The Engineering Design Process
- 09
- Oct
Many engineers employ a structured design approach to address customers’ needs. The process provides structure to a project, and encourages creativity. The raw data objectively collected during the process can also help to reduce bias and promote more accurate decision-making. The engineering process also shows that setbacks and failures can be valuable sources for information for future projects.
The definition of a problem is the first step of the engineering design process. Engineers need to be clear about what their product will do and why it is required. This is crucial for the rest of the engineering process.
After defining the problem, it’s important to collect the most information about the solution. This can be achieved through conducting research, asking questions that are critical and thinking about ideas. This is where engineering creativity shines and where the most inventive ideas can be generated.
Engineers should identify solutions and evaluate their pros and cons before selecting the most suitable. The solution must also fit the requirements of the project (e.g. costs, materials, time and space).
Once the best solution has been selected it is recommended to design a prototype of the product or equipment. Then tests can be conducted to determine if the product does what it’s supposed to. It is possible to cut down the overall project development time by identifying flaws in the early stages. This can save money in the future on fixing issues later.