Goals and Expectations

The overall objective of this course is to provide you with methodologies, tools, insight, and experience for successfully executing engineering design projects. In class you will learn and use many tools and techniques which you will apply to a concurrent multidisciplinary team project. Based on the knowledge and skills learned in 381, you will not only be well equipped to tackle your final year design project, but will have a sound foundation for future design projects in your engineering career.

This course will effectively bring together many technical “design tools” such as:

• Design Methodology
• Problem Identification
• Market Research
• Quality Function Deployment (QFD)
• Conceptual Design Techniques
• Design for Assembly and Manufacturing
• Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
• Reliability and Quality
• Six Sigma considerations
• Feasibility Studies
• Prototyping

with a professional skills set including:

• Multidisciplinary teamwork
• Leadership skills
• Oral and written communication skills
• Project management skills
• Fundamentals of business finance and marketing
• Safety, liability, intellectual, and regulatory compliance

and practical design experience in a multidisciplinary team project.

The class will be very interactive, with much opportunity for discussion and team activities.  We will occasionally have guest speakers to enhance the course material.

Information and Student Expectations:

The instructor and TAs will make every effort to provide an enjoyable, professional, and respectful learning atmosphere, and will be endeavour to be available for student support whenever possible.  In the spirit of continuous improvement, constructive feedback is welcome at any time.  In turn, there are several expectations of class members.  These are as follows:

• Attendance is mandatory. Not only is missing one class equivalent to missing a week of “regular” classes, but you will also be letting your team down, as much of the classroom activities are team-based. Team meetings for project work will be required outside of class, and attendance at these meetings should also be taken seriously.
• Please be punctual. We have much to do in every class, and it is important that we start on time in order to end on time.
• You are expected to meet deadlines and come to class prepared. Weekly memos, progress reports, or other assignments must be submitted on time. No extensions will be given.
• Students are expected to contribute fairly and equitably to team activities, and as such, all team members should have similar workloads. While occasional differences of opinion may occur, cooperation, collaboration, and democracy rule. Anonymous peer reviews will be used as a measure of these elements.
• Without exception, any and all material extracted in whole or in part from any source (web, book, newspaper, etc.) must be referenced. Failure to do so is plagiarism.
• This is a multidisciplinary course, and while examples and project elements may not be specific to your discipline, you will be expected to contribute and occasionally extend your learning beyond your discipline as necessary to support your team. This, in fact, is typical of industry projects, where you will frequently be expected to work harmoniously with (and learn from) other engineering disciplines, as well as other professions. Since the design process is generic, the skills you develop will be applicable to all fields of engineering, regardless of the context in which they are learned.
• At all times you are expected to exercise respect for your classmates, instructor, TA’s, and guests. Ethical responsibility, cultural sensitivity, and supportive team behaviour are expected of Professional Engineers, and will be expected in this class. Humour is always welcome, but not at the expense of others.
• Participation, whether in the form of questions, comments, or anecdotes is heartily encouraged. We can all learn from each other through lively interaction and discussion.