By the midterm exam, students enrolled in ENGR 310 should be able to:

  • Define what engineering design is.
  • Describe the main stages of an engineering design process.
  • Identify the primary causes of failure in engineering design projects, and outline effective strategies to mitigate each.
  • List and define the main elements of a complete problem definition, and describe the key activities to develop a good problem definition.
  • Create an objective tree.
  • Develop metrics consistent with a problem definition.
  • Use the black-box approach to create a functional model consistent with a problem definition.
  • Develop performance specifications (also called functional requirements) consistent with a problem definition.
  • Express the importance of multiple design alternatives, and describe at least three techniques or strategies to generate creative ideas.
  • Describe the controlled convergence process, including appropriate use of evaluation matrices.
  • Describe what a system architecture is, and its importance in the design process.
  • List the key success factors for high performing teams.
  • Describe the common four-stage model of team development.
  • Describe the importance of managing conflict on teams, and explain how the PAUSE principle can be applied.
  • Explain key skills for working effectively on multi-disciplinary teams.
  • Use a risk chart to develop a risk mitigation strategy for a project.
  • Discuss the key triadic trade-offs between schedule, cost and performance when managing projects.
  • Walk through a process to develop a project plan, including: work breakdown structure, assigning times, identifying dependencies, allocating resources, and developing a Gantt.