James Yeager-Engineering Design Process- PAE Final by James Yeager

What is the Question step?

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:47:42 UTC

When engineers start working on a problem, they have a step called "Ask" where they ask questions to understand what's going on. It's like asking, "What's the problem, and why does it matter?" This helps them know what they're dealing with before finding a solution. You want to see all the pieces clearly to figure out the best way to assemble them. So, asking questions helps them make good choices as they work on solving the problem. Especially since we are just new students to the idea we still don't quite understand that the question may be the easiest to draft but formats the rest of what we do. It constructs our goal.

Example/Real World Applications

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:48:21 UTC

The question step became a huge part of my Engineering Design Process when our class did the NASA HUNCH Project. We had to develop our idea of what would be useful to people who worked at NASA whether it would be the staff members or the astronauts themselves. So, with no strict problem to solve we had to find our own or innovate another. The question became key so we could serve it as a boundary for what we were to do. We use the question part throughout our lives for example you use it in math, the steps after may be different but there is still a question you resort to.

rainstorming

What is Brainstorming?

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:49:19 UTC

During the "Brainstorm" step, engineers come together for a creative session, kind of like a party for ideas. They toss around lots of different and imaginative solutions to solve the problems they found before. It's a bit like throwing all sorts of ideas on the table to see which ones could be the coolest or most effective. One way we use it is the decision matrix, collaborating all our ideas into which ideas had specific topics/ideas that would be benefiting towards our project until we come away with a final decision from the matrix. This step is all about being creative and thinking in new ways. Engineers want to check out lots of possibilities before picking the best solution to work on. Brainstorming is creative thoughts to come up with a bunch of cool and inventive ideas.

Example/Real World Applications

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:49:34 UTC

Brainstorming is especially important when building something you haven't heard of before. When I did the toxic popcorn project and with the restraints that were given, I struggled to accomplish the task at hand. After brainstorming more I was able to conclude to use more rope to replace my hand movement and better stay out of the grid. If I skipped this step then I would be trying everything possible without thinking. Another example could be writing a paper, if you're new to the topic and want to understand some points you want to brainstorm all those ideas and include some of your thoughts. Think what you would know about it. There is a reason we use this in all our classes because how useful it is towards solving and understanding problems.

What is Plan and Design?

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:49:53 UTC

In the "Plan and Design" step, engineers create a detailed guide for how to bring their ideas to life. It's like making a to-do list with all the steps they need to follow. They think about every part of their idea, how those parts will work together, and what materials to use. We always start this step before building so we do not scramble all over the place to locate where we are and follow what we planned from the start. This way, when they start building or making their idea, they have a clear plan to follow, almost like having a set of instructions. Mama Geno grades this in our notebook often to see how we got our end product and what led us to make our prototype or final make.

Example/Real World Applications

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:50:15 UTC

Planning and designing my orthosis project was key, using all the materials and designing an efficient and comforting design was challenging. Without planning the steps I would take and the materials we would use wouldn't allow us to follow a plan. Although designing may seem like building it's more of blueprinting our thoughts and imagining what we would build. This step is key to outlining the rest of the project and allows your group to know what to achieve. For example, all our houses aren't just thought off right before the architects and builders get there, they take months of blueprinting and thinking off the supplies and the budget needed.

What is Build & Create?

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:50:29 UTC

Build and Create is as simple as it sounds however requires a person or group to have great mechanical and technical skills to bring your plan to life, and put together what you planned. Following the plan made earlier, just like using instructions to build something cool. This step is hands-on – they use materials and tools to turn their plan into a real thing. Well without this step there would be none of this, it's what we plan to do what we want to see, and what consumers want to buy. However, how we can make it better comes in the steps ahead.

Example/Real World Applications

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:51:15 UTC

Building is the step that applies all those first steps to build your prototype. In my bean bag launcher, I went through a lot of difficulty putting together what my thoughts were thinking I had it all planned out. Adjusting what was needed to create also what was needed to apply what I had planned and designed beforehand. Although this process is straightforward it requires a lot of diligence, especially for something like a Burj-Khalifa. Imagine messing up the tallest building in the world. The slightest fraction could topple it down. Without this step, there is no production, of anything.

What is Test & Analyze?

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:52:13 UTC

We use this to compare what was built to the plan made, kind of like checking answers with our original plans. This step involves testing different parts, making sure everything fits and works like it should. Engineers might take measurements or gather data, a bit like scientists experimenting. If something doesn't work perfectly, they figure out what needs fixing. So, "Test and Analyze" is about making sure their creation works right and understanding how to make it even better. Our decision matrix works with this step early on analyzing which ideas would best contribute to the product. Even if you don't need to change anything making sure you have accuracy and precision with your project is key. So, testing and analyzing allow you to understand what could be done to make your product better and what tests to run upon it to see if it handles a "real-life" experience.

Example/Real World Applications

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:52:48 UTC

Testing is a review, I used this to my benefit a ton during the Toxic Popcorn Project, to make sure everything was working correctly and how I could benefit a more efficient way of doing it. Doing this gave me a step to re-analyze and apply all my new thoughts to my creation. Every day we re-think one of our actions and try and do better, I hope. Doing that makes us better as a person and doing that makes our project better as a grade. A great contrast, without thinking about this step we wouldn't think about what to improve on and what could be done to make it better.

What is Reflect & Improve?

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:53:05 UTC

Engineers take a thoughtful look at what they've created and how well it worked during testing. They reflect on the whole process, thinking about what went well and what could be better. If something didn't work perfectly in the test, they brainstormed ways to fix or improve it, similar to finding a better way to do a puzzle. This whole process is constantly reoccurring throughout the design process, like a cycle. This step is about learning from the experience and figuring out how to make their creation even cooler. Reflect and improve is to observe what could be done better and how to make it better.

Example/Real World Applications

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:53:16 UTC

It's as simple as it sounds but only allows what you get out of it. The more you reflect the more you'll find issues and improve. Using this in my orthosis project allowed us to find the most beneficial solutions for our CP brace. We constantly reflect and improve, however, if you don't want to reflect and be ignorant of this step you won't improve much. In English class we always revise and edit what we wrote, and 90% of the time we will change quite a bit. Engineers of the best level use this step to find what's wrong and how they can be most criticizing themselves to improve everything because nothing is perfect.

What is Communicate?

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:55:26 UTC

Engineers use this step to share information about their creations with others. It's a way of letting people know what they did and why. This step involves using words, drawings, or other tools to explain their work. It's like presenting a report or talking about a project so that everyone understands. We use this in class a lot sometimes in the wrong way, I love talking, which is communicating so I communicate a lot, sometimes on the wrong task. Engineers might also listen to feedback from others, gaining different perspectives to improve their work. God used us as his creation to help communicate to others, cool how that works He is THE ENGINEER.

Example/Real World Applications

jamesyeager1 — 2023-12-12 15:55:42 UTC

Communicating during the Toxic Popcorn was crucial especially since both people had to work together to function the ropes in synchronization. I think I developed this one the most since I talk a lot. I used this to determine which ideas were successful how to use them again what steps worked and how they did to later use them in another project. A real-world example of this is when you discuss with a teacher how you could behave, improve, or grow better and the way you receive that information is how it benefits you. Therefore, without this step, you can't grow.