Many engineers use the structured engineering design process to come up with solutions to meet the demands of customers. The process helps add an order to the project and stimulates creativity. The real-time data collected in the process can aid in reducing bias and promote more accurate decision making. The process of engineering also helps to teach that setbacks and failures can be valuable sources for information for future projects.
Problem definition is the initial stage of the engineering design process. Engineers need to be clear about what their product can do and why it is required. This step is critical for the rest of the engineering process.
Once the issue is identified It is important to collect as much information as you can about the solution. This can be accomplished through research, asking questions and thinking about ideas. This is where engineering creativity shines and where the most inventive ideas can be generated.
Engineers should identify solutions and analyze their pros and cons prior to selecting the best. The solution should be able to satisfy the project constraints (e.g. cost, materials, time and space).
It is a good idea to make a model after choosing the best solution. Then, tests can be conducted to see if the product can do what it’s supposed to accomplish. By identifying problems in the beginning the project is able to reduce overall development time and can save money when it comes to fixing issues later on.