Element I - Data Results and Testing Analysis

Preface

Many engineering and product failures are well documented. Most of the infamous examples involve tragedies such as bridge collapses, oil leaks, or an event that has a major negative impact on the environment or people. In fact, many engineering and product failures occur that few people ever hear about. Some products fail because they do not sell – they may not have been marketed well or they may not be desirable. But often a product fails because it does not perform the intended or advertised function or because it breaks easily. A product that does not perform the function for which it was purchased has little value at any cost. A lot can be learned from visiting the clearance aisle where many failed consumer products end up.

Testing is intended to verify that a product does, in fact, successfully solve the problem that it was intended to solve. While decisions involving sales and marketing can be subjective, well-designed and implemented tests can provide clear evidence that the product will safely meet consumer needs and perform its intended function.

Students designed their test(s) in the previous lesson. In this lesson they will carry out their tests and determine whether or not their designs meet the product specifications. Based on testing results, students may have to face some tough decisions about their next steps. If the results of the test(s) indicate that their design does not meet the expectations, they may have to return to a previous step in the design process to rethink and revise the design. The critical design review should provide clarity about how to move forward.

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Assessment
Data Results and Testing Analysis

  1. Documentation of project evaluation by multiple, demonstrably qualified stakeholders and field experts is presented and is synthesized in a consistently specific, detailed, and thorough way.
  2. Documentation is sufficient in two or more categories to yield meaningful analysis of that evaluation data.
  3. The synthesis of evaluations consistently addresses evaluators’ specific questions, concerns, and opinions related to design requirements.

 

Essential Questions

  1. What do end-users and experts directly related to this project and problem statement think of the testing results and my conclusions about the effectiveness of this idea?