Engineering Design Process Quiz

Engineering Design Process

• A series of steps used by engineers to solve problems
• Steps are repeated as needed
• Many variations of the process exist

Ask, Research, & Imagine

• Ask: Engineers start by questioning the problem, goal, and past solutions. Example: if creating a self-driving car, asking what exists already and the reasons why that would be good.
• Research: Investigating existing solutions, mistakes made, and available materials/resources. Includes talking to others who have worked on the problem. Notes are taken on research.
• Imagine: Brainstorming many possible solutions in a team. No idea is bad at this stage – the goal is to generate as many as possible. More research may be required as new ideas emerge.

Select and Plan & Create

• Select and Plan: Evaluating all generated ideas based on needs, research, and limitations. Choosing the best one. Team develops a detailed plan including steps and materials required.
• Create: Building a prototype or model. The first model is rarely the final one; it's a working version for testing and improvement. Creativity is important at this stage.

Test and Evaluate & Improve

• Test and Evaluate: Testing the design; asking questions like: Does it work? Does it solve the original problem? Identifying strengths and shortcomings. Testing might need to be repeated.
• Improve: Making adjustments to the existing design or creating entirely new designs. This process is repeated until a satisfactory design is achieved.