Topics: Increased Efficiency

Professor: John Collier

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 10:00am-11:05am
X-hour Thursday 12-12:50pm
Spanos Auditorium, Cummings Hall

SYLLABUS - Fall '08

Week 1: Introduction to the course and problem solving

No skills session this week

Wednesday, Sept. 24 Goals of the course;

Introduction to the Engineering Method
  • personal profile discussion

Turn in personal profile (Prof. Collier)


Thursday, Sept. 25 5:30 - 7:30 PM Introduction to Thayer laboratory and Machine Shop facilities & Pizza dinner in the Couch Project Lab
  • meet classmates
  • meet staff
  • first oppy to visit facilities
Assignment: read the Problem Solving Loop
Friday, Sept. 26 Use of matrices for design decisions, segmentation and problem solving techniques

How to select a problem (Prof. Collier)
  • previous successful projects
  • less successful projects
  • unsuccessful projects
Assignment: read Problem Solving method example.

Week 2: Group Selection

Prototype fabrication skills - 1

Monday, Sept. 29 Problem solving techniques and how to select a group (Prof. Collier)
  • what to look for in a teammate
  • hand out group selection sheets
Assignment: "How to Select a Team"
Tuesday, Sept. 30 Hand in group selection sheets
Wednesday, Oct. 1 Needfinding (Prof. Robbie)

Assignment of project groups (receive lab books)


Friday, Oct. 3 How to Give a Proposal Presentation (Prof. Collier)

How to Write a Project Proposal (Prof. Robbie)

Questions & Answers about Proposal; Structure of the written and oral presentations

Assignment: Read How to Write Project Proposal

Week 3: Project selection and discussion

Prototype fabrication skills - 2

Monday, Oct. 6 Intriguing concepts and great ideas
Slide max: 6; 2 slides max per idea
Assignment, in class feedback
Wednesday, Oct. 8 Intriguing concepts and great ideas
Slide max: 6; 2 slides max per idea
Assignment, in class feedback
Friday, Oct. 10 No Class Assignment: Read proposal guidelines

Week 4: Project Proposal

Prototype fabrication skills - 3

Monday, Oct 13 Patents and the Protection of Intellectual Property (Mr. Fairbrothers)

One Page Executive Summary of Proposal due at noon. Email Ms. Amanda Perry.

Read Prof. Fairbrothers' article on Patents
Tuesday, Oct. 14 Proposal Presentations - Spanos Critique at least one other presentation and turn in eval sheet
Wednesday, Oct. 15 Proposal Presentations - Spanos Critique at least one other presentation and turn in eval sheet
Thursday, Oct. 16
X-Hour
Lecture on safety at Thayer School (Prof. Levey & Dr. Cimis)
(Note: this seminar is mandatory for all ENGS 21 students who haven't already taken it (as part of ENGS 24). Check your status

Note: The "Shop Safety" course does not satisfy this "undergraduate safety seminar" requirement.


Friday, Oct. 17
Room Change to 200 Cummings
Group Dynamics and project management (Prof. Collier) Assignment: Team Dynamics and Managing Conflicts Pdfs

Week 5: Ethics and Modeling

Prototype Fabrication Skills: model making

Monday, Oct. 20 Models, mock-ups and 3D modeling (Prof. Robbie) Assignment: ??? by Robbie
Wednesday, Oct. 22 Engineering Ethics and Professional Codes of Conduct
(Ms. Donovan and Ethics Institute)
Assignment: read the Professional Code of Conduct for Engineers
Friday, Oct. 24 Developing the Progress Report
  • elements of the report
  • grading criteria
  • examples of well-done reports
  • critique of less successful reports
Assignment: read the guidelines for progress reports and understand the grading sheet

Week 6: Progress reports

Prototype Fabrication Skills: testing and analysis, electronic assembly, sensors and displays

Monday, Oct. 27 Engineering Ethics and Case Study (Prof. Collier)
One Page Executive Summary of Progress Report due at noon. Email Ms. Amanda Perry

Tuesday, Oct. 28 Progress Report presentations - Spanos Auditorium Assignment: critique at least one presentation and turn in eval sheet
Wednesday, Oct. 29 Progress Report presentations - Spanos Auditorium
3 copies of written Progress Reports due in Room 119 at noon (2 copies bound and 1 copy stapled and 3-hole punch)
Assignment: critique at least one presentation and turn in eval sheet-prepare 2 minute progress summary for classmates
Friday, Oct. 31 Summary presentations of progress to classmates Provide written suggestions to other teams

Week 7: Product Design and Performance

Prototype Fabrication Skills: prototype development

Monday, Nov. 3 Product Design (Prof. Robbie) Assignment: read Robbie's ?????
Wednesday, Nov. 5 STATISTICS (Dr. Lasky) Assignment: read Lasky's ?????
Friday, Nov. 7 Sustainable Engineering (Prof. Cushman-Roisin) Assignment: read Prof Cushman-Roisin's ???

Week 8: Other Factors in Product Design

Prototype Fabrication Skills: prototype testing

Monday, Nov. 10 The Role of Engineers in Product Liability; How To Protect Yourself. (Prof. Collier) Read Liability handout
Wednesday, Nov. 12 Design Review and interactive feedback in Couch Project Lab Assignment: provide suggestions to other teams
Friday, Nov. 14 Design Review and interactive feedback in Couch Project Lab Assignment: provide suggestions to other teams

Week 9: The Business Plan & Entrepreneurship - Selling Your Product

Prototype Fabrication Skills: user testing, packaging, prototype optimization

Monday, Nov. 17 Entrepreneurship and Venture/Business Proposals (Mr. Gregg Fairbrothers) Assignment: Read Prof Fairbrothers handout on entrepreneurship
Wednesday, Nov. 19 Introduction to Engineering Economics: Why Cost is not Price
Marketing and How to Determine Price (Prof. Collier)
Assignment: Read economics and cost/price handout
Friday, Nov. 21 How to prepare the 'Venture Proposal' portion of the Final Report (Prof. Collier) Assignment: Work with the 'skateboard' excel example and read guidelines for the final report

Week 10: Finals Discussion

Prototype Fabrication Skills: project completion

Monday, Nov. 24 Final Question and Answer session and Discussion of Final Presentations
Wednesday, Nov. 26 Thanksgiving Recess
Friday, Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Recess

Week 11: Final Presentations

No skills session

Monday, Dec. 1 Final Report Presentations, day 1 - Spanos
1 copy, unbound, un-stapled, single-sided to Amanda Perry by noon
Critique at least one presentation and turn in eval sheet
Tuesday, Dec. 2 Final Report Presentations, day 2 - Spanos Auditorium
Wednesday, Dec. 3 Demonstrations of prototypes in GlycoFi Atrium Each team has 4 min to present protototype