ABET Definition of Design, and the Design Challenges

The ABET definition of design is as follows:

Engineering design is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired needs. It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic science and mathematics and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet a stated objective. Among the fundamental elements of the design process are the establishment of objectives and criteria, synthesis, analysis, construction, testing and evaluation. The engineering design component of a curriculum must include most of the following features: development of student creativity, use of open-ended problems, development and use of modern design theory and methodology, formulation of design problem statements and specification, consideration of alternative solutions, feasibility considerations, production processes, concurrent engineering design, and detailed system description. Further it is essential to include a variety of realistic constraints, such as economic factors, safety, reliability, aesthetics, ethics and social impact." Elsewhere in the ABET criteria for accreditation; they stress the use of teams in solving problems and performing designs.

During the two challenges in class we followed various parts of this definition.  Both design challenges included creativity, use of open-ended problems, consideration of alternative solutions, feasibility considerations, productions processes, and concurrent engineering design.

For the marshmallow challenge we were tasked to design a system that met the need of holding a marshmallow aloft at the greatest height.  It included an iterative decision making processes in order to perfect the design that was optimal.  Evaluation of the design was simply to see if the structure would hold the marshmallow and which design was the tallest.

The paperclip challenge included designing a system or component to meet desired needs; however, those needs were abstractly defined.  The design only needed to “do something useful.”  The definition of useful was left up to the design team.  It included iterative decision making and creative process through the requirement that the request for design be given with no direction on the process of production, thus creating 3-4 separate designs that fulfilled the desired result.  The metrics for evaluation of success were much more complicated than the marshmallow challenge and included testing of several designs by one design team rather than one design by each design team.