Basic Engineering Design (Part 2): Researching the Need
- 1. The Engineering Design Cycle http://labs.ee.washington.edu/community/BasicEngDes/BasicEngDes_ResearchNeed/ Part 2 Research the Need
- 2. Establish the Relevance Research the Need After a problem is identified and selected, whether by the design team or by someone else, it is time to research the need for the problem to be solved. Doing so requires (a) an initial search of information (e.g. on the web); (b) establishing the relevance of the design; and (c) sorting through information to distinguish credible from questionable information. Identify the Problem Construct Prototype Research the Need Select the Best Solution Design Solutions Redesign/ Iterate Test and Evaluate Present the Solution
- 3. Web Searches: Good or Bad? The Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Begins with Gathering Information! While the information on websites is often questionable and its credibility hard to establish, Google (and related) searches can be an excellent first step in: • Identifying the kind of information that can justify "the need" • Capturing and culling keywords that can be used in more consistent databases of information (such as the peer reviewed literature) • Locating existing products that meet "the need" or identifying existing solutions to "the problem"
- 4. Web Searches: Good or Bad? Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle While the information on websites is often questionable and its credibility hard to establish, Google (and related) searches can be an excellent first step in: • Identifying the kind of information that can justify "the need" • Capturing and culling keywords that can be used in more consistent databases of information (such as the peer reviewed literature) • Locating existing products that meet "the need" or identifying existing solutions to "the problem" Google (and other web searches) can't be the only place used to Research the Need, but the web can be a great first place to look!
- 5. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle More keywords are better! Searching "sensors" gives broad results, many which are not relevant In general, when doing web searches, the more information provided for the search, the more relevant the results will be.
- 6. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle More keywords are better! Searching "sensors" gives broad results, many which are not relevant Searching "sensors for monitoring carbon monoxide in air"– gives products and information much more relevant to a specific design In general, when doing web searches, the more information provided for the search, the more relevant the results will be.
- 7. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Search for either one word or another Google automatically assumes there is an "and" between words and seeks results that contains all the words you specify. A search for "carbon monoxide ethanol sensors" looks only for sensors that do both!
- 8. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Search for either one word or another Google automatically assumes there is an "and" between words and seeks results that contains all the words you specify. A search for "carbon monoxide sensors" gives us what we are looking for. A separate search on ethanol sensors can complement this search to provide information on both types of sensors.
- 9. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Filter out distracting or irrelevant words Use the – sign to indicate words that you don't want to include in a search.
- 10. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Filter out distracting or irrelevant words Use the – sign to indicate words that you don't want to include in a search. For example, if you want to look up "bass guitar" – you may find yourself in a sea of websites on fish.
- 11. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Filter out distracting or irrelevant words Let’s try a search for "bass –fish"
- 12. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Filter out distracting or irrelevant words Let’s try a search for "bass –fish"
- 13. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Forage for the best keywords Use similar words to describe what you are searching for and identify those keywords that are more productive than others.
- 14. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Forage for the best keywords Here a search for sustainability yields results that are too broad!
- 15. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Forage for the best keywords: Use similar words to describe what you are searching for and identify those keywords that are more productive than others. Here narrowing the search to sustainable development gives us more of what we want.
