Developments in

(global)

project based design education

Mark R. Cutkosky Mechanical Engineering Design Division Stanford University

2000: Global product design teams across time & space

Agenda

• • • • •

Introduction Background and context of project based learning at Stanford m e310, a graduate project-based design course with global partners Discussion of issues and trends Future plans

Introduction:

Mark Cutkosky Pittsburgh, PA Grad student, lecturer @CMU U. of Rochester, NY Machine Designer

Background: History of PBL at Stanford Product Design Program (w/ Fine Arts Dept.) Robotics Team-based design with industrial projects Smart Product Design Course SIMA MSE program MEMS and Mechatronics RPL

1960 1970 1980 1990

SLL

2000

Context: entrepreneurial design connections IDEO

Immersion Inc.

Enterprise Systems Integration

Background:

Two kinds of project courses

Projects specified by

instructor

Pedagogically inspired Everybody does same project Content introduced

Just in Time

Results:



Effective content injection



High enthusiasm

 

Potential for burnout “organized”



Sometimes questions about “real world”

Projects taken from

outside

(e.g. industry) Every project is different Process introduced

Just in Time.

Results:



Real world

  

Mixed enthusiasm Potential for burnout Sometimes “not organized”

Project courses with industry partners

ME113 Undergraduate design course with industrial projects ME210/310 Graduate design course with industrial projects ME217 Graduate DFM course with industrial projects ME218d Graduate Smart Product design course -- industrial projects (new) ME282 Biomechanical Design course with industrial projects

ME310 distinguishing features

Long track record, many corporate connections and alumni Substantial projects: 3 quarters, 3-5 people, $15K - $20K budget.

Resources: $14k per project supports course infrastructure (staff, computers, supplies, software). Another $6K goes to Design Division teaching generally (e.g. prototyping shops).

Large archive of information: paper + electronic Projects have mix of mechanical, electrical, software technology

 

Often systems level Usually involve substantial prototyping, testing

9 ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University

Project-based learning

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

Confucius

me310 is about forming and running creative, productive, engineering design teams.

It is also about “the Design Division philosophy” of engineering design.

It is the quintessential project-based learning (PBL) course: • see and hear • do and experience • reflect and introspect • document for the future ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 10

m e310

Goals & Approach

goal:

 develop design-development team

LEADERS

prepared for a career in creative engineering design that is both pragmatic and intellectually informed;

given:

 few incoming students have of design;

complete

engineering product design experience, fewer have been encouraged to examine the intellectual foundations

approach:

   corporate partners drive technical learning and motivate product development; instructional team oversees process-management and intellectual skill development/learning.

technology accelerates the learning curve. ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 11

ME310a Tools for team formation, design process management

• • • • •

“just in time” documentation and design capture (Cross Pads, laptops, digital cameras, hypermail) formal document preparation, refinement, electronic archival (DRDoc templates, DropSite) design process mapping, management (IdeaStorm, MS Project) balanced team formation and analysis (Wilde,…) methodologies for concept generation, selection, refinement (benchmarking, concept selection)

12 ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University

ME310 paper bicycle exercise

Warm up exercise: design and construct a “bicycle” made (almost) entirely out of paper products A winning design from 1998 The bicycles participate in a celebratory race.

13 ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University

ME310bc : In-depth design development with corporate partners

Focus is on the project* Enrollment by permission of instructor Teams of 3-4 function like start-up companies Teaching staff functions like Advisory Board

 

Tech: coaching, advice, identify technical resources, arrange J.I.T. tutorials as needed.

Mg’t: keep team on track w.r.t. vision, team management plan, avoid premature closure, avoid lack of closure.

*4 units + optional 1 unit Design Process Enhancement Study

210/310 Design Axioms 1. Design is a

social process

2. All

design is redesign

3. Designers need to

preserve ambiguity

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 15

First few weeks’ theme

1. Design is a social process

Ignore it at your peril!

Therefore:

 

Wilde Team formation, dynamics SUDS, Alpine Inn

   

Paper Bicycles Coaches Design your space Attention to culture of global partners

Team Analysis

(Wilde/Jung/Myers-Briggs )

At any moment a person can be

Perceiving Judging

Perception can be through

Sensing Intuition

Judging can be based on

Feeling Thinking

Any of these modes can be used in two ways:

Extroverted Introverted

< Cutkosky , Richter,Dorn,Scheinman > ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 17

310 global partner communication

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 18

310 design loft

( VIP camera view) http://me210vip.stanford.edu

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 19

The ME310 learning

community

Students Global partners Teaching team Community knowledge Coaches and alumni Corporate liaisons Stanford community and friends of the Design Division

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 20

2. All design is redesign

Focus on documentation, design retrieval for re-use Benchmarking (own + IDEO, D2M).

Exposure to structured design/project planning methods to facilitate retrieval



IdeaStorm, Search ME210/310, Perlmail



DocuShare, Dropzone, panFora, DRDocs, ...

Center for Design Research

&

SLL

C D R Feedback regarding tools, services and behavior from formal studies of design education, activity and documentation VIP Electronic notebook tools, internet collaboration services and results from formal studies of design activity CDR design theory & methodology agent-based-engineering, manufacturing processes, robotics, engineering education

ME310

industry sponsored projects for distributed teams, Internet mediated design-development, emphasis on hardware, theory and conceptual prototyping

Knowledge & Rationale Capture the usual situation today

Current Best Practices knowledge and experience creation process saved information reconstructable knowledge 23 ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University

Knowledge & Rationale Capture -

toward a better practice

Best Practices with

New Paradigm

discoverable rationale knowledge and experience creation process saved information organized summary reconstructable knowledge 24 ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University

Electronic Design Archives

visit the me310-web http://me310.stanford.edu

Lots of material (now searchable!) 7+ years of online design documentation 7+ years of people who took 210/310 pointers to the world of design, resources...

caveat: the site is undergoing continuous remodeling (like much of Stanford campus)

streaming video archived

via

Stanford Online

ME210/310 Design Document templates

Captures the process design.

that lead to your What is the need that your design addresses?

What are the requirements design?

behind your What was your design approach - what alternatives did you consider, how did you evaluate them?

What are the specifications of your design?

What are the lessons learned from the process?

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 27

3. Designers need to preserve ambiguity

• • • •

Brainstorming Benchmarking outside of the expected application areas Avoid “premature closure” You’re the Boss

Preserving Ambiguity

ME310b Assignment 1:

Dark Horse CFP (15%) Build and/or test a "dark horse" concept or technology that was identified as potentially promising, but not focused on during the fall. It should be an alternative to the more "standard" or "obvious" approach. 29 ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University

sample team: DaimlerChrysler ‘99

Chris Realistic transmission simulator for heavy truck transmissions (a macho haptic compuer interface) Wendy Juli

and Neeta, at the wheel

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 30

DaimlerChrysler’99

cont’d

3D CAD modeling for analysis & fabrication ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 31

DaimlerChrysler’99

cont’d

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 32

DaimlerChrysler’99

cont’d

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 33

Looking into the future

Greater emphasis on global teams Steady improvements in technology:



for communication

 

for documentation for retrieving relevant results More computer science and electrical engineering More use of subcontracting

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 34

Closing thoughts

When it works well, it works very well.

It’s real, but it’s not the “”real world’ -

an opportunity!

this is

Strong, committed alumni population.

Value often not apparent till afterward.

Always room for improvement Should not be dominated by 1 instructor.

ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University 35