α1.2 The Ten Mighty Questions of EDD

 

Answering all of these questions thoroughly will lead to a successful EDD experience.

1.     What exactly is the problem that I wish to explore?

• A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.

2.     Who, in fact, says that this really is a "problem" that needs to be solved?

• Why should anyone, including me, believe them?
• A well-written, focused problem statement and the sources which support the statement are the difference between success and failure in research and development. The more credible the sources, the better.
• Any statement beginning with the words, “I feel” or “I think” has no place in true research and development.

3.     What are all of the current methods or actions that are being used or have been developed in an attempt to solve this problem?

• Why, exactly, don't any of them really solve the problem?
• No matter how good the existing solution(s) looks, sounds, or even holds up to the scrutiny of testing, a justifiable problem may remain. Solving the remaining problem may require a shift in the interpretation or even the wording of a problem statement. An example would be the desire to help prevent the Polio disease from spreading throughout the world. A fantastic solution exists in the Polio vaccine, which is purported to be effective in 99% of the human population. So the problem of preventing the disease in 1% of the population still exists and is justifiable, but trying to “reinvent the wheel” by trying to create a better vaccine may not yield the best results with respect to reducing the spread of the disease. A better approach may be to redefine the problem to address the lack of access of the existing vaccine to large populations. Providing these large populations with the vaccine rather than improving the success rate of the existing drug in populations that already have access could result in more lives saved. The problem shifts, in this case, to finding a better way to get the vaccine to underserved populations but still focuses on reducing the number of people who contract the disease.

4.     What exactly is my best idea concerning the solution to this problem and why is it unique in contrast to current or past solutions?

• Am I going to:
  • Improve the effectiveness of an existing solution (Innovation)?
  • Combine two or more of the existing solutions to achieve a better outcome than any other combination or individual solution (Innovation)?
  • Do I have an idea based upon research that is truly unique (Invention)?

5.     How can I create a tangible prototype/solution for my idea within the confines of my personal skill and the resources that I have available?

6.     What appropriate methods for testing my prototype can I create, conduct, and document with the resources I have available?

7.     How can I obtain real, valuable data and present that data to prove any of the following: that my solution worked, that my solution made little or no difference compared to the results of existing solutions, or that my solution was unsuccessful despite a merited attempt?

• Even a well-justified testing procedure has a margin of error. The question to ask here is, “How can I be sure that my data is reliable and true?” An embarrassing example of unreliable data occurred in the early 1990s when a group of professional scientists went public with their results of cold fusion, which resulted in humiliation when the results could never be repeated and were found to be instrumentation errors. 

8.     If I cannot gather real data by experimental means, how can I justify that my solution has merit?

• Can enough evidence be gathered and presented to show that the planned experiment or method has a good chance of producing results that justify funding of the research? And if the research fails to produce the expected results, will knowing WHY the research did not produce the expected results add valuable information to the pool of knowledge surrounding the research? This is the fundamental question for anyone who writes a grant asking for support to perform research or work.
• What experts can I ask for opinions about my work?
• No architect has ever been allowed to construct a building just to determine whether it will stand.

9.     How do I best present my entire idea to an audience and justify my actions, thoughts, and results concerning the project?

• The only way to fail at scientific research is to fail to explain why the research was conducted and what the results mean.

10. How can I document my work so that what I have learned can be shared beyond this course?

• Write a research paper, create a website, enter the local science/engineering fair, create a formal portfolio for college, etc.