- 16. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Search for similar web pages: By using the related query related:http://www.nationalgeographic.com
- 17. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Search by exact phrase If your keywords are generating pages that are not relevant to your search, try using an exact phrase using double quotation marks. For example: "carbon monoxide sensors"
- 18. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Use the Advanced Search page (if available) Google and many other search engines have an advanced search page that helps in including or excluding information in order to streamline the search and eliminate useless links. Search within a Search
- 19. Efficient Web Searches Gathering Information during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Use other search sites. For example, within Google: • Google News – to search current news articles • Google Patent Search • Google Scholar – to search peer reviewed literature • Google Images – good for finding graphs or images to support presentations • Google Videos – good for finding tutorials on certain topics
- 20. Gathering Information The Web Search Research the Need The Web Search is a great first step in foraging for tutorials, products, patents, performance, overviews, opinions, and other information regarding the problem that your design will address. The next steps involve delving deeper and becoming more focused on the web, and in other sources of information, to Establish the Relevance of the design in a credible and convincing way! Identify the Problem Construct Prototype Research the Need Select the Best Solution Design Solutions Redesign/Iter ate Test and Evaluate Present the Solution
- 21. Are other successful products already developed to solve this problem? Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Trade Magazines (e.g. IEEE Spectrum) • Company Web Pages/Annual Reports • Market Research Asking Questions about the Design
- 22. Are other successful products already developed to solve this problem? Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Asking Questions about the Design Where to Look: • Trade Magazines (e.g. IEEE Spectrum) • Company Web Pages/Annual Reports • Market Research
- 23. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Trade Magazines (e.g. IEEE Spectrum) • Company Web Pages/Annual Reports • Market Research Are other successful products already developed to solve this problem? Asking Questions about the Design
- 24. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Trade Magazines (e.g. IEEE Spectrum) • Company Web Pages/Annual Reports • Market Research Are other successful products already developed to solve this problem? Asking Questions about the Design
- 25. Are other successful products already developed to solve this problem? Establishin g Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Asking Questions about the Design Where to Look: • Trade Magazines (e.g. IEEE Spectrum) • Company Web Pages/Annual Reports • Market Research
- 26. Are other successful products already developed to solve this problem? Establishin g Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Asking Questions about the Design Where to Look: • Trade Magazines (e.g. IEEE Spectrum) • Company Web Pages/Annual Reports • Market Research
- 27. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Introduction/Background in Scientific/Peer-Reviewed Literature • Reliable Government Organizations • Reputable NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) Is there a critical need for this product to address the health and well-being of society? Asking Questions about the Design
- 28. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Introduction/Background in Scientific/Peer-Reviewed Literature • Reliable Government Organizations • Reputable NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) Is there a critical need for this product to address the health and well-being of society? Asking Questions about the Design
- 29. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Introduction/Background in Scientific/Peer-Reviewed Literature • Reliable Government Organizations • Reputable NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) Is there a critical need for this product to address the health and well- being of society? Asking Questions about the Design
- 30. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Introduction/Background in Scientific/Peer-Reviewed Literature • Reliable Government Organizations • Reputable NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) Is there a critical need for this product to address the health and well- being of society? Asking Questions about the Design
- 31. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Introduction/Background in Scientific/Peer-Reviewed Literature • Reliable Government Organizations • Reputable NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) Is there a critical need for this product to address the health and well-being of society? Asking Questions about the Design
- 32. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Where to Look: • Introduction/Background in Scientific/Peer-Reviewed Literature • Reliable Government Organizations • Reputable NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) Is there a critical need for this product to address the health and well-being of society? Asking Questions about the Design
- 33. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Is there compelling evidence for a profitable market for this product/design? Where to Look: • Market Research • Trade Magazines • Introduction/Background in Peer Reviewed Literature Asking Questions about the Design
- 34. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Is there compelling evidence for a profitable market for this product/design? Where to Look: • Market Research • Trade Magazines • Introduction/Background in Peer Reviewed Literature Asking Questions about the Design
- 35. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Is there compelling evidence for a profitable market for this product/design? Where to Look: • Market Research • Trade Magazines • Introduction/Background in Peer Reviewed Literature Asking Questions about the Design
