7 E X P L O R E E NG I NE E R I NG

The Engineering Design Process

Engineers use the engineering design process to arrive at a
solution. The following description is a guideengineers do
not necessarily follow the engineering design process step-
by-step. It is a cyclical process in which you can begin at any
step, or move back and forth between steps numerous times.
The engineering design process is a great way to work through
any challenge that involves creating something that did not
exist before, such as making breakfast, planning a trip and,
especially, designing a city of the future.
Identify the Problem
Are you trying to:
fx something that does not work?
make something better?
create something thats never been done
(wouldnt it be great if)?
Learn the Specs
Engineers have to work within project requirements and
constraints. Before you start any project, understanding
the specs will save you lots of time and will help determine
the solution. Ask questions such as:
Are there any physical constraints? (size, weight,
environment, materials)
Who or what is the user? What do they need?
Who is the customer? What do they want?
What will it cost? What is the budget?
Brainstorm Solutions
Come up with as many possible solutions as you can. Then ask:
How well do these ideas meet some or all of the requirements?
What trade-offs can you make?
Design It
Ask, which idea do I think is really possible?
Ask, what problems do I need to solve for my solution to work?
Develop a plan.
Make a sketch of your solution.
Make lists of materials and resources you will need.
Research answers to questions.
Test It and Improve It
Test your solutions using computer simulations and scale models.
Decide what works, what doesnt work, and what could work better.
Modify your design.
Test it again.
Build It
Assess your designis it the best it can be?
Follow your plan and create it.
Once you complete the Build It stage, you can go back and
start the process over again to rene your solution or respond to
changing requirements.
Share It
Presenting your work to others is a great way to get feedback on
your solution.
IDENTIFY
THE
PROBLEM
LEARN
THE SPECS
BRAINSTORM
SOLUTIONS
DESIGN IT
TEST IT AND
IMPROVE IT
BUILD IT SHARE IT
THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS
8 F U T U R E C I T Y E D U C AT O R H A ND B O O K
Engineering Careers
What makes engineering a great career? Read on
Ten Reasons to Love Engineering*
1. Love your work, AND live your life too!
Engineering is an exciting profession, but one of its greatest
advantages is that it will leave you time for all the other
things in your life that you love!
2. Be creative
Engineering is a great outlet for the imagination
the perfect eld for independent thinkers.
3. Work with great people
Engineering takes teamwork, and youll work with all kinds
of people inside and outside the eld.
4. Solve problems that matter
Come up with solutions no one else has thought of.
Make your mark on the world.
5. Never be bored
Creative problem solving will take you into uncharted
territory, and the ideas of your colleagues will expose you
to different ways of thinking.
6. Make a big salary
Engineers not only earn lots of respect, but theyre highly
paid. Even the starting salary for an entry-level job is
impressive!
7. Enjoy job exibility
An engineering degree offers you lots of freedom in nding
your dream job. It can be a launching pad for jobs in
business, design, medicine, law, and government.
8. Travel
Field work is a big part of engineering. You may end up
designing a skyscraper in London or developing safe
drinking-water systems in Asia. Or you may stay closer to
home, working with a nearby high-tech company or hospital.
9. Make a difference
Everywhere you look youll see examples of engineering
having a positive effect on everyday life.
10. Change the world
In very real and concrete ways, engineers save lives,
prevent disease, reduce poverty, and protect our planet.
Engineering Jobs
Here are just a few of the jobs you could be doing as an
engineer:
Develop rockets that collect comet samples
Create satellites that detect drought around the world
Design environmentally friendly cleaning products
Develop chemotherapy that has fewer side effects
Monitor the quality of a citys water supply
Ensure that a school can withstand an earthquake
Create special effects for the movies
Design artifcial retinas for the blind
Develop state-of-the-art cell phones
Develop better methods of recycling plastic
Create ways of restoring wetlands
Design ergonomic offce space
Ensure worker safety in factories with dangerous equipment
Design a lighter bike frame
Produce biodegradable plastics
Invent clothing that repels mosquitoes
Design smart toys for kids
Create more fuel-effcient cars
Design instruments that can map the ocean foor
*This information is used with permission from Engineer Your Life.
Learn More
To discover more about careers
in engineering, visit:
discoverE.org
engineeryourlife.org
pbs.org/designsquad
tryengineering.org
asceville.org
nasa.gov