Activity:
The starting point for a design project is the initial interpretation of the client brief and the development of a working specification that would meet this brief. Once the specification has been established it will be necessary to plan and schedule the activities and resources to deliver the final design.
Firstly, you will assume the role of the client and develop the design brief, then in your role as a design engineer you will develop a detailed design specification, after which you will need to compare your specification with a typical published guide on preparing an industrial design specification.
Finally, you will need to research project management techniques and develop a Gantt chart (indicating the critical path) for the design activities to be undertaken in task 2.
To achieve the above you need to produce address the activities topics detailed in sections 1.0 to 5.0 below:
1.0 Design Brief – Assuming the role of the client you are required to formulate a design brief for the product/system. The design brief will be the main starting point for the design process and will describe in enough detail the essential elements of the design and its main function that the design is intended to address.
2.0 Design Specification – Develop a detailed design specification, this should typically include the functional & performance requirements, environmental operational conditions and applicable published standards.
3.0 Comparison with ACCESS-FM – Comment on the similarities or differences between your specification (2.0) and an industry standard method of preparing a specification such as ACCESS-FM.
Ask yourself does the specification developed in section 2.0 address (or otherwise) the topics suggested by ACCESS-FM.
4.0 Planning Techniques – Give a brief overview two different project planning techniques that may be used in the design phase of the project (task 2) and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. Explain which of these two techniques you have chosen for the design phase of your project and justify your reasons for doing so.
5.0 Gantt chart and Critical Path – Create a detailed Gantt chart using ‘Gantt project’ (link below) for the design phase of the project (task 2), your Gantt chart should clearly demonstrate the critical path. Discuss the importance of the critical path when managing a project of this kind.
Task 2
Activity:
With the design specification and project plan in place from task 1, it is now time for the practical aspects of the design project to begin. You should now develop the design to completion and produce a detailed design report and presentation.
To achieve the above you need to produce a ‘Design Report’ it is suggested that you base your report on the following structure addressing the topics as detailed in the sections 1.0 to 7.0.
Title page, this should feature the project title, your name and assignment title – perhaps a nice graphic, if you like (no page number on this sheet).
Abstract, this is a self-contained summary of the complete report, this should be less than half a page (page number i).
Acknowledgements, this is where you acknowledge support from colleagues, friends, other organisations etc (page number ii).
Contents table, this lists each section in the document and the page number where that section begins (page number iii).
1.0 Introduction – The introduction states the purpose and goals of your report. A few short paragraphs will suffice here (this is always section 1, and numbered page 1).
2.0 Specification – This could be an overview of the specification from task 1, you can also refer to the design specification in task 1.
3.0 Literature Review – In this section you need to demonstrate that you have undertaken researched in the subject area, this could include underpinning theory, books, journals, trade publications, component manufactures web sites, similar work by others etc.
The literature review should enable you to establish three possible design solutions, which are to be presented in section 4.0.
4.0 Design Options and Decision Matrix – This should be a shortlist and brief description of three potential design options that you have developed, with a final, justified selection of the design you wish to put forward (use a Pugh engineering decision matrix).
5.0 Detail design,
Your detailed design needs to demonstrate:
6.0 Design Review – Review your final design in terms of both its positives and negatives, consider:
7.0 Conclusion – this needs to be a clear statement saying that in developing the design you have accomplished the requirements of the design brief and specification. References (no section number), you need to reference all the sources of information that you have
used in the report.
Appendices, the appendices can contain any other relevant information you would like to include, you may have as many appendices as you want, each labelled Appendix A, B, C—– etc.