- 36. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Is there compelling evidence for a profitable market for this product/design? Where to Look: • Market Research • Trade Magazines • Introduction/Background in Peer Reviewed Literature Asking Questions about the Design
- 37. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Is there compelling evidence for a profitable market for this product/design? Where to Look: • Market Research • Trade Magazines • Introduction/Background in Peer Reviewed Literature Asking Questions about the Design
- 38. Establishing Relevance during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Is there compelling evidence for a profitable market for this product/design? Where to Look: • Market Research • Trade Magazines • Introduction/Background in Peer Reviewed Literature Asking Questions about the Design
- 39. Once the design team has gathered information to establish the relevance of the problem (and the design intended to solve that problem), it is time to sort the credible from the questionable sources from which the information was gathered. Once sorted, the credible sources will be retained for project proposals, design project reviews, and other formal communications of the design with those outside the team. The questionable sources can be retained for internal team use only or may be discarded altogether. The Engineering Design Cycle Identify the Problem Construct Prototype Research the Need Select the Best Solution Design Solutions Redesign/ Iterate Test and Evaluate Present the Solution
- 40. Many, many sources of Information Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Source of Information Credible? How to Determine Credibility Peer-Reviewed Journals Very Often Eigenfactor, Impact Factor Technical Conferences Often Acceptance Rate, Reach Trade Magazines Often Reach, Stature, Reputation Market Research Often Potential Bias, Reach & Reputation Organizations, Government Often Stability and History of Government Organizations, Non-Government Sometimes Potential Bias, Possible Agendas Blogs, Discussion Forums Rarely Author Reputation & Expertise Newspapers, Magazines, Popular Publications Sometimes Potential Bias, Underlying Sources Web Documents, Author not disclosed Rarely Reputation of Organization Companies Sometimes Potential Bias, Possible Agendas
- 41. Gathering Information from: Peer-Reviewed Journals Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Use a reputable database (IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, etc.) to search for articles from the peer reviewed literature. Then, check the credibility of journals and journal articles using: • Journal Citation Reports, or • Eigenfactor.org How to evaluate articles associated with journals in Science and Engineering
- 42. Gathering Information from: Peer-Reviewed Journals Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Use a reputable database (IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, etc.) to search for articles from the peer reviewed literature. Then, check the credibility of journals and journal articles using: • Journal Citation Reports, or • Eigenfactor.org Is the Journal Listed? • Yes – look at impact factor or article influence score? – Is it well below average? (reject altogether or find another source to back up the information gathered in and needed from the article) – Is it average or above (great!) • No – reject as not credible, or • Maybe – combine with a more reputable source How to evaluate articles associated with journals in Science and Engineering
- 43. Gathering Information from: Technical Conferences Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle The first step in searching for credible information is to use a reputable database (IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, etc.) to search for conference articles.
- 44. Gathering Information from: Technical Conferences Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Then, check the credibility of conference articles by evaluating the following questions: Is it a conference sponsored by a well known professional or trade society? Yes: it is likely credible No: is questionable, information will need to be backed up by another source. Is the acceptance rate for articles well below 100%? Is the conference? Regional: credibility may be poor National: credibility is likely to be solid Truly International: credibility is good
- 45. Gathering Information from: Trade Magazines Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Is the organization established? Is it well known? Does it have many members? IEEE Spectrum: • IEEE was founded in 1963 and now has over 400,000 members. • Its trade magazine, IEEE Spectrum, will for the most part contain credible information. YES!
- 46. Gathering Information from: Trade Magazines Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Is the organization established? Is it well known? Does it have many members? The Journal of Petroleum Technology: • SPE originated in AIME (another reputable organization) in 1957. SPE has over 160,000 members • The Journal of Petroleum Technology is the "flagship magazine" of SPE and will for the most part contain credible information. YES!
- 47. Gathering Information from: Trade Magazines Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle • American Academy of Environmental Engineers • American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics • American Institute of Chemical Engineers • American Society for Engineering Education • American Society of Civil Engineers • American Society of Mechanical Engineers • American Society of Safety Engineers • American Society for Nondestructive Testing • ASM International • Association for Computing Machinery • Biomedical Engineering Society • Institute of Biological Engineering • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers • Institute of Industrial Engineers • Institute of Transportation Engineers • National Society of Professional Engineers • Society of Automotive Engineers • Society of Manufacturing Engineers • Society of Petroleum Engineers These are some of the major professional and trade societies in the U.S. and would provide the most reliable and credible data for design teams operating in the U.S. Trade organizations that are young or do not have an established reputation should be questioned.
