Semester.ly

Johns Hopkins University | EN.530.381

Engineering Design Process

3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

(3.5)

This course is to get you into the world of Senior Design, which means into our spaces, into the machine shop and into the mind set of doing design-build-test work. You will be assigned to be an assistant to one of our Senior Design teams. In industrial design practice this is absolutely typical and project teams grow or shrink as the need demands. It is also a good way for younger engineers to learn the ropes. You will have your own portfolio of design work to do, but it will be in the context of a large project where there has already been a lot of progress. You will have to fit in with that larger context – as usual for engineers – while also making your own contributions. There will be a lecture series which will introduce some key ideas and tools of the engineering designer. Rapid sketching of design ideas; more careful hand drawings that are like fast technical drawings; how to generate ideas and then develop the ideas into workable, feasible, affordable, desirable solutions; how to identify prototypes that will show the way forward, and then actually make them; how to work with a team and negotiate about time, deliverables and design detail; how to find parts from commercial suppliers, size them, order them and get them delivered; how to document design work in a fast and effective way. Some of the lectures will be in the form of case studies of excellent design work, and will be student-driven i.e. you will prepare a case study to present to the class which we then discuss.

Spring 2013

(2.45)

Spring 2014

(3.82)

Spring 2015

(4.22)

Spring 2013

Professor: Mohammad Dehghani, Nathan Scott

(2.45)

The best aspects of this course included the design project that was both challenging and practical; also, the review of MBD was helpful. Some students felt the course veered toward a focus on mechanics in the middle of the semester. Also, it was obvious that the two instructors clashed and students found this distracting. Suggestions included focusing the course primarily on design and incorporating the problems that senior designers experienced in years past as a basis of teaching improvement and col aborative troubleshooting. Prospective students should start their design projects as early as possible. 197

Spring 2014

Professor: Nathan Scott

(3.82)

The best aspects of this course were the hands on application of concepts from previous classes, the range of design project choices, and the excellent preparation for senior design. The instructor was incredibly knowledgeable and gave mini problems requiring an engineering solution. The worst aspects of the course were the unclear structure around graded and ungraded assignments, and the instructor’s lack of availability due to numerous commitments. Suggested improvements to the course include adding an additional instructor who has more time, and dedicate more class time to the design project. Prospective students should take this class as preparation for Senior Design and enjoy themselves.

Spring 2015

Professor: Nathan Scott

(4.22)

The best aspects of the course were the hands-on elements through which students learned useful techniques in preparation for senior design. Students felt that the time commitment was overwhelming and the course was not structured with clear expectations. Suggestions for improvement included having more consistently graded reports, organizing the course so that students are able to join a design team at the beginning of the process, and defining the structure and expectations of students joining teams. Prospective students are recommended to take this course in order to practice engineering skil s useful in preparation for senior design.