6 Step Design Process

Step 1 Identification of Customer needs and product requirements

Step 2 Concept Generation - Concept generation = Brainstorming - Each team member is expected to bring a different innovative proposal to form a pool of ideas for discussion - Steps

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6 Step Design Process

Step 3 Concept Selection - Filter down promising ideas from the pool of proposals - Robust and detailed analysis on the selected ideas` feasibility Step 4 Concept Testing and Final Specification - Finalize specifications of product

Step 5 Raw Material Acquisition - Check if the company is registered through GEBIZ - If not, registration is available for unregistered vendor - Purchase the most affordable raw material from list of vendors - Alternative external search suggestions are also listed on module website Step 6 Prototype Development - Physical Development - Predict the amount of raw material required from 3D CAD model - Consult the experienced lab technicians within school - Workshop i) Manufacturing lab within NUS ii) Consult industry sponsor iii) outsourcing the required manufacturing operation - Schedule is recommended for fabrication since manufacturing labs within NUS is limited - Safety first

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What makes a good team

1. Teamwork

2. Benefit of teamwork - More Hands on deck - Many thing can be done at the same time - Many viewpoint and opinion from people of different background - Support - Motivate and influence each member to put in his/her best to accomplish a common goal - Making better decision - More ground can be covered-the decision is more overall with more people discussing the project - Cater to a large crowd-acceptable by more people of different background 3. How to make a team work (11 Cs) - Clear Expectations - Expectations of each member should be stated before any work has begun - Context - Members should understand why they came together to do this project - Commitment - Motivate and encourage each other to committed to the team and achieve the ultimate goal - Competence - It is good to have people from different background and different skillsets in a team - Charter - Reach consensus - Agree the vision and rules of engagement - Control - Choose workable and effective decision-making approach - Collaboration - Effective communications among team members and working together cohesively can benefit the team significantly - Communication - Establish a communication platform

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Practice Good Communication

1. Process element of Communication

2. Noise - Physical Noise - Psychological Noise - Physiological Noise 3. Effective Communication - Pay attention to cultural differences and respect it - A message is delivered not only through the words used, but also the tonality and speed of delivery - Practice effective listening technique 4. Barriers to Communication

5. Active Listening

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Conflict Resolution Techniques

1. Characteristics of Conflict - Conflict occurs when people disagree on something - Conflict is inevitable when people work in group - Conflict can result in advances, or set the team back 2. Hindrance in conflict management

3. Conflict Resolution Styles - The Turtle: Avoidance - Manage conflicts by avoiding it - Believe that it is impossible to resolve a conflict - Advantages: - Let go trivial matters, if resolution can achieve little - When others can resolve the conflict better than you - Disadvantages: - Inability to achieve self-satisfaction - Unsolved conflict - The Teddy Bear: Accommodating - Interpersonal relationship > issue at hand - Want to be well liked by others - Advantages - Minimal loss of social credits - Less time consumed when time is limited - Disadvantage - May not achieve the best result - May loss the personal goal - May not be satisfactory with working relationship - The shark: Competition - Strong wish to achieve personal goal, even more than personal relationship - Be aggressive - Advantages - Best for where unpopular and critical decision has to be made - Less time consuming - Disadvantages - Resentment - Others feel underrated

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Conflict Resolution Techniques

- The Fox: Compromise - Goals = social relationship - Time consuming - Willing to give up less important issue - Advantages - Retain strategies for common goals and forgo the less important issues - Disadvantages - Time consuming - Might build resentment - The Owl: Collaboration - Believe that collaboration is the best solution and seek agreement from all members - All perspectives and ground are covered - Advantages - Little resentment - Comprehensive result can be achieved - True learning can be done by sharing - Disadvantages - Extremely time consuming

4. Avoidance - Contempt - Symptoms: - Verbal Attacks - Sarcasm - Scornful facial expression - Solutions - No snap judgments - Think positive - Unhealthy criticism - Symptoms - Unconstructive statements - Solutions - Deliver statements with tact - Used "First Person" tone - No criticisms in public - Be constructive - Defensiveness - Symptoms - Tend to believe the others make excuses for own behavior - Reluctant to accept blame and respond negatively - Solutions - Understand the others are trying to help - Stonewalling - Symptoms - Absent from conversation and no verbal respond - Solutions - Less emotional - Change different approaches

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Basic design for manufacturing (DFM)

1. aspects of DFM - Costs control - Methods of production - Time required to production - Production process impact on performance - Availability
Estimate manufacturing Costs of Proposed Design

Reduce costs of components

Reduce costs of assembly

Reduce costs of Supporting Production

Consider DFM impact on other factors

Recompute Manufacturing Costs

Good Enough?

2. Cost - Use standard components as many as possible - Standard components are cheap and widely available - Compare cost of components for particular function (* discount might be available) - modify design to diminish cost from additional processing and overhead cost - Pay attention to Economies of scale - Initial startup costs - Incremental costs per unit 3. How to cut down component cost - Understand process constraint and related costs - Eliminate processing steps through smart design - Selection of production methods w.r.t. scale of production - Standardization of components

4. Processing issues - Beware local process constraints (availability and cost) - Tight tolerance is hard to achieve - Delicate internal feature might be difficult to attain - Eliminate process steps (number of components, procedures and non-conventional design)

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Basic design for assembly (DFA)

1. Guideline for DFA - Minimize number of parts - Lesser parts = lesser steps for assembly - Feature lesser assembly movements - Top-down design approach - Improve design compactness - Reduce re-orientate main body during assembly - Provide Self Aligning features - considerate design may ease assembly process - Eliminate visual obstructions to assembly - Easy for technician to operate the assembly process - Reduce number of tools required - Try to reduce the tool variants required - Use symmetrical parts - Try to design symmetrical features and use symmetrical parts

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Presentation Skills
1. Preparation - Purpose of this presentation - Audience - Location/time of presentation - Content - Attire - Facilities - Practice 2. During Presentation - Greet audience - Introduce oneself - Briefing of presentation content - Visual aids - Body language - Clear verbal delivery 3. Visual Aids - Limit number of slides - Succinct Contents on slides - Limit animation effect and stay professional - Make Font and diagram legible for audience 4. Body language - Eye contact - Engage audience`s attention - Prevent "fleeting eyes" - Avoid reference to notes frequently - Posture - Stand straight - Open body posture - Face audience - Appropriate gesture - Appropriate body movement - Do not fidget - Voice - Speak with appropriate speed and volume - Appropriate pauses - Stay calm and confident

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Elements of a good report

1. Characteristics of good report - Readable - Clearly organized in a logical manner - Sequential - Formal 2. Outline of Content - Title Page - Table of Contents - Introduction - Outline of design requirements - Objectives - Identification of constraints/Considerations - Proposed designs - Final selected design - Possible improvements? - Conclusion

3. Outline of design - Expected performance - Approximate physical dimensions and applications - The requirements of the objectives of project - Specific - Measurable - Attainable - Realistic - Timely
4. Identification of considerations (non-technical issues) - Ergonomics - Aesthetics - Cost limitations? - Environment of product application - Lifespan of product/Reliability - End user ability to operate 5. Final Design - Make comparisons for all proposed designs - Final design should be well described in report - Mechanical Properties - Thermal Properties - Electrical Properties - Costs - Raw Materials Required - Detailed mechanical drawing

6. Citation - A formal mode of citation is a must, if information is obtained from 3rd party

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