Developments in(global) project-
based design education
Mark R. CutkoskyMechanical Engineering Design Division
Stanford University
2000: Global product design teams across time & space
Agenda
• Introduction
• Background and context of project based learning at Stanford
• me310, a graduate project-based design course with global partners
• Discussion of issues and trends
• Future plans
Pittsburgh, PA
U. of Rochester, NY
MachineDesigner
Grad student,lecturer @CMU
Introduction: Mark Cutkosky
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Product Design Program (w/ Fine Arts Dept.)
Team-based design with industrial projects
SIMA MSE program
SLL
Robotics
Smart Product Design Course
MEMS and Mechatronics
RPL
Background: History of PBL at Stanford
Immersion Inc.
Context: entrepreneurial design connections
IDEO
Enterprise Systems Integration
Background: Two kinds of project courses
Projects specified by instructor
Pedagogically inspired
Everybody does same project
Content introduced Just in Time
Results: Effective content injection High enthusiasm Potential for burnout “organized” Sometimes questions
about “real world”
Projects taken from outside (e.g. industry)
Every project is different
Process introduced Just in Time.
Results: Real world Mixed enthusiasm Potential for burnout Sometimes “not
organized”
Project courses with industry partners
ME113 Undergraduate design course with industrial projects
ME210/310 Graduate design course with industrial projects
ME217 Graduate DFM course with industrial projects
ME218d Graduate Smart Product design course -- industrial projects
(new) ME282 Biomechanical Design course with industrial projects
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University9
ME310 distinguishing features
Long track record, many corporate connections and alumni
Substantial projects: 3 quarters, 3-5 people, $15K - $20K budget.
Resources: $14k per project supports course infrastructure (staff, computers, supplies, software). Another $6K goes to Design Division teaching generally (e.g. prototyping shops).
Large archive of information: paper + electronic
Projects have mix of mechanical, electrical, software technology Often systems level Usually involve substantial prototyping, testing
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University10
Project-based learning
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.Confucius
me310 is about forming and running creative, productive, engineering design teams.
It is also about “the Design Division philosophy” of engineering design.
It is the quintessential project-based learning (PBL) course:
• see and hear• do and experience• reflect and introspect• document for the future
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University11
goal: develop design-development team LEADERS
prepared for a career in creative engineering design that is both pragmatic and intellectually informed;
given: few incoming students have complete engineering
product design experience, fewer have been encouraged to examine the intellectual foundations of design;
approach: corporate partners drive technical learning and
motivate product development; instructional team oversees process-management
and intellectual skill development/learning. technology accelerates the learning curve.
me310 Goals & Approach
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University12
ME310a Tools for team formation, design process management
• “just in time” documentation and design capture (Cross Pads, laptops, digital cameras, hypermail)
• formal document preparation, refinement, electronic archival (DRDoc templates, DropSite)
• design process mapping, management (IdeaStorm, MS Project)
• balanced team formation and analysis (Wilde,…)
• methodologies for concept generation, selection, refinement (benchmarking, concept selection)
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University13
ME310 paper bicycle exercise
Warm-up exercise: design and construct a “bicycle” made (almost) entirely out of paper products
The bicycles participate in a celebratory race.A winning design from 1998
ME310bc: In-depth design development with corporate partners
Focus is on the project*Enrollment by permission of instructorTeams of 3-4 function like start-up
companiesTeaching staff functions like Advisory
Board Tech: coaching, advice, identify technical
resources, arrange J.I.T. tutorials as needed.
Mg’t: keep team on track w.r.t. vision, team management plan, avoid premature closure, avoid lack of closure.
*4 units + optional 1 unit Design Process Enhancement Study
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University15
210/310 Design Axioms
1. Design is a social process
2. All design is redesign
3. Designers need to preserve ambiguity
1. Design is a social process
Therefore: Wilde Team formation, dynamics SUDS, Alpine Inn Paper Bicycles Coaches Design your space Attention to culture of global
partners
Ignore it at your peril!
First few weeks’ theme
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University17
Team Analysis (Wilde/Jung/Myers-Briggs )
Perceiving Judging
IntrovertedExtroverted
Any of these modes can be used in two ways:
<Cutkosky,Richter,Dorn,Scheinman>
At any moment a person can be
Perception can be through
Sensing Intuition
Feeling Thinking
Judging can be based on
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University18
310 global partner communicatio communication
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University19
310 design loft
(VIP camera view)
http://me210vip.stanford.edu
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University20
Teaching team
Students
Coaches andalumni
Corporateliaisons
Stanford community andfriends of the Design Division
The ME310 learning community
Communityknowledge
Globalpartners
2. All design is redesignFocus on documentation, design
retrieval for re-use
Benchmarking (own + IDEO, D2M).
Exposure to structured design/project planning methods to facilitate retrieval IdeaStorm, Search ME210/310, Perlmail DocuShare, Dropzone, panFora,
DRDocs, ...
ME310industry sponsored projects for
distributed teams, Internet mediated design-development,
emphasis on hardware, theory and conceptual prototyping
CDRdesign theory & methodologyagent-based-engineering,manufacturing processes,robotics,engineering education
Center for Design Research & SLL
Electronic notebook tools, internet collaboration services and results from formal studies
of design activity
Feedback regarding tools, services and behaviorfrom formal studies of design education, activity and documentation
VIP
C D R
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University23
Knowledge & Rationale Capture - the usual situation today
Current Best Practices
knowledge and experiencecreation process
saved information
reconstructable knowledge
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University24
Knowledge & Rationale Capture -toward a better practice
Best Practices with New Paradigm
knowledge and experiencecreation process
saved information
reconstructable knowledge
organized summary
discoverable rationale
Electronic Design Archives
visit the me310-web http://me310.stanford.edu
Lots of material (now searchable!)
7+ years of online design documentation
7+ years of people who took 210/310
pointers to the world of design, resources...
caveat: the site is undergoing continuous remodeling (like much of Stanford campus)
streaming video archived via
Stanford Online
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University27
ME210/310 Design Document templates
Captures the process that lead to your design.
What is the need that your design addresses?
What are the requirements behind your design?
What was your design approach - what alternatives did you consider, how did you evaluate them?
What are the specifications of your design?
What are the lessons learned from the process?
3. Designers need to preserve ambiguity
• Brainstorming
• Benchmarking outside of the expected application areas
• Avoid “premature closure”
• You’re the Boss
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University29
Preserving Ambiguity
ME310b Assignment 1: Dark Horse CFP (15%)
Build and/or test a "dark horse" concept or technology that was identified as potentially promising, but not focused on during the fall. It should be an alternative to the more "standard" or "obvious" approach.
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University30
sample team: DaimlerChrysler ‘99
Chris Wendy Juli
and Neeta, at the wheel
Realistictransmissionsimulator forheavy trucktransmissions
(a macho hapticcompuer interface)
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University31
DaimlerChrysler’99 cont’d
3D CAD modeling for analysis & fabrication
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DaimlerChrysler’99 cont’d
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DaimlerChrysler’99 cont’d
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University34
Looking into the future
Greater emphasis on global teams
Steady improvements in technology: for communication for documentation for retrieving relevant results
More computer science and electrical engineering
More use of subcontracting
ME310 and Project Based Learning, © M.R. Cutkosky Stanford University35
Closing thoughts
When it works well, it works very well.
It’s real, but it’s not the “”real world’ - this is an opportunity!
Strong, committed alumni population.
Value often not apparent till afterward.
Always room for improvement
Should not be dominated by 1 instructor.
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