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c Google 2005
EE97 Lectures
Senior Project Design
Fall 2006
Lecture 1
Idea: Rules of the Road, Process,
Quality, Risk, Problem Definition, &
Project Schedule
9-8-06
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Welcome
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New Global Paradigm
Companies must deliver products to
“local” markets
Economy is international
Best-in-World people, materials,
skills, processes, and technologies
Remote collaboration beyond the
enterprise
Speed is a competitive advantage
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The Realities
Higher productivity from smaller work
teams
Higher demand for quality,
robustness, and reliability
Responsiveness to customers
Speed to market
Performance in market
Global competition
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Design and Project
Robust design positively impacts cost and
market attributes (penetration, acceptance,
brand)
Robust design in a marketable skill
Design projects bring new products to
market
Project management is a skill which not
many engineers can master, but leads to
promotion, leadership, and compensation
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Project Design & Management
Key responsibility in global economy
Balances business and engineering
Implements business strategy
Integration over the value chain
Customer requirements
Innovation
Process orientation
Teamwork, leadership, and management
Strategy and planning
Problem solving: “Bringing order to chaos”
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Top 5 Reasons for Project Failure
Lack of problem definition
Lack of documentation of requirements
Insufficient front end planning
Unrealistic project plan
Underestimate project scope
Lack of risk identification and management
Insufficient contingency planning
Classification on risk
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What is Quality?
A subjective term for which each
person has his or her own definition
Technical usage, quality can have two
meanings:
1. the characteristics of a product or
service that bear on its ability to satisfy
stated or implied needs
2. a product or service free of
deficiencies
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Six Sigma Quality Methodology
A measure of quality that strives for
near perfection
A process must not produce more
than 3.4 defects per million
opportunities
Fundamental objective: the
implementation of a measurementbased strategy focused on process
improvement and variation reduction
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Risk – Not Just a Four Letter Word
Risk
The possibility of suffering harm or loss;
danger.
A factor, thing, element, or course
involving uncertain danger; a hazard
Risk Management
The process used to identify potential
harmful outcome, estimate the
probability of the outcome, and develop
a contingency plan to mitigate the risks
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A Situation…to make a point
Circa 1880s – the early
industrial age, buildings
began to spring up all over
the US
People began to use
elevators as buildings grew
taller
Early elevators were very
slow
People complained about
the slowness of elevators
What is the problem?
The twin elevators in San Diego's St. James
Hotel were billed as the "fastest in the world"
when installed in 1913, but the hotel notes
that the world has sped up while the
elevators have not.
Credit: Ina Fried
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The Obvious Problem
Is the problem that “Elevators move too
slow.”?
Action: Design elevator which is faster and
safer – in 1880s it is too expensive!
Many companies decided to design and
build a safer and faster elevator
Engineers focused on: larger motors,
slicker pulley designs, better gears, more
power conversion
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Another Approach
Recast the problem: “Elevator speeds
are just fine. People are crazy”
Or another definition: “People think
elevators move to slow”
One company decided to solve this
problem
Engineers focused on: the passenger
in the elevator
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Question Passengers in Elevators:
Are elevators too slow?
What is making passengers think the
elevator is slow?
Is it possible to distract a passenger
during their ride?
What can be done to make a
passenger more comfortable?
Are passengers scared of heights?
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Passenger (Customer) Research
Passengers did indeed think elevators were
a lot slower then they actually were
Passengers had an exaggerated sense of
time during the ride due to:
Had nothing to do but stare at the walls and
think about the safety of the elevator
Thought focused on being suspended in the air
by a thin cable – passengers were preoccupied
with the fear of falling
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A Solution
Give passengers something to do
while standing in the elevator
Limited room for additional items –
So brainstorming yielded:
Install mirrors in elevators to make
passengers think about something else
besides danger
Make passengers think about “Was their
hair combed properly?” or “Did her
makeup look okay?” or ….
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The Follow Up
Passengers did become distracted
Fear of falling – no longer a
preoccupation
Passengers believed elevators with
mirrors were faster – even though
the speed was exactly the same
The elevator design had not been
changed at all
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The 21st Century
Today’s elevator pull three G’s of
acceleration as they rocket
passengers towards their destination
floor
Most modern elevators have mirrors,
lights to flash the floors, video
screens with ads or other visuals to
distract passengers on their ride
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A Situation…to reinforce a point
When typewriter came on the scene, secretaries typed so faced,
the type bars jammed together and prevented the machine from
operating efficiently
Engineers looked at letters in common English words, then
redesigned the key layout to slow down the typing speed of
secretaries to minimize the possibility of the jamming of key type
bars
All English computer keyboards remain based upon the early
layout of typewriters – which limit typing speed!
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The Legacy of a Solution
Roman chariots -> Roman road
design -> rail spacing in Europe
Fonts -> showed importance of
individual or institution -> selection in
word processors today to make a
personal statement
Beware: what you design could
impact civilization for 1000 years or
more!
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What is a problem?
