Engineering Design Process & Impacts - Unit 2 PDF

## Unit 2: Engineering design process and impacts ### **E-safety** - **E-safety guidelines** - When you use computers or other smart devices, it is important to keep yourself, your data and your work safe. Following e-safety guidelines can help you use technology safely and responsibly. - **C...

## Unit 2: Engineering design process and impacts ### **E-safety** - **E-safety guidelines** - When you use computers or other smart devices, it is important to keep yourself, your data and your work safe. Following e-safety guidelines can help you use technology safely and responsibly. - **Computer E-safety guidelines** - Always log out of your computer when you have finished using it. - Always use a strong password to protect your accounts. - Never share your password with others. - If anyone tries to access your work, tell a parent or teacher about it. - **Mobile phone E-safety guidelines** - Never talk to anyone that you do not know. - Never share your location with anyone you do not know. - Never answer a call from a number you do not know. - Never share your personal details such as home address or school address with anyone you do not know. ### **Overview** - In this unit, you will evaluate issues of bias and accessibility in the design of existing technologies. - You will enhance designs by finding ways in which they can be improved. - You will explain trade-offs associated with computing technologies that affect everyday activities and career options. - You will assess trade-offs in the design of AI systems, how these impact system decisions, and the potential consequences. - You will also select appropriate collaboration strategies when creating a range of computational artefacts. ### **Keywords** | **Term** | **Definition** | |:---:|:---:| | Accessibility | the quality or characteristic of something that makes it possible to understand, obtain or use. | | Artificial Intelligence (AI) | the theory and development of computer systems that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. | | Bias | in technology, bias is when a person or group of people cannot use technology because of its design. | | Collaboration | the action of working with others to produce something. | | Design Processes | design processes are methods that can help to break down problems or projects into smaller, easier-to-handle stages and tasks. | | Trade-offs | a balance achieved between desirable but incompatible things; for example, time and quality. | ### **Learning outcomes** - **2.1.** Evaluate issues of bias and accessibility in the design of existing technologies. - **2.2.** Enhance designs created by finding ways in which they can be improved. - **2.3.** Explain trade-offs associated with computing technologies that affect everyday activities and career options. - **2.4.** Assess trade-offs in the design of AI systems and how these impact system decisions and the potential consequences. - **2.5.** Select appropriate collaboration strategies when creating a range of computational artefacts. ### **Bias and accessibility issues in existing technologies** - **Bias** - Remember, biased information is not factually correct and verifiable. - In technology, bias is when a person or group of people cannot use technology because of its design. - **Language** - Some devices have controls labelled in one language. Devices designed this way are biased against anyone who cannot read the language. Below is an example of a radio with controls labelled in one language. - **Physical** - Some devices are designed for users with certain physical characteristics, for example, right-handed people. Devices designed this way are biased against anyone with different physical characteristics, for example, left-handed people. Below is an example of a watch designed for right-handed users. - **Accessibility** - Accessibility is the quality or characteristic of something that makes it possible to understand, obtain or use it. - Accessibility issues in technology are when a person or group of people cannot use something. - Accessibility issues in technology can be caused by many things such as cost, knowledge and differing user's abilities. - **Cost** - Some people cannot obtain technology such as computing devices, because they cannot afford to buy or access services. This is a major issue in less developed parts of the world. - **Education** - Some people cannot use technology as they have no experience or knowledge of it. This is a major issue in less developed parts of the world. This issue can be worsened when technology has not been designed intuitively. - **User abilities** - Some people cannot use technology because they have different abilities such as mobility and visual or hearing impairments. - **Users with mobility impairments** may not be able to hold a device, or use a keyboard, touch screen, or mouse. - **Users with a visual impairment** may not be able to see information or controls on small devices with touchscreens. - **Users with a hearing impairment** may not be able to interact with devices that use voice control, such as smart speakers. ### **Design processes** - Design processes are methods that can help break down problems or projects into smaller, easier-to-handle stages and tasks. Design processes are often used in programming, design, engineering, architecture and manufacturing. - Some commonly used design processes are: - Engineering design process - Design thinking process - Waterfall methodology - **Engineering design process** - The engineering design process is typically used in engineering projects. The stages in this process may include: - Define the process - Conduct research - Conceptualise - Build and market - Product analysis - Improve