48240 Design and Innovation Fundamentals
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2020 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 33130 Mathematical Modelling 1 AND 48230 Engineering Communication
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Description
Design and innovation are explored as fundamental engineering activities through a contextualised, authentic project. Students work in groups to develop an engineering prototype. The project promotes learning in the following areas:
- design context and requirements: approaches to design, problem framing and creativity; requirements analysis involving legal, regulatory, technical and business requirements
- design analysis: concepts of risks and uncertainties in engineering; use of engineering and system modelling approaches and methods and techniques for assessing engineering design trade-offs, engineering decision-making in the presence of risks and uncertainties and optimisation
- new process, product and service development: role of engineers in evaluation and delivering new processes, products and services; designing for manufacture, sustainability, safety, innovation and business driven outcomes; risk management and design communication, documentation and review.
Students explore these concepts and use them to critique designed products, processes and systems through case studies. Students develop an understanding of the models of design and innovation processes and the responsibilities and authentic practice of engineers through application of these concepts (as well as scientific principles learnt in their field of practice subjects) to their project.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Select and apply a variety of thinking and problem-solving approaches within the engineering design process from problem definition and concept generation through to prototype development with a focus on innovative solutions. |
|---|---|
| 2. | Identify and apply the appropriate system-wide requirements (e.g. risk assessment, safety, business requirements etc.) for engineering design, demonstrating and justifying the application of trade-offs in the design process. |
| 3. | Apply professional communication skills to document the full design process. |
| 4. | Plan and monitor group work, manage group dynamics and appraise own and team member contributions. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):
- Socially Responsible: FEIT graduates identify, engage, interpret and analyse stakeholder needs and cultural perspectives, establish priorities and goals, and identify constraints, uncertainties and risks (social, ethical, cultural, legislative, environmental, economics etc.) to define the system requirements. (B.1)
- Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design and decision-making methodologies to develop components, systems and processes to meet specified requirements. (C.1)
- Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)
- Reflective: FEIT graduates critically self-review their performance to improve themselves, their teams, and the broader community and society. (F.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject aims to develop students’ understanding of the engineering design process and to provide them with the skills to develop an engineering project from initial concept to the production of a prototype. A combination of workshops and tutorials are used to examine each stage of the design process. Special attention is given to balancing trade-offs in the design process and to techniques for safe design including using a number of tools to identify and treat risks that may arise in the engineering design process. Workshops and tutorials review and practice the important skills of written and oral communication.
The ability to work in project teams is an important attribute for any engineer – particularly related to design teams. Students will be required to work in teams during on activities which guide their project work and on their project deliverables to finally produce a prototype product, reports, and make an oral presentation.
To promote the development of professional skills including teamwork, critical evaluation, feedback and communication skills as well as academic honesty, a process of self and peer assessment will be used in this subject. This will be used both to provide constructive feedback to students on their engineering and teamwork skills including how they are contributing to their teams, as well as to determine individual assignment marks by appropriate adjustments to the group marks.
Content (topics)
The subject covers the following content areas:
- Engineers as designers and innovators
- Design and Engineering thinking: Approaches for thinking and problem-solving in an engineering context
- The design process including problem definition, concept generation, requirements analysis, system design and detailed design.
- New process and product development; lifecycles, research, technology, development and innovation
- Design considerations and trade-offs: including safe design, methods of managing risk and uncertainty, regulations and professionalism, sustainability, design for manufacture and business decisions involved in design and innovation
- Team dynamics and techniques to facilitate successfully working in concurrent engineering teams.
- Review of written and oral communication skills.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: DISCOVERY: Project Context Report
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1, E.1 and F.1 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 5% |
Assessment task 2: SCOPING: Group Interim Report
| Intent: | The in-class assessments will allow students to demonstrate that they have developed an understanding of design considerations and decision making in an engineering context. The assessments will focus on risk and financial decision making in engineering design projects. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 2 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1 |
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 10% |
Assessment task 3: PITCHING: Solution Pitch and Feedback
| Type: | Project |
|---|---|
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 10% |
Assessment task 4: PITCHING: Prototype Pitch and Feedback
| Type: | Project |
|---|---|
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 10% |
Assessment task 5: REPORTING: Group Design Presentation
| Type: | Project |
|---|---|
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 10% |
Assessment task 6: REPORTING: Group Design Report
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): .1 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 20% |
Assessment task 7: REPORTING: Individual Project Collaboration Statement and Reflection
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1 and E.1 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 15% |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.
Required texts
The Making of an Expert Engineer - James P Trevelyan, Boca Raton CRC Press, 2014. Available as an electronic copy through the UTS Library
Recommended texts
The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design, IDEO Organisation, 2015. Available online from IDEO.org
48240: Design and Innovation Fundamentals – Gerard Volland and Paul Trott, Pearson Custom Text for UTS - ISBN 9781486007103, 2013.
References
The Making of an Expert Engineer - James P Trevelyan, Boca Raton CRC Press, 2014. Available as an electronic copy through the UTS Library
Is It Real? Can We Win? Is It Worth Doing? Managing Risk and Reward in an Innovation Portfolio, by George S. Day, Harvard Business Review, December 2007
Systems Engineering Guide, MITRE Corporation, 2014
Other resources
See UTSOnline and the lecture notes for additional references on each lecture topic.