ENG 1430

Technical Specifications

Thursday, March 7, 2024

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Problem
Definition

Communicate Research
Results

Idea
Investigation Generation

Decision
Development
Making

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Problem
Definition

INPUT TASKS OUTPUTS

• Confirm problem • Final Problem Statement

statement • Technical Specifications
• Client Needs • Clarify specifications • Final Constraints
• Establish metrics
• Identify constraints

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Objective

• By the end of today’s lecture, you will be able to:

• Translate client needs into technical specifications.

• Differentiate between target specifications and final specifications.

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Client Needs – 6 Steps for Identification

1. Gather data from customers.

2. Empathize with the end-user – leave assumptions aside.
3. Interpret data in terms of customer needs.
4. Organize the needs into a hierarchy. Currently,
5. Prioritize the needs (relative importance). your Teams
6. Reflect on the results and the process. have
gathered data
from Client

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Technical Specifications (Tech. Specs)

• Previously, we defined technical specifications as:

• What your solution needs to be or do
• Consists of a METRIC and a VALUE

• Can also be broken apart into:

• Target specifications – based on client needs and
benchmarking (where we start)
• Final specifications – based on selected design and
testing (where we end)

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Establishing Target Specifications

1. Prepare the list of metrics from client needs &

stakeholder interviews
2. Collect competitive benchmarking information
3. Set ideal & marginally acceptable target values
4. Reflect on the results and process

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Step 1: Prepare list of metrics

Need # Description Importance (5 – most
important)
1 The chair withstands loading 5
2 The chair disassembles for transport 4
3 The chair is blue 1
4 The chair fits in a single dorm room 2
5 The chair lasts a long time 3
6 The chair is affordable for university 4
students

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Step 1: Prepare list of metrics

S# Need # Target Specification (metric) (Client Need)
S1 1 withstands loading
S2 2 disassembles for transport
S3 2 disassembles for transport
S4 3 is blue
S5 4 fits in a single dorm room
S6 5 lasts a long time
S7 6 is affordable for university
students

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Step 1: Prepare list of metrics

S# Need # Target Specification (metric) (Client Need)
S1 1 Load withstands loading
S2 2 Assembly time disassembles for transport
S3 2 Disassembled size disassembles for transport
S4 3 Blue is blue
S5 4 Assembled size fits in a single dorm room
S6 5 Loads to failure lasts a long time
S7 6 Cost is affordable for university
students

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Step 1: Prepare list of metrics

S# Need # Target Specification (metric) (Client Need)
S1 1 Load withstands loading
S2 2 Assembly time disassembles for transport
S3 2 Disassembled size disassembles for transport
S4 3 Blue is blue
S5 4 Assembled size fits in a single dorm room
S6 5 Loads to failure lasts a long time
S7 6 Cost is affordable for university
students

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Step 2: Collect benchmarking information

• Do some research, make some educated estimates

• Consider:
• How well do existing solutions address the client
needs?
• What are the technical specifications of existing
solutions?
• Provides a starting point

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Step 2: Collect benchmarking information

Figure 1: Cardboard lounge chair from Chairigami [1] Figure 2: Contour chair by Frank Gehry [2]

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Step 2: Collect benchmarking information

S# Need # Target Specification Chairigami Gehry
S1 1 Load > 136 kg N/A
S2 2 Assembly time < 2 min N/A
S3 2 Disassembled size N/A “flat packed” N/A
S4 3 Blue No No
S5 4 Assembled size 45 x 101 x 76 cm 75 x 59 x 95 cm
S6 5 Loads to failure N/A N/A
S7 6 Cost CA$145 CA$9 000

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Step 2: Collect benchmarking information

S# Need # Target Specification Chairigami Gehry
S1 1 Load > 136 kg N/A
S2 2 Assembly time < 2 min N/A
S3 2 Disassembled size N/A “flat packed” N/A
S4 3 Blue No No
S5 4 Assembled size 45 x 101 x 76 cm 75 x 59 x 95 cm
S6 5 Loads to failure N/A N/A
S7 6 Cost CA$145 CA$9 000

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Step 2: Collect benchmarking information – Research and Analysis

S# Need # Target Specification Fjallraven Jansport
S3 2 Disassembled size 36 x 27.5 x 12 cm 46 x 33 x 21 cm

Height: 36 cm Height: 46 cm
Width: 27.5 cm Width: 33 cm
Depth: 12 cm Depth: 21 cm

Figure 3: Fjallraven Kanken backpack [3] Figure 4: Jansport Right Pack backpack [4]

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Step 2: Collect benchmarking information – Research and Analysis

S# Need # Target Specification Analysis (best case) Analysis (worst case)
S6 5 Loads to failure 2420 cycles 14 520 cycles

𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝑁!"# %&' ()* 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
Assumption 1 = 10 242 1 = 2420 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠
Assumption 2 = 15 242 4 = 14 520 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠
Assumptions (1): Assumptions (2):
• Sit on chair 10x per day • Sit on chair 15x per day
• Replace chair once per year (lifetime = 1 • Replace chair once per degree (lifetime
year) = 4 years)
• School year = 8 months (Sept. to April) = • School year = 8 months (Sept. to April) =
242 days 242 days

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Step 3: Set ideal & marginally acceptable values

S# Need # Target Specification Marginal Value Ideal Value Unit
S1 1 Load > 120 >150 kg
S2 2 Assembly time <2 <1 min
S3 2 Disassembled size 46 x 33 x 21 36 x 27.5 x 12 cm
S4 3 Blue N/A Yes N/A
S5 4 Assembled size < 70 x 60 x 100 < 60 x 50 x 90 cm
S6 5 Loads to failure 2420 14 520 cycles
S7 6 Cost < 20 < 10 $CAD

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Step 4: Reflect

• Consider:
• Are these metrics reasonable?
• Is your client in agreement?

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Project End: Finalize technical specifications (from testing)

Some tests
S# Technical Specification Value Unit may be out of
scope (time,
S1 Load 130 kg
resources,
S2 Assembly time 0.5 min etc.)
S3 Disassembled size 30 x 10 x 10 cm
S4 Blue Yes N/A
S5 Assembled size 70 x 60 x 100 cm
S6 Loads to failure TBD cycles
S7 Cost 5 $CAD

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1.Gather data & empathize with end users

2.Interpret & organize data
3.Prioritize the needs
Client Needs 4.Reflect

1.Prepare a list of metrics from client needs

2.Collect benchmarks/analysis
Technical 3.Set target values (Target Specifications)
Specifications 4.Reflect

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Step 1: Prepare list of metrics

Need # Description Importance (5 – most
important)
1 The watering system
2 The watering system
3 The watering system
4 The watering system
5 The watering system

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Step 1: Prepare list of metrics

S# Need # Target Specification (metric) (Client Need)
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7

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Step 2: Collect benchmarking information – Research & Analysis

S# Need # Target Specification
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7

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Step 3: Set ideal & marginally acceptable values

S# Need # Target Specification Marginal Value Ideal Value Unit
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7

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Summary: Definitions

• Technical specifications: What your solution needs to be or

do, consisting of a metric and unit.
• Target specifications: Metrics based on client needs and
benchmarking (where we start)
• Final specifications: Metrics tested and measured in final
design (where we end)
• Needs statements: Set of client or stakeholder
requirements.
• Constraints: Limitations on the design (firm bounds)

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Questions?