- 48. Gathering Information from: Market Research Organizations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Market Research Provides important historical and projected markets for a particular product or class of products. Free & reputable sources of market data/statistics from the U.S. government: • SBA.gov (U.S. Small Business Administration) • U.S. Census Bureau • FedStats.gov • EconomicIndicators.gov
- 49. Gathering Information from: Market Research Organizations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Market Research Provides important historical and projected markets for a particular product or class of products. The following publication is provided by many university/college libraries: • Market Share Reporter
- 50. Gathering Information from: Market Research Organizations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Market Research Provides important historical and projected markets for a particular product or class of products. Private market research firms charge $$$$ for detailed reports but will often provide valuable & credible summaries free of charge and on line: Some major non-profit organizations also provide valuable information about consumer attitudes and trends: • Google/Web Search: "Market research <product>" • pewresearch.org
- 51. Gathering Information from: Government Organizations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle The more established and the more relevant the government, the more credible the information. In the United States, this means.... More local agencies (city, county, state) can also provide credible information, but not as reliably as federal government agencies –and should be backed up by additional sources for best credibility. The same is true for governments that are not stable or globally recognized. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Center for Disease Control (CDC) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- 52. Gathering Information from: Non- Government Organizations (NGOs) Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle The more established the agency, the better. • Peace Corps • American Cancer Society The more well known the agency name, the better. • World Health Organization The more unbiased the mission statement, the better. The more unbiased the funding of the organization, the better. What is PATH’s mission? "Our mission is to improve the health of people around the world by advancing technologies, strengthening systems, and encouraging healthy behaviors." Unbiased!
- 53. Gathering Information from: Non- Government Organizations (NGOs) Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle The more established the agency, the better. • Peace Corps • American Cancer Society The more well known the agency name, the better. • World Health Organization The more unbiased the mission statement, the better. The more unbiased the funding of the organization, the better. "Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action. Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace." Tending toward Biased!
- 54. Many, many sources of Information Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Source Credible? Investigating.... Peer-Reviewed Journals Very Often Eigenfactor, Impact Factor Technical Conferences Often Acceptance Rate, Reach Trade Magazines Often Reach, Stature, Reputation Market Research Often Potential Bias, Reach & Reputation Organizations, Government Often Stability and History of Government Organizations, Non-Government Sometimes Potential Bias, Possible Agendas Blogs, Discussion Forums Rarely Author Reputation & Expertise Newspapers, Magazines, Popular Publications Sometimes Potential Bias, Underlying Sources Web Documents, Author not disclosed Rarely Reputation of Organization Companies Sometimes Potential Bias, Possible Agendas
- 55. Gathering Information from: Companies & Corporations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle In general, use information from a corporate organization that • Can either be readily recognized, or • Can be accompanied by a brief biography (origin of company, market share, annual revenue, date of inception, etc.) that establishes the stability and credibility of the company. Started in 1948, Fluke is a major manufacturer of electronic testing equipment and has over 2,500 employees at its home base in Everett, Washington. OR
- 56. Gathering Information from: Companies & Corporations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Company Web Sites: Can be assumed to be biased and less credible than other sources. A notable exception would be information that is referenced to another, more credible source published outside the company (e.g. reputable government reports, peer reviewed scientific literature, etc.) Data Sheets and other Technical Information: Can be assumed to provide accurate and credible information regarding specifications, performance, and underlying science/theory of operation but can be biased in stating the goodness of the device or product. "Honeywell continues to maintain product excellence and performance by introducing innovative solid-state magnetic sensor solutions. These are highly reliable, top performance products that are delivered when promised. Honeywell’s magnetic sensor solutions provide real solutions you can count on."
