- The document introduces a framework for open engineering, which applies open source principles to product design. It describes an open design environment and reviews Georgia Tech's basic product design process as it pertains to complex mechanical or aerospace systems.
- It outlines the key stages of the design process: establishing need, defining the problem, establishing value, generating alternatives, and evaluating alternatives. Tools like quality function deployment, morphological matrices, and Pugh matrices are discussed for evaluating concepts.
- Finally, it proposes an open engineering portal that would enable the open community to interface with the formal design process through shared design documents and integration of changes across the different stages.