A question to be considered, solved,
or answered
A situation, matter, or person that
presents perplexity or difficulty
A misgiving, objection, or complaint
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A Problem
100,000 people die each year from
medicine errors
$100B is spent annually by insurance
companies and emergency services to
treat people incapacitated from
medicine errors
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Problem Definition
“The formulation of a problem is often
more essential than its solution” –
Albert Einstein
Objectives or purpose pursued by the
research/development itself
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The Process
“An organized group of related activities that work
together to transform one or more kinds of input
into outputs that are of value to the customer” – M.
Hammer, The Agenda Crown Business, NY 2001
Ad-Hoc
• Discovery
• No set timing
• Unpredictable
results
• Long-term
returns
Learning
• Loose structure
• Planning difficulties
• Less predictable
results than desired
• Medium-term
returns
Mature
• Structured methods
• Planned
tasks/milestones
• Predictable results
• Short-term returns
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Process: Key ideas
A group of activities, not just one.
Activities are not random or ad hoc;
they are related and organized.
All activities must work together
toward a common goal
Processes exist to create results your
customers – the individual who give
you value for your work
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Process: Value Chain
Each activity or step contributes to
the end result
Some activities directly contribute
value, while others may not
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Process: Design and Development
Phase 1
Idea
Phase
• Investigate
market needs,
potential, and
technology
• Evaluate
program
feasibility and
viability
Phase 2
Concept
Phase
• Define
customer
requirements
• Identify
product
concepts
• Gain approval
and
investment to
move forward
Phase 3
Planning
Phase
Phase 4
Design
Phase
Phase 5
Development
Phase
• Define on
launch
objectives
• Define
partners
interaction
• Plan the
program
and
schedule
• Design
prototypes
• Test product
proof of
concept
• Develop
product
• Test for
functionality
and
performance
• Test for
customer
acceptance
Phase 6
Launch
Phase
• Launch and
sell
• Provide
customer
support
• Identify
process
improvements
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Project Schedule
Activities – to complete the process
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Case: Energizer Batteries
Web:
http://www.energizer.c
om/products/ezchange
/demo.aspx
Targeted at disabled
and elderly
Eliminates:
Small and
cumbersome loading
issues with arthritic
hands and fingers
Dropping and losing it
on the floor
Frustration of loss of
independence
Solves a real problem
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Case: The Talking Bottle
Original goal: to manufacture a
disposable talking bottle that provides
audible label information and thus makes
information about their medications more
accessible to people who are elderly,
visually and cognitively impaired,
illiterate, or speak a different language
20 percent of nursing home residents are
only there because they don't take their
medicines correctly
Lets doctors and pharmacists give verbal
instructions that you can access by
pushing a button on the bottle
http://www.rxtalks.com/
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Ready. Set. Go?
How does one start a senior project?
Why do one?
What can result?
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Ready. Set. Go?
How does one start a senior project?
First, understand who is interested in the
outcome
We call these people or institutions customers
Second, find out the customer problem you are
trying to solve
Why do one?
You might learn something
You might discover an innovative solution
What can result?
A patent or some intellectual property
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What is the customer’s problem?
Defining the customer’s problem
helps focus your project
It specifies what is needed, when it is
needed, and who needs it
Speaking to the customer is the best
way to determine their problem
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Customer Data Sheet
Identifies the customer
Who is it
Type
High risk taker (called a lead user) – the first person on
the street to buy one
Moderate+ risk taker (called a user) – the person who
buys as the product is gaining popularity
Moderate- risk taker (called an average user) – the
person who buys after the product is part of the
mainstream
Low risk taker (called a laggard) who may never buy
product unless forced to due to obsolescence of current
solution or peer pressure
Identifies the type of need
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Customer Problems
Obvious – customer has no problem articulating their
issues
Latent – not obvious to customer, designer must
probe through questions to obtain
On-going – must be part of the solution otherwise it
will not be accepted
Trending – affected by technology or other external
factors; most difficult to understand for changes
outside of customer space may impact the customer
space
General – apply to all types of customers
Niche – apply to a special set of customers
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Customer Data Sheet
Customer Type
Lead
User
User
Average
User
Laggard
Obvious
Customer
Problem
Category
Latent
On-going
Trending
General
Niche
Typical format, others also may be
used depending on customer market
space
Who are your customers?
Advisor
Sponsor
End-user
What type are they?
What are their problems?
The may not all have the same
problems in the same categories
If they do not, how does this affect the
specification of your project?
How does it affect your ultimate
design?
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It is a Four Letter Word
Think about it…
How much are you willing to take?
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Senior Project Due Dates
1st Semester for EE 97
Customer Data Sheets –September 15th
Customer Flow Pattern –September 22nd
Team Assignments –September 22nd
Project Mission Statement –September 29th
Senior Project Sign Up sheet –September 29th
Project Mission Team Presentations –October 6th
Project Proposal – October 27th
Project System Engineering –November 7, 2006
Project Plan –December 8th
Final Exam – December 15th
2nd Semester for EE 98 (High level dates,
others to follow in January)
Build, design, test & deliver prototype – April 13th
Final presentations – April 27th
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Rules of the Road
Class web site:
http://www.ee.tufts
.edu/ee/97/
All the information
is there…or will be!
Check it often
Check out Course
Information web
page first!!!
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