Guided Practice
Learn
In this lesson, you will practice applying the engineering design process step-by-step. You will work through guided examples that show how engineers identify problems, brainstorm solutions, build prototypes, test their designs, and make improvements.
The Engineering Design Process Steps
- Identify the Problem: What need or challenge are you trying to solve?
- Research: What do you already know? What do you need to learn?
- Brainstorm Solutions: What are possible ways to solve the problem?
- Choose the Best Solution: Which idea meets the criteria and constraints?
- Build a Prototype: Create a model or sample of your design.
- Test and Evaluate: Does your design work? How well does it solve the problem?
- Improve: How can you make your design better based on test results?
Examples
Work through these examples to see the design process in action.
Example: Designing a Better Lunch Box
Problem: Students' lunches get squished in their backpacks.
Criteria: Must fit in a backpack, keep food from getting crushed, be easy to open.
Constraints: Must cost less than $10 to make, must use available materials.
Solution ideas: Rigid container, padded box, compartmentalized design.
✏️ Practice
Test your understanding with these practice questions.
Practice Questions
0/3 correctWhat is the scientific method's first step?
A hypothesis is:
Which is a property of matter?
Check Your Understanding
Test yourself with these review questions. Click each question to reveal the answer.
1. What is the first step of the engineering design process?
Answer: Identify the problem. Before engineers can create a solution, they must clearly understand what problem they are trying to solve.
2. What is a prototype?
Answer: A prototype is a model or sample of a design that is built to test whether the solution works. It does not need to be perfect or final.
3. What is the difference between criteria and constraints?
Answer: Criteria are the requirements that a successful solution must meet (what it must do). Constraints are the limitations on the design, such as time, money, or materials available.
4. Why is testing important in the design process?
Answer: Testing is important because it shows whether the design actually works and meets the criteria. Testing reveals problems that need to be fixed before the final design.
5. What should you do if your prototype does not work as expected?
Answer: If your prototype does not work, you should analyze what went wrong, brainstorm improvements, and redesign. This is the "improve" step of the design process.
6. Why do engineers brainstorm multiple solutions before choosing one?
Answer: Brainstorming multiple solutions helps engineers consider different approaches. The first idea is not always the best, and comparing options helps find the solution that best meets the criteria and constraints.
7. A student is designing a device to water plants while on vacation. What would be a good criterion for this design?
Answer: A good criterion would be that the device must provide water to plants for at least one week without human help. Other criteria might include: it must not overflow, it must work with different plant sizes.
8. A student has $5 and 2 hours to complete a design project. Are these criteria or constraints?
Answer: These are constraints. Constraints are limitations such as money, time, or available materials that restrict what solutions are possible.
9. How is the engineering design process similar to the scientific method?
Answer: Both processes involve identifying a question or problem, researching, testing ideas, analyzing results, and making improvements. Both are iterative, meaning you may need to repeat steps based on what you learn.
10. Why is it important to clearly define the problem before designing a solution?
Answer: Clearly defining the problem ensures that you are solving the right problem. Without understanding exactly what needs to be fixed, you might create a solution that does not actually help or addresses the wrong issue.
Next Steps
- Review any concepts that felt challenging
- Move on to the next lesson when ready
- Return to practice problems periodically for review