product satisfying these needs.
The design process is a step-by-step process having 6 major levels.
Design Brief:
• First phase of design process.
• Typically a ‘statement of intent’ ie a statement which tells what the designer intend to make.
o In this case, the statement would be, “We will design and make a mobile phone.”
• One should not start designing just after this statement since it doesn’t have enough information/idea about the product.
Product Design Specification (PDS):
• Most important stage of design process.
• What ‘exactly’ we design.
• “A document listing the problem in detail.”
o Need true understanding of the “actual” problem.
o Example: whether one should design a ‘feature phone’ or a ’smart phone’.
→ If smart phone, what all features should be included ( according to requirement)
Ex: whether to include features such as all-day battery life, 3G connectivity,
high-precision GPS etc.
• Requires good amount of’ interaction and analysis ‘with customer & marketplace.
• Constantly refer this document to ensure whether designs are appropriate.
• Also include a detailed study about the competing products & all important discoveries related to the intended product.
Concept Design :
• Developed from PDS.
• Producing an ‘outline’ of the key components & their arrangements.
o Ex: typically a block-diagram showing the various components in the phone & their
interconnections.
• Also, consider other factors like manufacture, sales, transport etc.
o To eliminate problems that may occur at these stages.
• Try-out drawing different feasible concept designs.
o Evaluate them & select the most appropriate design.
•Two-step process :
☞Concept Generation
• Different ideas can be sketches or annotated( jotted down in form of points )
o Provide easy & effective communication between other member-designers.
• Various techniques to aid the development of a new concept.
o Ex: brainstorming
• Put forward / list as many ideas discuss each of them identify a potential idea (concept) go
forward with this concept.
☞Concept Evaluation
• Evaluating the concept by viewing it various angles / perspectives.
• Various methods of evaluation prevalent
→ ‘Matrix evaluation’ is one such useful technique.
♦ Table drawn listing the important features.
♦ Products listed across the table.
♦ ‘Benchmark concept’ is the ‘reference concept’.
♦ Other concepts compared with benchmark concept.( by assigning points and
weights)
♦ The better concept is developed further.
Detail design:
• Chosen concept design designed in detail.
• All dimensions and specifications mentioned in this stage.
o Length, breadth, thickness, battery-size etc for the mobile phone.
• A detailed drawing of the design is made.
o Ex: a circuit diagram developed from block diagram mentioning the exact values of all the
components used.( like value of resistors ,capacitors etc)
• Produce prototypes to test ideas.
o To ensure the feasibility before applying all resources for manufacture.
o Involve interaction with manufacturer.
Thus the transition from ‘need for a product’ ‘specification of the product’ have been attained.
Manufacturing & Testing:
• Product now ready for mass-production.
• Each manufactured product to be tested to ensure proper functioning.
Sales :
• Product to be transported ‘safely’ to selling-outlets.
• Ensure sufficient numbers of pieces are distributed to avoid shortage.
It is concluded that a product can become ‘successful’ if the above-told strategies are performed efficiently.
Thus, the engineering process can be applied to solve real-life problems.
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