Engineering Design Process

Here are steps you’ll want to use in your design process. This information should be included in your Preliminary Round Entry. Here is a worksheet (doc) to help your team get their juices flowing.

Brainstorm

Get together for a brainstorming session to generate creative ideas. During this stage don't worry if your ideas are unrealistic. Write down your ideas; you might also want to sketch several possibilities on paper. Include all your ideas and sketches in your logbook (don't forget to bring your logbook to Nationals).

Research

You might have ideas about how to design and build your creation right off the top of your head, but in most cases you will need more information and knowledge. Gather information online and from libraries, teachers, and people you think would play with your toy or game.

Develop Ideas

• What category have you chosen?
• What do you want your toy or game to do?

Pick an idea

Eliminate unrealistic ideas. Pick the ones that you think best meet the criteria that the judges will use to review your toy or game. Now, think about what might be limiting factors (money, time, skills, etc.) for each idea to help you narrow down your choice of design. After this, if you still have more than one good idea, take a vote among your team on the favorite design idea.

Write down in your logbook what you're trying to do

• What do you want your game or toy to do?
• What do you think it will look like?
• How will it function?
• What do you think will be the most challenging problems in making your toy or game? Are there any limiting factors (money, time, skills, etc.)
• What things do you think will take the greatest amount of time to do? What challenges will be the hardest to overcome?

Write down how you will get it done

• What things will you do first, and what can wait until later on?
• Decide which tasks you will assign to individuals and which tasks you want to do as a team.
• Make a timeline of what tasks will be accomplished by what date and stick to it. Make sure you include regular meeting times for your team to meet.

Prepare working drawings

Draw your design including all the details that are important to its construction. These drawings will be included in your entry. You may also wish to make and photograph a working model of your toy or game.

Write your Preliminary Round Entry

Remember, being able to communicate your idea to the panel of experts is very important. They need to be able to understand what your toy or game is all about.