Engineering Design Taxonomy

Classifying Roles and Abilities in Engineering Design

Levels of Ability in Engineering Design
Understanding: being able to recall what you learn and define, explain or give examples to others
If you have mastered understanding you can explain a Learning about a problem before you problem in your own words, find solve it and finding information needed to solve the information when you problem, and determine what you run into difficulties. need to know to solve the problem

Applying: using information to accomplish something concrete

If you can apply what you have learned you should be able to find and use information needed to solve a problem from textbooks, on-line resources, databases, or other technical documentation. If you have mastered the level of applying information you should be able to create and solve a mathematical model of a physical system and plot the behavior of the system either analytically or computationally. If you are able to apply what you know about fabricating devices, you should be able to build a simple engineering device, follow a process, or write code using appropriate tools and techniques If you are competent at applying information you have on learned about taking measurements, you should be able to take valid measurements using instruments and record the data in a format that can be shared with others. If you are able to apply what you have learned about technical communication you can present evidence to an audience at a level they can understand either in writing, through oral presentations, or at a meeting.

Analyzing: being able to extract meaning from a collection of information

If you have mastered the level of analyzing what you have researched, you should be able to select and filter your results to find information that is useful in solving a problem. If you can analyze the results of modeling you should be able to perform calculations which predict performance of a device or system and test/validate these predictions.

Designing: creating something new under constraints to achieve a near optimal outcome
If you have mastered the level of designing you should be able to use the results of research to select a productive approach and implement a specific plan of action. If you are at the design level of creating engineering models you should be able to optimize the performance of your model and use an engineering model to make design decisions.

Research

The Engineering Design Cycle

Modeling
Using mathematics to understand and make predictions about system performance through any valid solution method

If you understand modeling you should be able to solve and graph single equation models and identify the conditions under which the solution applies

Fabricating
Going from ideas, models, or concepts to a physical realization of your design.

If you understand how to fabricate devices you should be able to explain how to turn the design into an actual physical object if you are given standard engineering drawings or diagrams. If you have mastered the level of understanding you should be able to identify the correct measurement instruments for a task and write down the procedure for taking a measurement correctly.

If you are able to analyze the process of fabrication, you can select between different fabrication techniques and select appropriate parts or materials given project constraints. If you have mastered the ability to analyze your measurements, you can use the data you have acquired to determine if a device is functioning to a given specification or a process meets external requirements. If you are able to analyze technical communications, you can edit your own work or the work of others for style and content to meet the needs of a particular audience.

At the design level in fabrication, you can construct a device with multiple, interconnected systems in an efficient, affordable way that meets external constraints. The ability to design tests means you can choose or create correct measurement techniques, acquire interpret data, and then use this information to make design decisions or determine if a device meets specifications. The level of design in technical communications means you are able to create a well-reasoned, data-driven argument or presentation either from your own work or from work that others have done.

Testing
Determining how well a system or device functions by performing measurements.

Communicating
Expressing the results of your engineering work so that others can understand, reproduce, and improve it.

If you understand how to communicate you are able to identify appropriate formats and styles for your technical communications as well as what information will be communicated for each format.

Beginning of Project End of Project

Communicating

Research
Multiple Iterations

Modeling

The Engineering Design Cycle

Testing

Fabricating