Engineering Design Process

Instructor directions are listed below:

1. Explain that students will use the Engineering Design Process to create a Bluetooth controlled creation of the IoT solution their team invented to solve a problem in one of the Wireless Reach Impact Sectors.
2. Review the following seven-steps of the Engineering Design Process. Alternatively, you can use the Engineering Design Process that is commonly used at your site.

• Step 1 – Define the Problem: Review the Wireless Reach Impact Sectors. What is a problem in one of the Impact Sectors that you and your team want to solve?
• Step 2 – Brainstorm: Share ideas with your team on how to solve this problem using IoT. In this step, it is important to let the ideas flow.
• Step 3 – Design: What will you and your tram create/build to solve this problem? What will it look like? In this step, you and your team will sketch the design of your project.
• Step 4 – Build: What materials do your team need to create/build your project? In this step, you will work with your team to create and build your project.
• Step 5 – Test: Does your project work? How does it solve the problem you intended? In this step, if something is not working, re-check your design and the wiring of your project and make sure that all parts are functional.
• Step 6 – Iterate: Be ready to change the parts that are not working. When testing, if a part of your project is not working, repeat as many of the above steps as needed to improve your project.
• Step 7 – Share: How can your team best share what you have built? Provide the following information when presenting:
  o The Impact Sector selected
  o The problem the invention solves
  o The IoT category(s) presented
  o An explanation of the moving parts of the project.

At the Thinkabit Lab, allowing students ample time to work with team members through the Engineering Design Process is critical. We stress the importance of making a design before building. Explain to students that an important part of being an engineer is to work in teams. Remind students to be sure that all team members contribute to the design of their invention.

Emphasize the importance of teamwork throughout the Engineering Design Process.