- 57. Gathering Information from: Companies & Corporations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Company/Corporation Annual Reports: Information regarding overall market share and revenue (which gives credibility to the company as a whole). Information regarding a particular product or product line as a function of overall business (which can be used to establish a company as an expert on a particular product or product line). Descriptions of the company and its products are like most other company propaganda, inherently biased. As worldwide demand for renewable energy continues to increase, it is increasingly clear that consumers will turn to energy-saving solutions from Acme Electronics for their electronic device needs.
- 58. Gathering Information from: Companies & Corporations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Company/Corporation Annual Reports: Information regarding overall market share and revenue (which gives credibility to the company as a whole). Information regarding a particular product or product line as a function of overall business (which can be used to establish a company as an expert on a particular product or product line). Descriptions of the company and its products are like most other company propaganda, inherently biased. Acme Electronics provides the world's best video games to a broad range of users.
- 59. Gathering Information from: Companies & Corporations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Company/Corporation Annual Reports: Information regarding overall market share and revenue (which gives credibility to the company as a whole). Information regarding a particular product or product line as a function of overall business (which can be used to establish a company as an expert on a particular product or product line). Descriptions of the company and its products are like most other company propaganda, inherently biased. Acme Electronics generated gross profits of 1.4 billion dollars in 2015.
- 60. Gathering Information from: Companies & Corporations Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle Company/Corporation Annual Reports: Information regarding overall market share and revenue (which gives credibility to the company as a whole). Information regarding a particular product or product line as a function of overall business (which can be used to establish a company as an expert on a particular product or product line). Descriptions of the company and its products are like most other company propaganda, inherently biased. Acme Electronics products carried 40% of the global market share in personal fitness products in 2014.
- 61. Gathering Information from: Many, Many Other Sources Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle When considering a wide range of other Print Sources: – Newspapers – Popular Magazines – Propaganda, Brochures and the like As well as Internet Sources: – Blogs – Discussion Forums – Product reviews from companies or associations of companies – Propaganda from organizations with a clear bias – Any material with an unknown author Red Flag: Article has an author, but the author has no expertise in the area. Red Flag: Article contains science which is not timeless and is several years old.
- 62. Gathering Information from: Many, Many Other Sources Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle When considering a wide range of other Print Sources: – Newspapers – Popular Magazines – Propaganda, Brochures and the like As well as Internet Sources: – Blogs – Discussion Forums – Product reviews from companies or associations of companies – Propaganda from organizations with a clear bias – Any material with an unknown author Red Flag: Article has no author and no list of other sources/references. Rule of Thumb: An article that is UNauthored is very often UNcredible.
- 63. Gathering Information from: Many, Many Other Sources Identifying Credibility during the Research the Need phase of the Engineering Design Cycle When considering a wide range of other Print Sources: – Newspapers – Popular Magazines – Propaganda, Brochures and the like As well as Internet Sources: – Blogs – Discussion Forums – Product reviews from companies or associations of companies – Propaganda from organizations with a clear bias – Any material with an unknown author Yellow Flag: Article is on Wikipedia and information of interest is either not referenced or referenced to a source of questionable credibility.
- 64. Research the Need Information is gathered; questions of relevance are answered. Information is then sorted to support the relevance of the design into categories of: • Category 1: CREDIBLE • Category 2: LIKELY CREDIBLE (but needs backup from CREDIBLE sources) • Category 3: NOT CREDIBLE (this information should be retained for internal use only, and never be seen in an presentation or report to an outside audience) Identify the Problem Construct Prototype Research the Need Select the Best Solution Design Solutions Redesign/ Iterate Test and Evaluate Present the Solution
- 65. Thanks for joining us as we explored the second step of the Engineering Design Cycle: Research the Need. Complete Educational Materials (including assignments, quizzes, and recorded lectures) on the topic of Basic Engineering Design can be found at: http://labs.ee.washington.edu/community/BasicEngDes/ The Engineering Design Cycle