Which is the correct order of the first three stages in the engineering design process?

Brainstorm → Research → Define the problem Research → Define the problem → Prototype Define the problem → Research → Brainstorm Define the problem → Prototype → Test

A student team is designing a water filter for a remote village. They decide they must remove 99% of bacteria and the filter must cost less than $5 to build. The 99% bacteria removal is an example of a:

Constraint Prototype specification Requirement Iteration goal

The same student team has a $5 build cost limit and must complete the project in 3 weeks. These are examples of:

Requirements Constraints Acceptance criteria Brainstorming outputs

Why is iteration considered more important than getting a design right on the first attempt?

Because it is faster to build many prototypes than to plan carefully Because engineers are not expected to think carefully before building Because real-world testing always reveals unforeseen problems that only repeated refinement can solve Because the first prototype is always sold to customers

During the brainstorming stage, a team generates 20 ideas and then evaluates each one. What should guide them in choosing which idea to prototype first?

Which idea sounds the most impressive to present How well each idea meets the requirements while staying within the constraints Which idea was suggested by the most experienced team member Which idea is the most complex to build

What is a prototype?

The final version of a product ready for sale A written description of what a product will look like An early, testable model of a design used to evaluate performance before full production A patent application submitted before building begins

An engineering team tests their bridge prototype and finds that it deflects 3 cm under the required load, but the specification says deflection must be less than 1 cm. What should they do next?

Submit the design anyway, since 3 cm is close to the target Abandon the project and start a completely different type of bridge Analyse why the deflection is excessive, then redesign and retest Change the specification to allow 3 cm deflection

Why is the research stage important before brainstorming?

It guarantees the final design will work perfectly It is a bureaucratic requirement with little practical value It prevents teams from reinventing solutions that already exist and reveals relevant scientific principles It replaces the need to test a prototype

At the end of the design process, engineers are expected to communicate their results. Which of the following best describes what good engineering communication includes?

An informal verbal description to the team leader only Technical drawings, test data, design decisions, and lessons learned A social media post with photographs A list of parts and their prices

Acceptance criteria are specific, measurable conditions that a design must satisfy. Which of the following is an example of a well-written acceptance criterion?

The bridge should be strong and look good The structure must support a load of 50 N without deflecting more than 2 mm The design must be approved by the team The product should work most of the time

A team builds three successive prototypes of a robot arm. Each version is faster but also heavier than the last. They must stop when the arm becomes too heavy for the motor. This is an example of managing which engineering challenge?

Failure to follow the design process steps in order Poor brainstorming leading to limited design choices A trade-off between performance (speed) and a constraint (motor capacity/weight limit) Inadequate communication within the team

Which stage of the design process involves checking whether the prototype meets its acceptance criteria under realistic conditions?

Brainstorm Research Test Define the problem